What does summer mean to you?  Some think of an exciting vacation, a family holiday or extended weekends, warm weather, swimming and a gorgeous tan. Yet others find the summer a difficult season struggling with “Skin-Sin.” 

 

 

Whether going to the beach, pool or the local shopping plaza, many men, young and old, struggle with their thoughts after looking at all the skin that is exposed by some women, young and old, some who may be just trying to stay cool.

Some would look to the women for a solution to this temptation and establish a legalistic definition and ground rules for maintaining modesty.  Scripture does say “that women (are to) adorn themselves in modest apparel, being proper and within reasonable limits.” (1Tim 2:9)  The questions still remain, what does modesty look like, what is proper, what is reasonable?  This can’t be legislated, it must come from the heart.

The Scripture needed to guide the heart of women can be found in Philippians 2:3,4.  Here Paul takes the focus off of oneself and puts the primary focus on loving others.  He says, “having the same love, … humbly count others more significant than yourself, …looking not to ones own interest, but to the interest of others.”  If women only knew the temptation their skin had on men, it would go a long way to encourage a different standard for modesty and address this summer problem. Romans 14:21 “It is not good to do anything by which your brother stumbles or is offended or is made weak.”  

Even though women who are believers can help, men must take responsibility for themselves defeating skin-sin.  It might encourage you that Job must have had a similar problem with his eyes and looking at women. He asked God to help him control his eyes and his mind. Men need to be so determined not to commit skin-sin that they make the same covenant with God that Job made.  I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl. (Job 31:1)

Paul’s instruction in 2Cor 10:5 places responsibility on men to also control their thought life.  Paul told us to take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.  Men, be encouraged. It is possible to take control of our thoughts and not let our mind think whatever comes to it.  Paul would not have even asked us to think obediently if it were impossible.

So let’s all work together this summer, women and men, young and old, taking responsibility to doing our part in applying God’s Word.  Ask God to help us defeat “skin-sin” in our hearts, families and churches.