For some people it is sex, for others gambling, food, money, power, for everyone it is something, not one person ever born has lived a life without some form of temptation. They may be modified over time, new experiences, new adventures in this life, so to speak, bring new opportunities to fulfill desires, for that is what the lost call them, desires. And why should these desires be not experienced and expressed, why not choose to live life to its fullest, why not seek for the pleasure in whatever form we want, you will get no second chance at this life.
The Word of God calls them temptations, and they are common to man, (1 Cor. 10:13) what that means is that the temptation to overeat is the same in its commonality in the hearts of man as the desire to rape and kill. I know that some of you do not like to think on this manner, but that is irrelevant, the truth is dogmatic, it is the way of sinful man to fulfill his desires, and the most evil ones are accomplished just as easily by sinful man as what you would consider minor infractions are by others, or even yourself.
The way out is shown to us, even the lost have been given the opportunity to not fall into a temptation, it is the moral construct that they know within themselves, along with the eating of the fruit of the garden that our first parents were commanded to avoid was the knowledge of not only evil, but of good, and it is here that the “morality of man” began to formulate within us.
Every individual knows the difference, they did not need the Lord to write down, “Thou shalt not kill,” (Exo. 20:13) to understand that murder is wrong, it is built within us, it is what we call “common knowledge,” that is why when we do that which is not right in the sight of the Lord, whether we recognize His existence or not, negative emotions enter into our consciousness, we feel in a way that is not conducive to forward actions.
Most generally, people do not enter into sexual relationships with those of the same gender as they are, most generally most people do not simply kill someone for no reason and then go about the rest of their business for the day, and it is not because it is against the law, for laws change towards the acceptance of sin as man draws further away from God. These acts are not part of the normal behavior of man because they are not normal, they would not even be known by us as either negative or positive actions if it were not for that one moment in the garden.
The way out of every temptation has been shown to every person at the onslaught of every temptation, the verse in 1 Corinthians 10:13 is not set apart only for believers in the Lord Jesus, it is for all men, since all temptations are common to all men, thereby, it is a choice that we make, to sin or not. The lost of course do not call it sin, but they recognize it as such, no matter what name they have determined to give to it, it is wrong, but the enticement is far too great for them to dissuade themselves from following through with it.
The saved far too many times attribute their actions in this area to our adversary, blaming Satan, not just for the temptation, which in fact at times may be true, but also attempting to lay the blame at his feet for their fall into the temptation. I am afraid that is not going to work my friends, you are the reason you fall, the way out so that you can bear it is always clearly shown to us, God does not hide these things from us, He does not make them difficult to see.
The last-mentioned verse in Galatians 5:22-23 concerning the fruits of the Spirit is temperance, we call it self-control, that means you, and although we have the assistance of the Holy Spirit within us at all times, self-control means just that, controlling yourself, abating your appetites. Not one excuse will be accepted by our Lord on our day of accounting, not one excuse will be seen as viable for the lost at the great white throne of judgment, we have not only been given free will by our Creator, but the knowledge of how to exercise that free will, the knowledge of good and of evil.
It matters little to the Lord in this area if you call it sin, going against the grain, a moral construct or adhering to or disobeying whatever laws are in place where you live, you know, all men know, there is none with an excuse. The lost will pay forever, we have the opportunity to accept or deny the way provided by the Lord just as they do, but He has blessed us with one step more, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
We can maintain a right relationship with Christ by repenting, if the lost do not accept Him as Lord, whatever they do in this life, whether it is good or evil in the eyes of man will not matter, it is God alone who judges. You will always be shown the way out, take it, use the self-control you have been blessed with, do it for the glory of God, learn to suffer well, pray for the patience to endure. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Phil 4:13)