“Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? ²⁰ For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.” – 1 Corinthians 6: 19-21, NASB

I have a HUGE problem. There is a revolting, vile, hairy, four legged critter creeping around my apartment, running across my shoes, and leaving black traces of itself for me to discover. I am mortified, disgusted! I am uncomfortable in my own home!  I want to move out! Who lives like this? Why me Lord? I visited my local grocery store in search of remedies to rid myself of this ghastly intruder. I will do whatever it takes to eliminate this embarrassing and repulsive problem.

As I sat on my bed rocking back and forth in a cradle position, complaining to the Lord of my sickening living conditions, the Holy Spirit provided perspective: 1.) you have a place to call home so chill out girl- you’re abundantly blessed. 2.) Just as you loathe the rat that has infested your home, shouldn’t you loathe sin much more? Why are you comfortable with sin? DANG!

Like a rat in a home, sin is an intruder. Our bodies were created to be consecrated temples, carrying out the work of our Father yet we let sin prevail. A little lie won’t hurt anyone, neither will a little sex, or a little disrespect (they deserve it anyway). The very knowledge of a rat present in one’s home horrifies most, yet sin can abound around us and we aren’t moved a bit. It is not okay to sin. It is not okay when your crazy friend sins, and you never say anything about it. “Oh he/she just crazy.” No! Check yourself first, then check your friend.

“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey its lusts (Rom. 6:12).” We are tempted to yield to temptations in order that gratify our flesh, but we cannot let sin win. Our bodies house the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 6:19 informs us that we have the Spirit of the Living God inside of us! Should a rat, or sin, abide in our temple as well?

We have to truly understand and digest how deadly sin is, and abhor it. The thought of sinning should disgust us.  We all make mistakes and thankfully we have forgiveness in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, but we need to begin to view sin as the Lord does, as a filthy, nasty, intruder. Sin is a rat running around your apartment crapping in your shoes, and biting your ketchup packets.  Sin is disgusting, revolting, horrible, and deadly.

Just as I went to extremes to rid myself of Ben, we should do whatever it takes to rid ourselves of sin. Pray, fast, confess your faults one to another, seek WISE and GODLY counsel, stop going to some places, or stop socializing with certain people. A rat doesn’t kill you…nearly scares you to death, but it does not kill you. Sin can. The Bible teaches us “the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23).”

Let’s rid ourselves of the intruder: of sin. Let’s get it together saints!

-Danielle Moses