As we Christians grow in the faith, we walk less and less in the ways of the world, and more and more in the ways of Christ (Eph. 4:22-24).
Sometimes, a sin is difficult to eliminate. What do you do when you find yourself falling victim to a sin that you have been unable to give up? You are locked into a predictable cycle of sin, remorse, renewed determination, temptation, sin, and remorse again … now for the umpteenth time. How do you gain victory once and for all?
Luke describes how the sorcerers of Ephesus successfully repented of their sin.
Many of those who had believed kept coming, confessing and disclosing their practices. And many of those who practiced magic brought their books together and began burning them in the sight of everyone; and they counted up the price of them and found it fifty thousand pieces of silver. So the word of the Lord was growing mightily and prevailing (Acts 19:18-20).
Let the word grow mightily and prevail.
Those practicing magic in Ephesus probably didn’t realize their ways were sinful until Paul arrived with the gospel. Sorcerers’ storefronts were a respectable part of the ancient Greco-Roman city. Merchants bought charms to protect them on upcoming journeys. Farmers bought incantations to ensure a good harvest. Teens bought potions to enchant desired lovers, and curse the competition.
Likewise today, there are honest hearts who don’t realize that their practices are wrong. Our society’s moral compass is no longer calibrated. It comes as a genuine surprise for many to learn that God’s word condemns sexual immorality, divorce, lying, using God’s name in vain. One must read God’s word to know what is sinful in the first place.
When we learn that an activity is condemned in God’s word, the battle is on! Decide that God shall prevail; He knows what’s best! Repentance for some sins comes with bigger consequences than others, and yet, if we trust God, we know that He will take care of us no matter what changes we have to make. Remember: sorcery for these Ephesians was not their hobby—it was their bread and butter! They had a lot invested. Jesus’ gospel demanded a complete change in lifestyle, one with an uncertain future. In what other ways will these people find gainful employment and support their families? God will help with that. The sins had to be eradicated without any delay.
If necessary, confess and disclose your practices.
Part of the reason we get caught in the cycle of sin and guilt is that we put on a happy face and don’t seek any help. God doesn’t expect us to conquer the sins in our lives alone. He gave us the church, a group of people who encourage and support us in our work to become more like Jesus every day (Rom. 15:14, James 5:16-20, Gal. 6:1-2).
Christians who make themselves accountable to one or two others find it much more difficult to get away with sin. If it’s inappropriate media, move the computer into the living room. Invite your spouse to check Netflix queue weekly. Take similar steps for other temptations. If you’re serious about defeating sin, you’ll appreciate their supervision.
Dispose of the objects of temptation.
These sorcerers took all of their books and had a bonfire. They shut down the possibility of easily returning to sin.
If your problem is drunkenness, the appropriate response is not to put the stopper in the bottle, but to pour the bottle down the sink. If your problem is pornography, it may be time for a flip phone. If we are serious about rooting out sin, we will be serious about eliminating the paraphernalia that encourages us to sin. We will not make any excuse–“but it’s a collector’s item,” or “I paid a lot for that,” or “his friendship is dear to me.” We will be willing to perform radical surgery (Mark 9:43-48).