Is Sin Lying in Wait at Your Door?

Is Sin Lying in Wait at Your Door?

“Is it not so that if you have the good in mind you can lift up your countenance? But if you do not have the good in mind, sin is lying in wait at the door. And its desire is toward you, but you shall rule over it.”

When does sin lie in wait at the door? When I do not have the good in mind, then sin is lying in wait at the door. Having something in mind means there is something I intend to do. If I do not intend to do something good, sin is closer to me than the good, and then it is lying in wait at the door, not otherwise. Sin is not just lying in wait at the door when I have evil in mind. If I have evil in mind, then it has already come inside the door. We are called by God to rule over sin. If we do not have good thoughts and we are tempted, we will notice that sin’s desire is toward us. Then we must remember our calling and not open up the door, but keep sin outside, or rule over it.

The apostle exhorts us to meet together “in order to stir up love and good works . . . and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” Heb. 10:24-25. When we are stirred up to love and good works, our thoughts will be led to the good and away from temptations. Then sin will not be lying in wait at the door. Our mind is occupied with finding something good to do. Then our passions and desires are not able to draw us away and entice us. Jas. 1:14. Then we can lift up our countenance. Our eyes are not cast down; on the contrary, they are radiant. We think about something good we can do. The dark, downcast, disappointed and bitter facial expression vanishes and is replaced by peace and joy in spite of the fact that the entire world is under the sway of the wicked one. 1 John 5:19.

“We know that whoever is born of God does not sin; but he who has been born of God keeps himself, and the wicked one does not touch him.” 1 John 5:18.

The wicked one will not be able to touch him because he who is born of God keeps himself—he is thinking about how he can do some good. His mind is occupied, and by his mind being occupied with good—having good things in mind—it is also filled with peace and joy. On the other hand, if he has evil—sin—in mind, he will also be restless and bitter. Good things bring peace and joy, whereas the evil produces unrest and bitterness.

It is a question of what do I have in mind, not what others are doing to me or how corrupt the world is. However, if the malice of others affects me in such a way that I also have evil in mind, I have been overcome by evil. My calling is to rule over sin. Then I think of something good with which I can counteract the other person’s evil. I overcome the evil with good. Rom. 12:21. The “wicked one” will then not even be able to touch me. What a wonderful peace and joy in the Holy Spirit in the midst of ungodly people, in a world that is under the sway of the wicked one. How amazing is God’s wisdom to everyone who believes!