One of the most effective churches established by Paul on his missionary travels was the church at Ephesus.

Though the city was a center of idolatry and the worship of Diana, the power of God touched many hearts, and Jews and Gentiles alike responded to the gospel message.

According to some historical records, among the pastors of this great church were the apostle John, Timothy and Onesimus, the runaway slave Paul led to Christ while imprisoned in Rome.

Part of the effectiveness of the church in Ephesus was its commitment to addressing its own sin forcefully and completely.

When the believers came together there, they did not downplay their past lives. They named their sins and confessed them.

Then they took the remnants of their past lives — the books that contained information about the demonic worship of idols — and publicly burned them.

They left no trace behind of the former things. They did not try to hold on to the parts that “weren’t so bad” but rather completely gave them up.

The notion that we can leave a little bit of sin in a few hidden corners of our lives without it impacting the rest is a deadly lie from Satan.

The only cure for sin is complete eradication of the practices, habits and tools that facilitated it in our lives.

The power of God offers us freedom from sin, but we must leave sin behind completely to live in that freedom.

Hargis is pastor of Solid Rock Baptist Church in Pendleton. He can be reached at 765-778-2000 or [email protected].