When you receive Jesus Christ as Lord, the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in your heart and the work of sanctification begins. At its core are two uncompromising directives ...
Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Romans 12:9
Believers are to express hatred for every form of immorality by instantly and decisively withdrawing from it. An intense repulsion of the destructive nature of sin comes to the surface, a natural reflex for those who walk in the Spirit ...
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16
'Cleave to that which is good' is in the present tense, an ongoing 'lifestyle' that protects you from the world's power to corrupt. The only way to obey this admonition is to continually commune with (and surrender your will to) ... the Lord Jesus Christ.
David addressed the sin that besets mankind ... I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me. Psalm 101:3
The three components of this passage ...
1. 'I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes'. Don't delight in or entertain evil. If wickedness is brought before you by others ... turn away. Don't look upon it as if it's just a fleeting moment of indiscretion.
2. 'I hate the work of them that turn aside'. Don't view a wayward soul with indifference. Those who say they believe in Christ but deviate from the path of righteousness to willfully indulge in sin ... should bring feelings of consternation to your spirit.
3. 'It shall not cleave to me'. Guard against the lure of those who appear religious but walk in the way of the world. Grace is not a license to sin. Similar to washing away dirt from your body ... don't rest until you are cleansed of their influence.
The journey of faith is like two sides of the same coin ... abhorrence to that which is evil on one, and adherence to that which is good on the other. In the heart of every true believer, they exist together to strengthen his resolve.
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