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2 Peter 2:20 "For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world through the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overpowered, the last state has become worse for them than the first."

 

When we finally "get it"; when we really see and understand who Jesus is, what He has done for us, and how much He loves us and wants us with Him in eternity, it is intoxicating, there is nothing else we want. But, just like any other love affair, the intoxication wears off eventually, and we hopefully settle into the surety of His love.

 

The world never stops enticing us, however, in fact the devil loves to come after us when we have had this experience. How much more does it hurt our Lord when Satan pulls away one who has understood and loved Him? That is why Peter says it is worse if we turn back to worldly things after we have escaped them through knowledge of Jesus. At that point we know we are giving into our sinful natures; that we are hurting Him more. We know we are turning our backs on our only true love. If we allow ourselves to become once again entangled and overpowered by "defilements", we are choosing to separate ourselves from that love.

 

Once we have come to know Jesus Christ, we really have no excuse for choosing something less than Him. When tempted, He will give us the grace to resist, so that we don't go back, but always forward towards Him.