The mindset of too many Christians (especially those in the teenage and young adult age groups, but not limited to them) is that a short venture or a little dabble into the gratifications of the flesh (a.k.a. sin) is acceptable, as long as you stop yourself from going too far and you know in your heart that you’re always going to come back to the straight path anyway.
Brothers and sisters, God could not have made it any plainer! “Abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul” (1 Pet. 2:11). “Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thess. 5:22). Abstain means to “hold yourself from something” (not try just a little). The God of heaven says, “I want you to be wise in what is good, and simple concerning evil” (Rom. 16:19). When it comes to evil and gratification of the flesh, God does not permit His children to experiment or to pursue firsthand knowledge of that which is contrary to His nature and a violation of His will. You don’t have to indulge in evil things to know that they’re evil. Be simple concerning evil. Be innocent concerning evil. If you are “wise in what is good,” you’ll know what is evil. Abstain from it!