Hebrews 12:3-4 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest you be wearied and faint in your minds. You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
‘You have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.’ You have not resisted against sin as to sweat blood. We have to resist the temptation to sin (Jas. 1:14-15). There are seven steps in temptation: Tempted: the thought of evil (Jas. 1:14). Drawn away: strong imagination. Lust: delight in viewing it. Enticed: weakening of the will. Lust conceived: yielding (Jas. 1:15). Sin: a sinful act committed. Death: the result of actual sin.
We have to bring every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ – we take every thought prisoner and lead it into captivity to obey Christ (2Cor. 10:5). Lascivious, vain and evil thoughts of all kinds are brought down and made obedient to His laws. That includes any thinking which is contrary to virtue, purity and righteousness (Matt. 15:19; Mark 7:21-23; 1Cor. 13:5; Php. 4:8; Gen. 6:5; Pro. 15:26; Isa. 55:7; 59:7; Jer. 4:14).
In James 1:27 we are warned to keep ourselves unspotted from the world and in Ephesians 5:27 not to have spot or wrinkle, but to be holy and without blemish so that we can be presented to God the Father by Jesus Christ at the time of the rapture (Php. 3:21; 1Cor. 15:51-55).
Living the Word 