run, and pursue.

2Tim2:22 (NLT)
Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts.

When i was in high school, I remember driving home late one night with a friend after one of our concerts. we pulled into town and driving down the road saw some giant rodent run across the street. we stopped, got out of the car, and discovered a bloated sick old muskrat that i swear was rabid! we looked at this thing close, like real close, and not knowing what to do with it, we threw a couple of small rocks at it. Immediately it hissed and lunged at me. I screamed and turned to run in the opposite direction. I RAN. I actually ran about 2 blocks without looking back and screamed over my shoulder to my friend asking if it were still chasing me. apparently it only chased me for about 10ft. I kind of over did the run in the opposite direction but i thought i was going to get rabies that night.

Can we overdue the run from sin? I would like to think not. I think the farther i can run in the opposite direction from the things that can entangle me, and ruin my relationship with Christ, the better.

There is a distinction here that Paul makes. We are to run from the things that stimulates youthful lusts. AND. we are to pursue some things to. It does us no good to just run from sin, to hide from it, to just get as far away from it as possible. if that were the case then there would be justification for the people who claim to have lived "good lives" who "did not steal, murder, cheat etc" because such things are running in the opposite direction of the things that are evil. This is instinctive, for most, this part is easy.

Run? Absolutely, but once we have escaped these things, then we have a responsibility. Paul gives 4 things to pursue

1. righteous living
2. faithfulness
3. love
4. peace

Does this list look familiar? possible fruits of the spirit, proof that one has been born again, and now is growing in their faith. The other cool part is that Paul tells us not to just do this on our own. but to "enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with Pure hearts" other translations make the distinction to do these 4 pursuits within community which i believe is a better translation.

We pursue these things through the indwelling of the Spirit. these things help us to avoid youthful lusts, and we share the journey in community with those who can keep us accountable. so cool!