Death

"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." ? 1 Peter 5:8 (NASB)

No one is immune to sin. The Bible states clearly in Romans 3:23 that all people have sinned and fall short of God's standard. There's no escaping that we all are imperfect.

There's also no escaping the fact that we are susceptible to sin in two ways:

1. We have an enemy that is out to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10a); and
2. Our flesh is weak and is lured by the things of this world. (Matthew 26:41)

Separated from Christ, our defenses are too weak and we will succumb to our struggles. Separated from community, we are isolated and are unable to be sharpened by our fellow believers.

Thus, we must readily prepare our defenses. We must rely on God's strength, read God's Word, and participate in Christian community. We cannot live apart from these safeguards without falling victim to a life controlled by sin.

The second part of John 10:10 encourages us that Christ came to give us an abundant life. Even though we may not be immune to sin, we do not have to live in bondage to our sin. We can live as new creations as we daily renew our minds and are increasingly transformed into the likeness of Christ.

Primary text(s): 1 Peter 5:6-9, John 10:1-10

This is the Truth - upside down