A Quiet Drift

“Satan disguises submission to himself under the ruse of personal autonomy. He never asks us to become his servants. Never once did the serpent say to Eve, ‘I want to be your master.’ The shift in commitment is never from Christ to evil; it is always from Christ to self. And instead of his will, self-interest now rules and what I want reigns. And that is the essence of sin.” — Dennis F. Kinlaw (This Day With the Master)

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Seeker of virtue, sin rarely comes dressed in darkness. It often wears the cloak of freedom. Satan doesn’t tempt you with chains—he tempts you with control. “Do what you want.” “Live your truth.” “You don’t need anyone to rule over you.” But the lie is this: the more you chase autonomy apart from God, the more enslaved you become.

The enemy doesn’t ask for your loyalty. He simply asks that you place yourself at the center. That you trade “Thy will be done” for “My will be done.” And slowly, subtly, Christ is no longer Lord—you are.

That is the essence of sin: not a leap into evil, but a quiet drift into self-rule.

The virtuous life is not the pursuit of personal sovereignty, but the surrender of it. The path of Christ is the path of humble submission—not to a tyrant, but to the One who created you, redeemed you, and loves you with a love deeper than your own understanding.

So examine your motives. Ask: Who truly rules my heart—God or self? For true freedom is not found in doing whatever you desire, but in desiring what is holy. The freest soul is the one most surrendered to God.