Don’t just say “no”

Over the past several years a slogan has circulated throughout our nation in the battle against drugs:  “Just Say ‘No’.”  Our children, from the early years all the way through the teenage years, have heard the slogan over and over.  A good way to overcome the temptation to use drugs, they have been rightly told, is to “just say ‘no’.”

There is a wonderful spiritual application in this slogan.  We must say “no” to sin.  We must also teach our children to say “no” to sin -- to all kinds of sin -- whether it is drugs, premarital sex, or lying.

However, it’s not enough to just say “no.”

There is an intriguing passage found in Matthew 12:43-45 which comes from the lips of Jesus: "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.  Then he says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first. So shall it also be with this wicked generation" (NKJV).  One application that may be made from this passage is that it is not enough to say “no” to sin, even “sweeping” our lives clean of its filth.  Something must take its place, or greater sins may take up residence in our lives.  To rid our lives of the negativity of sin, we must replace it with positive virtues (see Philippians 4:8).

It’s not enough to just say “no.”  We must also say “Yes.”

Observe these principles at work in Titus 2:11-12: "For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying [or saying “No” to] ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live [say “yes” to living] soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age."

We must say “no” to sin; that’s included in repentance. But, we must also say “yes” to others things. We must say “yes” to the Lord’s plan of salvation through faith (Hebrews 11:6), repentance (Acts 17:30-31) and baptism (Acts 2:38).  We must say “yes” to the Lordship of Jesus Christ.  Jesus asks, "But why do you call Me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46). We must say “yes” to living “soberly, righteously, and godly in this present age” (Titus 2:12).

We must say “no” to sin and “yes” to Christ and His will for our lives.

It’s not enough just to say “no.”

God bless you.

David A. Sargent, Minister 

Church of Christ at Creekwood 
1901 Schillinger Rd. S.
Mobile, Alabama  36695
Web address: www.creekwoodcc.org

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