From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross Resisting Sin at Its Head The seven deadly sins remind us just how prone we are to sin. But we can stop the flow of sin when we recognize that every temptation is a life-shaping moment. As Philip Howard notes, “the lightest inclination toward an act which is not wholly clean may be the real pivot on which his whole being turns just then and for all time. As he chooses then, so he may come to be.” [1] Every choi

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross What Makes Sin Deadly First, these sins lurk under the radar screen, disguising themselves in forms that we deem acceptable. While none of us wants to call ourselves lustful or lazy, we nonetheless cover up these sins with other names that make them sound not so bad. For example, we may disguise our pride by calling it self-confidence. Greed cloaks itself in the “innocent” desires to improve our lot with a bette

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross The Seven “Deadlies” Temptation and sin are so destructive that the church has described seven particular sins as “deadly” or “capital” sins. The term “capital” comes from the Latin caput , which means “head,” and it indicates that these sins are particularly destructive because they lead to many other sins, as if they were the head of a sin stream. [1] In fact, all of the so-called “small” sins that we commit—

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross A Pervasive Pattern We gloss over all kinds of sins in our lives. Sometimes we put jobs, relationships, possessions, or hobbies between us and God, but instead of calling them idolatry, we call them priorities or needs. Sometimes we lie about why we’re late for work or why one of our children is staying home from school, but we call it PR spin or embellishing the truth. But all of these sins deteriorate our rel

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross Sin Spin and Perverted Realities Sarah struggles with sloth. You and I (Mike) may struggle with something else. But we all face temptations, and at one point or another, we’ve all done what Sarah did—make our sin sound not so bad. We tell ourselves why our choices are okay, even if a voice inside tells us they’re wrong. Now of course, we do all need downtime, breaks, and help from our spouses. But we also do n

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross From “Fantasy Island” to the “Gossip Graveyard” Sarah piled the dinner dishes on the counter. Another load. Those two words were heavier than all the dishes combined. Just the thought of washing those grimy plates, cups, and pots again caused her heart to sink. I deserve a break , she told herself. Day in and day out, it’s the same old chores, and I need some downtime. I’ll get to these later . So she plopped

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross The Answer: Overcome Temptation Through Christ’s Power I’m thrilled about the second half of Romans 6:23—“but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We can stop sweating and start cheering. In fact, put down this book right now and break out into a loud cheer. It’s okay if people think you are crazy; this is a crazy, wonderful truth! While we do not have the strength to free ourselves, Jesus d

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross Conception. Eventually our “relationship” with temptation becomes so strong that we are overwhelmed with our desire for it. Foreplay leads to full consummation. The Bible tells us that the joining of a man and woman is not just physical, it is deeply spiritual. And this unification of spirit and body can result in the formation of another being; another soul. In the case of temptation—a monster. But as we continue

From: Tempted, Tested, True By: Arnie Cole & Michael Ross The Birds and the Bees—and the Birth of Death Conception, birth, maturation—death? An initial read of Paul’s analogy seems a bit strange to the ears. He actually personifies sin, referring to it as a separate being with an existence of its own. Yet this is a Hebrew way of looking at sin. The ancient Jews thought that desires—even words—could have a life of its own. One example was their belief that after a word had