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Temptation
(Revised)
"Lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil"
(Matthew 6:13).
by Tom and Katie Stewart
Note: This article has been revised (7-13-01) from the original
to aid the reader in clarity of understanding.
Preface
his is a study about understanding temptation, not simply because the
Master enjoined, "Pray that ye enter not
INTO temptation" (Luke 22:40), but
because we also desire to cooperate with the Holy Spirit in doing all that
is humanly possible to prevent temptation from turning INTO sin. "10 With
my whole heart have I sought Thee: O let me not wander from Thy Commandments... 133 Order my
steps in Thy Word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me" (Psalm 119:10, 133). God tests. Satan tempts. From
the first temptation of Eve in the Garden when the Serpent succeeded in causing our
First Parents to doubt the love of God, to the final "Hour
of Temptation" (Revelation 3:10)
of the Apocalypse, mankind has struggled, and will struggle, with the necessity to
overcome temptation.
Our willingness to comply with the Master's injunction to pray that He would "lead us not INTO temptation" (Matthew 6:13), demonstrates His desire to "deliver us FROM evil" (6:13), "for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13). "The LORD knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of temptations" (2Peter 2:9). The effort we put forth to understand this basic issue of temptation, should bring forth the fruit of preservation from sinning."Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee" (Proverbs 2:11). And, if we are intolerant of entering INTO temptation, then we must avail ourselves of all that Christ is and of all His Promises, to avoid falling INTO sin. "3 According as His Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and Godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 whereby are given unto us Exceeding Great and Precious Promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2Peter 1:3-4).
.
Table of Contents
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Preface
Enduring the Trial of Temptation is One Thing. Sinning By Entering INTO Temptation, is Another.
Temptations Exploit Desires
God Tests. Satan Tempts. But, Why Does God Allow Temptation?
When I Am Weak, He Can Deliver
God Leads Us Just Like He Led Jesus
The Test of the Cross
Overcoming Temptation Prevents Entering INTO Sin
Conclusion
Back to Table
of Contents
Enduring the Trial of Temptation is
One Thing. Sinning By Entering INTO Temptation, is Another.
emptation" usually defines a time of TESTING by the LORD, which may/or
may not also be used as a time of TEMPTING by the Devil, and always results
with either a passing grade or with utter failure."Blessed
is the man that endureth temptation [testing/tempting]: for when he is tried, he shall receive the Crown
of Life, which the LORD hath promised to them that love Him" (James 1:12).
3986 peirasmov peirasmos {pi-ras-mos'}
Excerpt Number 1: From A. T. Robertson's "Word Pictures of the New Testament":
"And bring us not into temptation (kai mh eisenegkh ei peirasmon). 'Bring' or 'lead' bothers many people. It seems to present God as an active agent in subjecting us to temptation, a thing specifically denied in James 1:13. The word here translated 'temptation' (peirasmon) means originally 'trial' or 'test' as in James 1:2 and Vincent so takes it here. Braid Scots has it: 'And lat us no be siftit.' But God does test or sift us, though he does not tempt us to evil. No one understood temptation so well as Jesus for the devil tempted him by every avenue of approach to all kinds of sin, but without success. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus will say to Peter, James, and John: 'Pray that ye enter not into temptation' (Luke 22:40). That is the idea here. Here we have a 'Permissive imperative' as grammarians term it. The idea is then: 'Do not allow us to be led into temptation.'"
The singular and plural of "temptation" are used 23 times in the Bible, with two basic uses, which, unless understood, make for confusion.
So, the more used KJV meaning of the word "temptation" (as well also, as it is used in our own everyday English) refers to "temptation" as the ordeal or trial of being tested/tempted. God tests. Satan tempts. "There hath no temptation [or, testing/tempting] taken you but such as is common to man: but God is Faithful, Who will not suffer [or, allow] you to be tempted [or, tested] above that ye are able; but will with the temptation [testing/tempting] also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1Corinthians 10:13).
The least used meaning of "temptation" implies imminent failure of the test/tempt. Our text, "Lead us not INTO temptation, but deliver us from evil" (Matthew 6:13) means, "Help us not to fail our testing/tempting by entering INTO sin, but deliver us from sin." It does NOT mean that simply being tested/tempted is sin, but only that succumbing to temptation IS sin. Since "all the Promises of God in [Christ] are Yea, and in Him Amen" (2Corinthians 1:20), we can lay hold of the Master's Instruction to "pray that ye enter not into temptation" (Luke 22:40), with the bold assurance that, indeed, "sin shall not have dominion over [us]" (Romans 6:14)!
Excerpt Number 2: From C. G. Finney:
"Every appetite and passion that has the ascendency, and leads us into sin, must be crucified and its dominion entirely destroyed, or the soul is utterly lost." --from "Temptations Must Be Put Away" ---New Window, by Charles G. Finney (1792-1875) ---New Window, "The Oberlin Evangelist" 1840 ---New Window.
Back
to Table of Contents
Temptations Exploit Desires
emptations can come with or without the Devil's
interference. It is true that the "Accuser
of our brethren... which accused them before our God day and night" (Revelation 12:10) can, with God's permission, use
our desires to tempt us to sin, but we do our own sinning. To credit Satan with our
failures is to credit him with more than he can do. At the end of the day, just because
the Devil lusts to be God doesn't make him Omnipotent Omnipresent, nor Omniscient.
"God hath spoken once; twice have I heard
this; that Power belongeth unto God" (Psalm 62:11) and "if God be for us, who can
be against us?" (Romans 8:31). No,
we take bottom line "free will" responsible for our own sin. "They which commit such things are worthy of death" (Romans 1:32).
And most often, we sin without the Devil's help. Our "flesh is weak"
(Matthew 26:41). We submit to
"the lust of the flesh, and the lust of
the eyes, and the pride of life" (1John 2:16). And as long as
we are on this Earth, we shall be tempted by the desires of our flesh. But this is
NOT sin. We have no excuse for sin; we cannot blame our flesh and we cannot blame
the Devil. For, if we "walk in the Spirit" we "shall NOT
fulfil the lust of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16).
Sin is an act that we commit. "Whosoever
committeth sin transgresseth also the Law: for sin is the transgression of the Law" (1John 3:4). Sin is committed with knowledge. "To
him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (James 4:17).
It is in consenting to the temptation that
sin is born. [To learn more about the nature of sin
and the weakness of the flesh, please read, "Back
to the Basics: The Principles of the Doctrine of Christ / E. Sin" ---New Window, from our article, "An Urgent Call to Christian Perfection" ---New Window.]
James instructs us that God is NOT to be blamed for our failures. "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for
God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man"
(James 1:13). Temptations, whether from the Devil or from our
flesh, attempt to exploit desires. "But every man is tempted,
when he is drawn away of his own lust [literally, desire or craving-- a non-sinful desire], and enticed" (1:14). We have addressed the correct usage of the James 1 references
to the word "lust" in the following excerpt.
Excerpt Number 3:
"Every Man is Tempted of His Own Desires.
James, the half-brother of the LORD Jesus Christ, recorded the most succinct account of why we sin. '14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust [Greek, epithumia, meaning 'desire' or 'craving'], and enticed. 15 Then when lust [Greek, epithumia] hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death' (James 1:14-15). Before we conclude that we sin because of an inborn, sinful lust; take into account that the desire or craving described by the Greek word 'epithumia', is also used to describe a rightful desire:(1) of the LORD Jesus, i.e., 'And He said unto them, With desire [Greek, epithumia] I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer' (Luke 22:15),
(2) of the Apostle Paul to the Philippians, i.e., 'For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire [Greek, epithumia] to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better' (Philippians 1:23),
(3) of one desiring the office of a bishop, i.e., 'If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth [Greek, epithumeo, also meaning 'lusteth'] a good work' (1Timothy 3:1), and
(4) of the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians, i.e., 'But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire [Greek, epithumia]' (1Thessalonians 2:17).Now, 'every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust [Greek, epithumia meaning 'desire'], and enticed' (James 1:14), relates that all moral beings are tempted by their own desires, as were both Lucifer in Heaven and Adam in the Garden of Eden, when both were yet in a sinless state. That desire may be compounded by the increasingly degenerative state of physical humanity, due to the effects of physical depravity. 'Who will render to every man according to his deeds' (Romans 2:6). And, at what time that desire becomes the supreme preference of the moral agent-- as opposed to the supreme love of God and an equal love of our neighbour as ourself (Matthew 22:37-39)-- then the desire becomes sin. 'Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin' (James 1:15). The certain result of sin is always death. 'And sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death' (1:15). Both physical and spiritual death result from sinning. 'For the wages of sin is death' (Romans 6:23). Therefore, we sin because we are tempted by our own desires, and most commonly by our physically depraved bodies. 'O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?' (7:24). But, thanks be to God for the victory, for 'there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit' (8:1)!" --from "Must We Then Sin?" ---New Window.
Excerpt Number 4: From C. G. Finney:
"Whatever is prized more than sin is hated, is our idol and our god. That is our god which we supremely regard. If we supremely love Jehovah, we shall sooner part with any thing than offend Him. Hence Christ teaches that, except a man hate his father, and mother, and brother, and sister, and even his own life, for Christ's sake, he cannot be his disciple. If any thing is loved or prized in comparison with God, we have no religion at all. If a man, therefore, does not dread sin more than he dreads death, he is no disciple of Christ. If there is any thing in the world that he loves more than he hates sin, any thing whatever, that would be spared, notwithstanding it kept him in bondage to sin, he is not, and cannot be a disciple of Christ. I speak of course of those things that can be put away by us, by an act of self-denial on our part. And if there is any kind or degree of self-denial which we would not prefer to being in sin, then, if the Bible is true, we are not the disciples of Christ. Let it be understood, now, that I do not speak of some very rare and high attainments in piety; but of a universal condition of discipleship. Christ has laid it down in as strong language as any in which it can be expressed. He uses the strongest language, without seeming to fear being misunderstood. He says, 'If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.'... If a man but love God, he will not, cannot rest until every cause of stumbling be searched out, and removed." --from "Temptations Must Be Put Away" ---New Window, by Charles G. Finney (1792-1875) ---New Window, "The Oberlin Evangelist" 1840 ---New Window.
Temptations, being enticements (or testings/temptings), morally challenge our desires and cravings. Mankind has many desires. There are morally good desires and morally bad desires. For the lost and immoral of this world, there is only "tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile" (Romans 2:9). It is a sad fact, but their moral rejection of God Almighty leaves them in complete despair. Even in the most common desire of the unbelievers to do prosperously well on this planet-- let's say, for example, as in farming-- the Scriptures teach that even "the plowing of the wicked, is sin" (Proverbs 21:4). Why? Because when "thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness" (Matthew 6:23). The condition is all or nothing-- no in-betweens-- no grays. Therefore, the unholy are completely unholy. In God's sight, they cannot even have good desires, for "there is none good but One, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into Life, keep the Commandments" (Matthew 19:17). What about the backslidden "Christian" element? The warning to the unholy is especially extended to the unholy among professing Christians, i.e., "every one that nameth the Name of Christ" (2Timothy 2:19). Those who claim to be Christ's, who DON'T "depart from iniquity" (2:19), also have NO good desires. You are either good OR bad, and your corresponding prospects, hopes, confessions, and desires-- from God's point of view-- match completely. "Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit" (Matthew 12:33). There is NO intermediate ground here. "The ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire" (Matthew 3:10). If you are holy, then God is well pleased with you, and also with your desires. Your desires will not be corrupted by temptations (testings/temptings) because the Word of God is your Standard. "For the Commandment is a Lamp; and the Law is Light; and reproofs of Instruction are the Way of Life" (Proverbs 6:23). But, if you are NOT holy, then God is NOT pleased. "God is angry with the wicked every day" (Psalm 7:11). Your desires, when tested/tempted, will submit to sin completely. "12:26 The way of the wicked seduceth them... 4:19 The way of the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble... 15:9 The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD" (Proverbs 12:26, 4:19, 15:9). It is NOT POSSIBLE to be good and bad AT THE SAME TIME.
Excerpt Number 5: From C. G. Finney:
"As holiness consists in ultimate intention, so does sin. And as holiness consists in choosing the highest well-being of God and the good of the universe, for its own sake, or as the supreme ultimate end of pursuit; so sin consists in willing, with a supreme choice or intention, self-gratification and self-interest. Preferring a less to a greater good, because it is our own, is selfishness. All selfishness consists in a supreme ultimate intention. By an ultimate intention, as I have said, is intended that which is chosen for its own sake as an end, and not as a means to some other end. Whenever a moral being prefers or chooses his own gratification, or his own interest, in preference to a higher good, because it is his own, he chooses it as an end, for its own sake, and as an ultimate end, not designing it as a means of promoting any other and higher end, nor because it is a part of universal good. Every sin, then, consists in an act of will. It consists in preferring self-gratification, or self-interest, to the authority of God, the glory of God, and the good of the universe. It is, therefore, and must be, a supreme ultimate choice, or intention. Sin and holiness, then, both consist in supreme, ultimate, and opposite choices, or intentions, and cannot by any possibility, coexist." --from "Unity of Moral Action" ---New Window, by Charles G. Finney (1792-1875) ---New Window.
"43 For a good tree bringeth
not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. 44 For
every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor
of a bramble bush gather they grapes. 45 A
good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good;
and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is
evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. 46 And why call ye
Me, LORD, LORD, and do not the things which I say?"
(Luke 6:43-46).
Excerpt Number 6:
"'Awake to righteousness, and sin not.' The LORD never demands man to do anything halfway, if it were possible. 'No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon' (Matthew 6:24). There is no duality to man's moral choice. The choice is either sinful or holy, but never both. There is, in the truest sense, a unity of moral action. If we awake to righteousness, we will not be sinning. If we sleep to righteousness, we will be sinning. Notice that 1 Corinthians 15:34 does not allow the following duality of moral choice:(1) Awake to righteousness and sin, or
(2) Awake to unrighteousness and sin not. Both combinations are absurd!'Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us' (Hebrews 12:1). How are we to 'run with patience the race that is set before us' (12:1)? This is the 'race' of faith. We cannot run with the weight of sin. To weigh ourselves down with sin is to stop the running of the race of faith. Either we 'lay aside... sin' and 'run... the race', or we weigh ourselves down with sin and cease to run the race. Do one or the other, but never both. There is, and must be, a unity of moral action.
'Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the LORD' (Hebrews 12:14). Holiness is a voluntary choice. Sin is a voluntary choice. Choose sin, and you must cease to be holy. Choose holiness, and you must cease to be a sinner. Obviously, a man cannot be sinful against his will any more than he can be holy against his will." --from "An Urgent Call to Christian Perfection" ---New Window.
Excerpt Number 7: From C. G. Finney:
"Those who secretly dislike the doctrine of entire holiness in this life, are not Christians. From the manner in which many professors of religion treat this question, it seems manifest that they feel a secret dislike to it. They seem indisposed to understand it. They appear to set themselves to object to and pervert it, rather than candidly and earnestly to investigate it, with a manifest desire that it might be true... It is no wonder that the Church do not believe in the doctrine of entire sanctification in this life. They are well satisfied that, with their present habits and indulgences, they cannot be entirely sanctified. And as these habits and indulgences appear to be stereotyped, they reject the doctrine of entire freedom from sin in this life, as unreasonable." --from "Temptations Must Be Put Away" ---New Window, by Charles G. Finney (1792-1875) ---New Window, "The Oberlin Evangelist" 1840 ---New Window.
Be warned in this, that "if therefore the Light that is in thee be darkness, how GREAT is that darkness! (Matthew 6:23). You may claim that you have good desires. You may claim that you "believe in the Light" (John 12:36), that you are "the children of Light" (12:36), and yet, if you say that you're "in the Light, and hateth [your] brother, [you are] in darkness even until now" (1John 2:9).
Excerpt Number 8: From C. G. Finney:
"Some indulge temptation and sin, until so blinded and hardened, as to feel no condemnation, and think that all is well. Their consciences have become stupefied and remain indignantly silent. And what they once esteemed to be sin they no longer regard as such. They can now complacently indulge in what would once have made them tremble... If any thing is found to be a temptation and a cause of stumbling to us, we should never indulge or defend it, because others indulge in the same thing. Perhaps they may do it without its being an overcoming stumbling-block to them. Or if it does overcome and lead them into sin, their going to destruction is certainly no good reason why we should do so." --from "Temptations Must Be Put Away" ---New Window, by Charles G. Finney (1792-1875) ---New Window, "The Oberlin Evangelist" 1840 ---New Window.
But, if the LORD's people, "by the fear of the LORD... depart from evil" (Proverbs 16:6), then their cravings are "good
and right in the eyes of the LORD" (2Chronicles 14:2). Therefore,
Scripture truly declares that "the desire
of the righteous is ONLY good" (Proverbs 11:23).
WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT to discuss the desires of the righteous and the wicked? Because
TEMPTATIONS STRIVE TO EXPLOIT OUR DESIRES. And if your desires
are NOT tempered by the Scriptures, your efforts to overcome temptations will only
continue in their hell-bent direction. "Holding
forth the Word Of Life; that I may rejoice in the Day of Christ, that I have NOT
run in vain, neither laboured in vain" (Philippians
2:16). Your
success must depend on the Power of the LORD.
"For it is God which worketh in you both
to will and to do of His Good Pleasure"
(Philippians 2:13).
To be morally tempted is to be enticed to do evil. God tests, but it is Satan who tempts. "The Serpent was more subtle than any beast... And he said unto the woman, Yea, HATH GOD SAID...?" (Genesis 3:1). We can either "do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD: that it may be well with thee" (Deuteronomy 6:18), or we can allow our desires to bring forth the deadly fruit of sin. "15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16 DO NOT ERR, my beloved brethren" (6:15-16). Being confronted with temptation (or, being tempted) is eternally different than the literal committing of sin by entering INTO the temptation. When confronted with a moral temptation, a wrong desire is stirred. It is at this moment, that you must decide whether you will turn from the temptation, e.g. "choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God" (Hebrews 11:25), or continue on "to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season" (11:25). IF you do not turn from the temptation by your own free will, then you allow your wrong desire (i.e., that which you know in your heart is clearly against God's Commands) to participate in sin. "Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver" (Psalm 50:22). In consenting to the temptation, sin is born. "Lead us not INTO temptation, but deliver us from evil" (Matthew 6:13) means, "Help us not to fail our testing/tempting by entering INTO sin, but deliver us from sin." It does NOT mean that simply being tested/tempted is sin, but only that succumbing to temptation IS sin.
"At what time that desire becomes the SUPREME PREFERENCE of the moral agent-- as opposed to the supreme love of God and an equal love of our neighbour as ourself (Matthew 22:37-39)-- then the desire becomes sin. 'Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin' (James 1:15)."
--from "Must We Then Sin?" ---New Window.
Confrontations with temptation, i.e., being tested/tempted, on the other hand, are simply the by-products of having this beautiful, God-given, free will.
Temptations are common to every man.
"There hath no temptation [testing/tempting] taken you but such as is common to man: but God is Faithful, Who will not suffer [or, allow] you to be tempted [/tested] above that ye are able; but will with the temptation [testing/tempting] also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1Corinthians 10:13).
Excerpt Number 9: From C. G. Finney:
"What may be expedient for one to possess, or enjoy, may not be so for another. On account of natural temperament, or the influence of grace, one man may have possessions without being a temptation to him, to draw him away from God, which another cannot have. It is never safe for us to possess or indulge in any thing because another does so; for it may be that we are not equally able to bear it... Under some circumstances, we may not be able to bear, what under other circumstances we could bear without injury... From this subject it is easy to see the importance of watchfulness, and giving the utmost attention to the occasions of our stumbling, whether proximate or remote. When I was a young convert, I was struck with this resolution of Edwards [Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) ---New Window, former president of Princeton University]:'Resolved, that when I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back till I come to the original cause, and then both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.'
It is no doubt of the utmost importance, that our eyes should be continually open to all the influences that are acting on us, and affecting our moral characters. Every article of dress, every thing in our employments, amusements, companions, books, diet, in all our habits, and in all our ways, whatever leads us into sin, should be put away... All the promises in regard to support under temptation and deliverance from it, are to be understood to be upon the condition that we avoid and put away all temptation as far as we possibly can. We often find promises to which no express condition is annexed, but where a condition is either plainly implied or expressed in some other part of the word of God. Take the promise in 1 Cor. 10:13: 'There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.' Here is a promise without any condition expressed with regard to deliverance from the power of temptation. But our text, is to be regarded as a condition annexed by Christ Himself to all promises of this stamp. And these passages together teach this doctrine, that we need not fall under the power of any temptation, that we cannot avoid or put away from us--that when we have gone the full length of sacrificing a right hand or a right eye, to be rid of temptation, that no unavoidable temptation shall come upon us, from which we shall not have grace to escape. And this is all that such promises can mean, when viewed in the light of the expressed or implied conditions of the gospel... Whenever all is done that can be done, to avoid temptation, and to put away whatever brings us into bondage to sin, we may expect, and are bound to expect, that no temptation shall come upon us, from the power of which we are not able to escape. It is then entirely within the reach of every individual to live in a state of entire consecration, or sanctification, to God." --from "Temptations Must Be Put Away" ---New Window, by Charles G. Finney (1792-1875) ---New Window, "The Oberlin Evangelist" 1840 ---New Window.
Temptations are common in all situations-- "yet not" given INTO by the Godly.
"4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed... 6:4 But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, 5 in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; 6 by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned" (2Corinthians 4:8-9; 6:4-6).
"Take heed unto yourselves,
lest ye forget the Covenant of the LORD your God, which He made with you,
and make you a graven image, or the likeness of any thing,
which the LORD thy God hath forbidden thee"
(Deuteronomy 4:23),
for it is in consenting to the temptation, that sin is born.
Back to Table
of Contents
God Tests. Satan Tempts. But, Why
Does God Allow Temptation?
n the first place, is it legitimate to suppose that God does allow
us to be tempted? Yes, He does, because we only must look at what He allowed for
Jesus immediately after the Saviour was baptized with water and the Holy Ghost at
the Jordan River. "Then was Jesus led
up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil" (Matthew 4:1). Notice that the Father did not
tempt the LORD Jesus. "Let no man say
when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither
tempteth He any man" (James 1:13).
Neither did the Spirit lead the LORD Jesus INTO temptation, that is, INTO sin. "And lead us not INTO temptation, but deliver us from
evil" (Matthew 6:13). The Holy God
does not lead us INTO sinning against Himself. He is never the author of sin. Instead,
the LORD Jesus' instruction to pray that the Father would "lead
us not INTO temptation" (6:13) means,
"LORD, please help us not to fail our testing/tempting by entering INTO sin,
but deliver us from sin." It does NOT mean that simply being tested/tempted is sin, but only that succumbing to temptation IS sin.
That the Father would allow the Son to be "led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of
the Devil" (Matthew 4:1) is
NOT unique to the Son of God only, for Jesus "was
in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin"
(Hebrews 4:15). God gave permission to Satan to "sift" (Luke 22:31) the Apostle Peter. And, remember that Job, a "perfect
and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil"
(Job 1:8), could only have been tempted by Satan after
the Almighty gave Satan permission to do so. "And
the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that [Job] hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine
hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD"
(1:12). Though Job was sorely tried and finally stumbled, he
repented and came "forth as gold" (23:10). Accordingly, Job is remembered for his patience.
"Behold, we count them happy which endure.
Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the LORD; that the
LORD is very pitiful, and of tender mercy" (James
5:11).
Again, "Why does God allow temptation (testing/tempting)?" From
the very Beginning, the God Who created man for His "pleasure" (Revelation 4:11), intended man's moral likeness
to Himself (i.e., "God created man in
His own image" [Genesis 1:27]),
to furnish the opportunity for pleasing Himself by man choosing to obey His
Commandments. "If ye love Me, keep My
Commandments" (John 14:15). Man's
necessity to make a choice of obeying or disobeying the Creator's Commandment, i.e.,
"But of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good
and Evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou
shalt surely die" (Genesis
2:17), was put to the test when Satan lied about the command,
i.e., "Ye shall not surely die" (3:4), slandering God's character, and questioning
God's benevolence toward man. "For God
doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye
shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" (3:5). Thus, God allowed the Serpent to tempt our First Parents to sin, while
intending the same occasion to be a test of their love, faith, and obedience to prove
them, refine them, and fashion them into a greater portrait of Himself.
As long as man is in the flesh, he is in the place of testing. After surveying the Old Testament Scriptures where the Hebrew words nasah (to prove) and bachan (to try) occur, a noted Hebrew scholar wrote:
"A consideration of these passages leads to the conclusion that the various evils and struggles and difficulties which are prompted from within, or which befall man from without, are ordered by God as part of the great system of probation or testing to which every child of Adam is being subjected. The agency of the Evil One is permitted for the purpose of bringing a man into that sort of contact with evil which will serve to test his real principles." --concerning Temptation, from Chapter 25 "Satan, Tempter" of "Synonyms of the Old Testament: Their Bearing On Christian Doctrine" (1897) by Robert Girdlestone, of Oxford.
This probation can be seen in that man is continually being tested
by God and tempted by the Devil. "2 My brethren, count it all joy when
ye fall into divers temptations; 3 knowing
this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience"
(James 1:2-3). Just as schools have their final examinations,
mankind awaits God's Final Judgment, where the Righteous will receive their final
reward at the Bema Seat, and the Wicked will obtain their just punishment at the
White Throne, after their failure at the final "Hour
of Temptation" (Revelation 3:10).
"5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up
unto thyself wrath against the Day of Wrath and revelation of the Righteous Judgment
of God; 6 Who will render
to every man according to his deeds: 7 to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and
honour and immortality, Eternal Life: 8 but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the Truth, but
obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and Anguish" (Romans 2:5-8). (See our article, "The Judgment Seat of Christ" ---New Window, which describes the judgment
of the Righteous.)
The Father does lead His people into situations of testing, for the purpose of refining,
"to humble thee, and to prove thee, to
know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His Commandments, or no...
that He might humble thee, and that He might prove thee, to do thee good at thy latter
end" (Deuteronomy 8:2,16). Though
Satan's purpose in tempting us is our sinning, the Father's purpose in our testing
is that we might be perfected. "2 My brethren, count it all joy when
ye fall into divers temptations; 3 knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience
have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing" (James 1:2-4). It is for this reason that God DOES
lead us by His Spirit to be tempted by the Devil. For example, Adam and Eve were
given the test of not eating something. "But
of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall
not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die"
(Genesis 3:3). God gave the command of what not to do, and
then gave the warning of what the penalty would be. Satan ("satan" literally
means "adversary") then proceeded to tempt man through perverting God's
Word. "And the Serpent said unto the woman,
Ye shall not surely die" (Genesis 3:4).
Adam, after sinning, blamed his sin on God by saying, "The
woman whom THOU gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat" (Genesis 3:12). The LORD knows that the common thing
we will do when we sin, is to blame Him for giving us the test we just failed. "O LORD, why hast Thou made us to err from Thy Ways,
and hardened our heart from Thy fear?" (Isaiah
63:17).
Specifically, Scripture records that "God did tempt
[Hebrew, nasah] Abraham" (Genesis 22:1), but the translation of the Hebrew word nasah as
"tempt"
could have been translated as "prove", as in testing Abraham, "for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth
he any man" (James 1:13).
This art print, "God will provide Himself
a Lamb" by Erik
Hollander ---New Window
is provided courtesy of Christ-Centered Art ---New Window.
"1 And
it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto
him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. 2 And He said, Take
now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of
Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which
I will tell thee of... 6
And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering,
and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and
they went both of them together. 7 And
Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I,
my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt
offering? 8 And Abraham said,
My son, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of
them together. 9
And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar
there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar
upon the wood. 10 And Abraham stretched
forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
11 And the Angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven,
and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. 12 And He said, Lay
not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto Him: for now I know that
thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from Me... 16
And said, By Myself have I sworn, saith the
LORD, for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine
only son" (Genesis
22:1-2,6-12,16).
"By faith Abraham, when he was tried, offered up Isaac: and he that had
received the Promises offered up his only begotten son" (Hebrews 11:17).
Each choice of man has the opportunity of praising God, when he passes his trial
of faith. "That the trial of your faith,
being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire,
might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ" (1Peter 1:7). It is a grave mistake for the Saints to conclude that their trials
were something out of the ordinary that were not supposed to happen. "Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery
trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you" (1Peter 4:12). It should not come as any surprise to the Saints of the
New Covenant that God has been testing all along our love for Him. "The LORD your God proveth you, to know whether ye love the
LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul" (Deuteronomy 13:3).The result of God's testing of the Righteous is that they are confirmed
in holiness. "And Moses said unto
the people, Fear not: for God is come to prove you, and that His fear may be before
your faces, that ye sin not" (Exodus 20:20). God's proving
of man is not to satisfy God's lack of knowing in advance what man will do, but that
the moral process of choosing may be completed, to glorify God through man's passing
of the test, and to justify God through His Judgment of those who give in to temptation.
"5 When Jesus then lifted
up His eyes, and saw a great company come unto Him, He saith unto Philip, Whence
shall we buy bread, that these may eat? 6 And
this He said to prove him [Philip]: for He Himself knew what He would do" (John 6:5-7). God tests. Satan tempts.
Back to Table
of Contents
When I Am Weak, He Can Deliver
estings cause us to remember our humanness. "7 And lest I
[the Apostle Paul] should be exalted above
measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in
the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this
thing I besought the LORD thrice, that it might depart from me.
9 And He said unto me,
My Grace [Help] is
sufficient for thee: for My Strength is made perfect in weakness. Most
gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the Power
of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches,
in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for WHEN I AM WEAK,
THEN AM I STRONG" (2Corinthians 12:7-10).
Testings keep us in NEED of our Saviour, "for
in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour [or, help] them that are tempted" (Hebrews 2:18).
The Apostle Paul was mightily tested/tempted in his flesh. "13
Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh
I preached the Gospel unto you at the first.
14 And my temptation
[testing/tempting] which was in my flesh
ye despised not, nor rejected" (Galatians 4:13-14). Jesus said, "I will show him [Paul] how great
things he must suffer for My Name's sake" (Acts
9:16). And suffer greatly he did. Paul recorded it for us, by the
Spirit of God: "23
in labours more abundant, in stripes above
measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24 Of the Jews five times received I
forty stripes save one. 25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice
I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26
in journeyings often, in perils of waters,
in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen,
in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils
among false brethren; 27 in
weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings
often, in cold and nakedness" (2Corinthians 11:23-27). And our brother "in bonds" set the example.
Paul's great suffering worked great faith in him, fulfilling his
desire to "make ourselves an ensample
unto you to follow us" (2Thessalonians 3:9). Dear Brother Paul was given to us in the Scripture, that we would "remember them which have the rule over you, who have
spoken unto you the Word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of
their conversation" (Hebrews 13:7).
And "the end of
[Paul's] conversation"
was a faithful witness in martyrdom. "Then
Paul answered, What mean ye to weep and to break mine heart? for I am ready not to
be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the LORD Jesus" (Acts 21:13). But Paul's testimony is clear: "10 thou
hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity,
patience, 11 persecutions,
afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions
I endured: but out of them all the LORD delivered me. 12
Yea, and ALL that will live Godly in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2Timothy
3:10-12). Our testing works strong testimony as we stand with the
LORD in His sufferings for the sake of the Gospel. "Be
not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our LORD, nor of me his prisoner:
but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the Gospel according to the Power
of God" (2Timothy 1:8).
For deliverance comes only from Him "Who
gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world,
according to the Will of God and our Father" (Galatians
1:4).
And, we will receive deliverance from the LORD when we choose correctly
and "stand fast in the LORD" (1Thessalonians 3:8). "3 That no man should be moved [or concerned]
by these afflictions: for yourselves know that
we are appointed thereunto. 4
For verily, when we were with you, we told
you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and
ye know. 5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know
your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in
vain. 6 But now when
Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity,
and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we
also to see you: 7 therefore,
brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by
your faith: 8
For now we live, IF ye stand fast in the LORD"
(3:3-8).
We cannot EXPECT God's deliverance if we refuse to "stand
fast" in the afflictions that "we
are appointed thereunto". If we don't "fight the good fight of faith" (1Timothy
6:12), and instead, in the temptation, choose to sin, then the LORD
has every right to say to us, "I never
knew you: depart from Me, ye that WORK iniquity" (Matthew
7:23). "The LORD knoweth
them that are His... Let every one that nameth the Name of Christ depart from
iniquity" (2Timothy 2:19).
Excerpt Number 10: From C. G. Finney:
"To continue the temptation and expect grace to overcome it, is to 'turn the grace of God into lasciviousness.' If any form of temptation is allowed to have dominion over us, we are inevitably and for ever lost.
We need to respond to our testings with confidence that He Who allows these tests, even leads us into them (as He, the Father, led His Son by His Spirit, into the wilderness to be tested), will also CAUSE us to triumph by His Strength, and "deliver us from evil" (Matthew 6:13). "My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations... Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the Crown of Life, which the LORD hath promised to them that love Him" (James 1:2,12).
"4 For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O LORD, Thou knowest
it altogether. 5 Thou
hast beset me behind and before, and laid Thine hand upon me... 9 If I take the wings of the morning,
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; 10 even there shall Thy hand lead me,
and Thy right hand shall hold me" (Psalm 139:4-5,9-10). God leads us into battle, and assuredly He leads us out of the
battle and into victory. "The LORD shall
preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth,
and even for Evermore" (Psalm 121:8).
Back to Table of
Contents
God Leads Us Just Like He Led Jesus
s there a contradiction between "lead
us not INTO temptation" and Jesus' being "led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted
of the Devil" (Matthew 4:1; 6:13)? No,
both are true; but they don't mean the same thing. If
it is correct to say that "lead us not
INTO temptation" means lead us not INTO sinning (which
it does), then, when you first think about it, it sounds like the Holy Spirit led
Jesus INTO sinning (which He did NOT). The Scripture says that we are to pray that
we will not be led "INTO temptation" (Matthew 6:13), i.e., INTO sin, or the giving in
to sin. But, this is
not the same thing as being led by the Spirit "to
be tempted by the Devil" (Matthew 4:1).
The Spirit never leads any man INTO sin or sinning. "Let
no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with
evil, NEITHER TEMPTETH HE ANY MAN" (James 1:13). That kind of "leading" comes only from one source-- the Devil.
"The Serpent beguiled me
[Eve], and I did eat"
(Genesis 3:13). But, the Spirit does lead us to be tempted by the Devil, and it happens every
time "the Accuser of our brethren" (Revelation 12:10) is given permission by God to
do so.
Again, there is the possibility that being led by the Spirit to
be tempted by the Devil might result in our sinning. Why would God allow or
author it? And, why, when in prayer, would we ask the Father, "Lead us not INTO temptation",
if God never tempts? "9 After this manner therefore pray
ye... 13 Lead us not
INTO temptation, but deliver us from evil" (Matthew
6:9,13). We cannot possibly be asking the Father that He, Himself,
not lead us "INTO"
sin, because He NEVER leads His children to "evil" or "death", "for the wages of sin is death;
but the Gift of God is Eternal Life through Jesus Christ our LORD" (Romans 6:23). His Will for us is exactly the opposite
of walking INTO sin. "They also do NO
iniquity: they walk in His Ways" (Psalm
119:3).
To know God's Character is to love Him for His Character, for "17 every
Good Gift and every Perfect Gift is from Above, and cometh down from the Father of
Lights, with Whom is NO VARIABLENESS, NEITHER SHADOW OF TURNING. 18
Of His Own Will begat He us with the Word of
Truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures" (James 1:17-18). The Spirit of God wants us to pray
that the LORD would not permit us to fail our test and succumb to the temptation.
"Lead us not INTO [or,
do not let us succumb to] temptation, but deliver
us FROM evil." Therefore, LORD, "lead us not INTO temptation" can
only mean, "LORD, please do not let me sin."
Excerpt Number 11: From C. G. Finney:
"Our next petition is-- 'Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.'
And what is implied in this?
A fear and dread of sin;--a watchfulness against temptation; an anxious solicitude lest by any means we should be overcome and fall into sin. On this point Christ often warned his disciples, and not them only, but what He said unto them, He said unto all,--'Watch.'
A man not afraid of sin and temptation cannot present this petition in a manner acceptable to God.
You will observe, moreover, that this petition does not by any means imply that God leads men into temptation in order to make them sin, so that we must needs implore of Him not to lead us thus, lest He should do it. No, that is not implied at all; but the spirit of the petition is this;--O Lord, Thou knowest how weak I am, and how prone to sin; therefore let thy providence guard and keep me that I may not indulge in anything whatever that may prove to me a temptation to sin. Deliver us from all iniquity--from all the stratagems of the devil. Throw around us all thy precious guardianship, that we may be kept from sinning against Thee. How needful this protection, and how fit that we should pray for it without ceasing!" --from "Conditions of Prevailing Prayer- No. 2" ---New Window, by Charles G. Finney (1792-1875) ---New Window, "The Oberlin Evangelist" 1847 ---New Window.
Since "we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in ALL points tempted like as we are, YET WITHOUT SIN" (Hebrews 4:15), and since the Father DOES lead His people into situations of testing, then we can conclude that He DID lead Jesus, by His Spirit, into TESTINGS in the wilderness-- not just to be tempted of the Devil. The TEMPTATIONS OF THE DEVIL in the wilderness were the TESTINGS that the Spirit led Him to. "1 Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the Devil. 2 And when He had FASTED forty days and forty nights [testings of God overcoming the temptations of the flesh and the Devil], He was afterward an HUNGERED. 3 And when the tempter came to Him, he said, IF THOU BE the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread" (Matthew 4:1-3). The Devil's temptations are USED by God for His testings of us for our perfecting.
Satan uses Scripture, literally to attempt "to pervert the right ways of the LORD"
(Acts 13:10). "If
Thou be the Son of God [tempting the LORD
with pride], cast Thyself down from hence [a suicidal act]:
for it is written, He shall give His angels charge over Thee, to keep Thee
[a misuse of Scripture]" (Luke 4:9-10).
But, Jesus is "not ignorant of his devices"
(2Corinthians 2:11), and counters his attack by "rightly dividing the Word of Truth" (2Timothy 2:15). "And
Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the LORD thy
God" (Luke 4:12).
Remember when Satan tempted Eve? "Now
the Serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made.
And he said unto the woman, Yea, HATH GOD SAID...?"
(Genesis 3:1).
The correct response to this kind of attack is to take "the
Sword of the Spirit, which is the WORD OF GOD"
(Ephesians 6:17),
and parry the attack with "Yea rather,
blessed are they that hear the WORD OF GOD, and KEEP IT" (Luke 11:28). And then to "stand fast
in the faith" (1Corinthians
16:13) and brandish "the
Sword" to the defense of God's Word with
a judicious flourish of, "WHAT SAITH the
Scripture?" (Romans
4:3). For "the WORD OF GOD is not bound"
(2Timothy 2:9). Overcome Satan by the One Whose "Name is called The WORD OF GOD"
(Revelation 19:13), and "be
strong in the LORD, and in the Power of His Might" (Ephesians
6:10). Don't give in to Satan's temptation by sinning. "11 Put
on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the
Devil. 12 For we wrestle
not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against
the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto
you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and
having done all, to stand" (Ephesians 6:11-13).
Back to Table of
Contents
The Test of the Cross
he Supreme Test was given to God's Son. It was the Cross. "7 Who
in the days of His flesh, when He [the Son] had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears
unto Him [the Father] that
was able to save Him [the Son] from
death, and was heard [not in that He no longer had to die,
but] in that He feared [that
the Son respected and loved the Father enough to die as He had been sent to do]; 8 Though
He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; 9 and being
made perfect, He became the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey Him" (Hebrews 5:7-9). If the Captain of our Salvation
had to be perfected by His suffering, how can we expect not to suffer for our perfecting,
nor to escape Divinely allowed temptations? "For
it became Him, for Whom are all things, and by Whom are all things, in bringing many
sons unto Glory, to make the Captain of their Salvation perfect through sufferings" (Hebrews 2:10).
Excerpt Number 12: From C. G. Finney:
"Christ, as a man, was obliged to watch and deny Himself, and keep Himself clear of those besetments and temptations that would naturally overcome Him. His Apostles followed in his steps. Paul found it indispensable to keep his body under, to mortify his members which were upon the earth; and it is an unalterable law of the kingdom of grace, that men must put away those weights and easily besetting sins that hinder and over come them, or they will never enter into the kingdom of God." --from "Temptations Must Be Put Away" ---New Window, by Charles G. Finney (1792-1875) ---New Window, "The Oberlin Evangelist" 1840 ---New Window.
Jesus "was in ALL points
tempted like as we are" (Hebrews 4:15). So, imagine ourselves about to face the painful and horrible death
of crucifixion, even knowing that it was God's Will that we be martyred, would we
not do as Jesus did when He "fell on His
face, and prayed, saying, O My Father, IF IT BE POSSIBLE, let this cup pass from
Me: nevertheless not as I will, but as Thou wilt"
(Matthew 26:39)?
And, as He shared with His sleeping disciples, did Jesus not know that human beings
should "watch and pray, that ye enter
not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (26:41)? Would Jesus not fight the same terror we would have to fight? "O My Father, if this cup may not pass away from Me,
except I drink it, Thy Will be done" (26:42). "Father, IF Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless
NOT My will, but Thine, be done" (Luke 22:42).
It was NOT that our Jesus was unwilling. But, it was a fight to overcome His flesh,
in that, even with an angel ministering to Him, as angels do for us humans (e.g.,
"For He shall give His angels charge over
thee, to keep thee in ALL thy ways" [Psalm 91:11]), Jesus fought
hard just to get to the Cross. "And
there appeared an angel unto Him from Heaven, strengthening Him. And being in
an agony He prayed MORE earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops
of blood falling down to the ground"
(Luke 22:43-44).
Jesus needed to be resolved as "flint" to finish His course. "5 The
LORD GOD hath opened Mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.
6 I gave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to them that
plucked off the hair: I hid not My face from shame and spitting. 7 For the LORD GOD
will help Me; therefore shall I not be confounded: therefore have I set My face
like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed" (Isaiah 50:5-7). [Please read "What
Happened in Gethsemane?"
---New Window]
This art print, "No Greater Love" by Robert
Grace is provided courtesy of Christ-Centered Art ---New Window.
With the most dreadful moment of all still before
Jesus, when the Father would put upon His Precious, Pure, Son "WITHOUT SIN" (Hebrews 4:15), "our sins:
and not... ours only, but also... the sins of the whole world" (1John 2:2),
that the Father would then NOT desire to look upon His Only Begotten, then covered
with our ugliness, but would actually turn away, allowing His Plan of Salvation FOR
US to succeed.
"The LORD
[God the Father] hath laid ON Him [God the Son] the iniquity of us
all... Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth
hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama
sabachthani? that is to say, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"
(Isaiah 53:6; Matthew 27:45-46).
And this turning away also demonstrates to us the Father's separation
from sin, insomuch as to turn away even from "His
Only Begotten Son" (John 3:16),
Who actually became Sin for us. "For He [the Father] hath made Him [the Son] to be Sin for us, Who knew
no sin" (2Corinthians 5:21). Can God ask anything less of us, but that we would follow His most excellent
example, and let nothing of the sin of this world or personal sin of any kind "separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus our LORD." "35 Who shall separate us from the love
of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness,
or peril, or sword?... 39 nor
height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our LORD" (Romans
8:35,39). But sin separates us from God. "But
your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His
face from you, that He will not hear" (Isaiah 59:2). [Please
read "Must We Then Sin? Or, A Response to the Doctrine of Sin
Nature or the Doctrine of Original Sin. Or, A Clarification of What is Sin, Why We
Sin, and How Not to Sin ---New Window.]
Physical testings are a joyful bond that we share in common with our Saviour and
Deliverer, our LORD Jesus. "Always bearing
about in the body the dying of the LORD Jesus, that the Life also of Jesus might
be made manifest in our body" (2Corinthians
4:10). The Apostle Paul wanted us to keep "looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith; Who
for the joy that was set before Him endured The Cross, despising the shame" (Hebrews 12:2). And soon, our Reward, Who victoriously
"is set down at the right hand of the
Throne of God" (12:2), will greet
us "face to face"
(1Corinthians 13:12), and by His side we evermore shall stay.
"21:3 And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying, Behold,
the Tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be
His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God... 22:3 And there shall be no more curse:
but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve
Him: 4 And
they shall see His face; and His Name shall be in their foreheads.
5 And there shall be
no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the LORD God
giveth them Light: and they shall reign FOR EVER AND EVER"
(Revelation 21:3; 22:3-5).
"For Thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory, FOR EVER. Amen" (Matthew 6:13).
Back to Table
of Contents
Overcoming Temptation Prevents Entering
INTO Sin
ntering INTO "temptation" implies
imminent failure of the test/tempt. To prevent failure, preparation
must be made, or else we will repeat our sin, "as
a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly" (Proverbs 26:11). Knowing
past failures, "a prudent man foreseeth
the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished" (Proverbs 22:3).
Let us verbally paint the picture. The testing
from the LORD and the tempting from "the
lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" (1John 2:16)-- as well as what the Devil might be allowed to add-- BEGINS. You
see the dangerous situation approaching. You watch it build. You feel the anger or
frustration trying to get the death grip over you. Your resolve feels threatened,
as your flesh weakens more. Danger! Danger! The Holy Spirit warns us! "This is the way, walk ye in it" (Isaiah 30:21)! Quick! Run to Jesus, "casting
all your care upon Him; for He careth for you"
(1Peter 5:7).
He will have "mercy, and [give] Grace to help in time
of need" (Hebrews
4:16).
How does The Victory actually take place? What are the mechanics of it? "IF the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from
the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken
your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Romans 8:11). And you will "know
Him, and the Power of His Resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings,
being made conformable unto His death"
(Philippians 3:10).
"For Christ also hath once suffered for
sins... being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit" (1Peter 3:18). Jesus is our Example, for He "was
in ALL points tempted like as we are, YET WITHOUT SIN [i.e., Jesus did NOT enter INTO the temptation, i.e., by giving
in to sin]"
(Hebrews 4:15).
This is how Jesus did it! This is how Jesus means for us to do it! "For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through
the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led
by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God"
(Romans 8:13-14).
Who are "the sons of God"? "As many as
are led by the Spirit" to "mortify the deeds of the body". In other Words, "they
that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts" (Galatians 5:24), "if so be that
we suffer with Him" (Romans
8:17).
NOTE: Do you see why those who are NOT ready for the LORD Jesus, our Soon Coming Bridegroom [Please read, "A Tale of Ten Virgins" ---New Window], cry out, "LORD, LORD, open to us" (Matthew 25:11), and He answers them, "Verily I say unto you, I know you not" (25:12). "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit... But ye are NOT in the flesh, but IN the Spirit, IF SO BE that the Spirit of God dwell IN you" (Romans 8:5). And who are those who have the Spirit of God IN them?
Excerpt Number 13:
"The Foolish Virgins are the Backslidden Church. They walk as if there was no God who watched or cared. 'They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no Oil with them' (Matthew 25:3). Of what use is a lamp without fuel? 'Then Samuel took the horn of Oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward' (1Samuel 16:13). Oil represents the Holy Spirit. 'And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, Whom God hath given to them that obey Him' (Acts 5:32). God's grace, not our obedience, merits the Holy Spirit; but our obedience is necessary for the abiding of the Holy Spirit. 'Quench not [literally, extinguish not] the Spirit' (1Thessalonians 5:19). Make no mistake, foolishness-- as used in this context-- is not accidental, but purposely unconcerned about obedience. Foolishness, so represented, is sin. 'The thought of foolishness is sin' (Proverbs 24:9)." --from "A Tale of Ten Virgins" ---New Window
"This I say then, Walk IN the Spirit, and
ye shall NOT FULFIL the lust of the flesh"
(Galatians 5:16).
This is a given Fact from the mouth of God. Therefore, "if
we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (5:25).
And if you don't "walk in the Spirit", how can you claim to have the Spirit, Who is only
"given to them that obey Him" (Acts 5:32)? Therefore, "if any man
have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His"
(Romans 8:9),
and so forces the LORD to say, "I know
you not" (Matthew
25:12).
As mentioned before, A. T. Robertson put it this way,
"Here we have a 'Permissive imperative'
as grammarians term it. The idea is then: 'Do not allow us to be led into temptation.'" It is a cry for help, "LORD, don't allow it! Give me overcoming! Don't
let me fail my test!" "He that overcometh
shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son" (Revelation 21:7). As
a child of God, we run to Him, cry to Him, and cling to Him. "Because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His
Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father
[literally, Daddy]"
(Galatians 4:6). And "He
that spared not His Own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall he not with
Him also freely give us ALL things?" (Romans 8:32), even "as His Divine Power hath
given unto us ALL things that pertain unto Life and Godliness, through the
knowledge of Him that hath called us to Glory and Virtue" (2Peter 1:3). Of course He will help us pass our
test! Of course He will help us to NOT BE LED "INTO
temptation" but will "deliver
us from evil" (Matthew
6:13). Jesus came to
Earth for this very reason-- "to seek
and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10) and to "destroy the works of
the Devil" (1John 3:8). He saves
us from sin and from sinning!
It is only the Holy Spirit that can reveal our sense of need to us. "I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins" (Jeremiah 17:10). Our prayer is for Him to do so. "Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24). And just as surely as we ask, He will answer. "The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts" (Proverbs 17:3).
1. Make a List. After the LORD has helped you to "break up your fallow ground" (Hosea 10:12), make a list of your weaknesses and "cares of this life" (Luke 21:34).
2. Find the Promises. With your list in hand, match your needs with the corresponding character traits of the LORD Jesus that promise victory for you. "Put ye on the LORD Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof" (Romans 13:14). For instance, if materialism is your temptation, by "looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2) you can "love not the world, neither the things that are in the world" (1John 2:15). The LORD said, "Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth" (Luke 12:15) for you become "choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection" (Luke 8:14). He also said, "24 How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God. 26 And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved? 27 And He said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God" (Luke 18:24-27). Remember, it is the Promises that lie in the names, capacities, offices, and relations of our LORD that cause us to be like Him. Our goal is "to be conformed to the image of His Son" (Romans 8:29), "because as He is, so are we in this world" (1John 4:17). [Please read "The Relations of Christ to the Believer" ---New Window by C. G. Finney ---New Window and "In Christ Jesus" ---New Window by A. T. Pierson ---New Window for great assistance in seeking Christ as the Supply for your every need.]Excerpt Number 14:
"Jesus implied that everyone, including His Human Self, has tendencies of habit, circumstances of the flesh, and predispositions of circumstances in the world, that will inevitably cause us to sin unless identified and countered by a strength of God's character, that can be claimed in faith as a Promise. 'For in that He Himself hath suffered being tempted, He is able to succour [literally, help] them that are tempted' (Hebrews 2:18). For instance, if I understand that I have a tendency to lose my patience with a certain person in a familiar circumstance, i.e., the 'sin which doth so easily beset us' (12:1), then it behooves me to seek by prayerful searching of the Word for a revelation of the LORD's strength of patience, that the Holy Spirit may apply to me, should the circumstance arise yet again. 'A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished' (Proverbs 22:3). Further, Christ Jesus 'pleased not Himself' (Romans 15:3), leaving me the example of patience 'for our learning' (15:4); thereby, holding forth the opportunity that the 'God of patience and consolation [would] grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus' (15:5). This is the anatomy of praying not to be led INTO temptation. 'For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an Example, that ye should follow His steps' (1Peter 2:21).
If we are to be holy, we must not be continually falling prey to sin. 'Follow peace with all men, and Holiness, without which no man shall see the LORD' (Hebrews 12:14). And, if we seek not to be caught perpetually in the teeth of sin, we need to be continually claiming Promises in prayer not to succumb to temptation. 'There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is Faithful, Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it' (1Corinthians 10:13)." --from "How to Promote the Beauties of Holiness" ---New Window.3. Praying the Word. After you have made your list and found your Promises, pray. Scripture clearly teaches us, one of the first things we must do to prevent sin is to pray. "Lead us not INTO temptation, but deliver us from evil" (Matthew 6:13). Prayer demonstrates to the LORD that we believe Him and depend upon Him. "Watch and pray, that ye enter not INTO temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41). Prayer will secure victory over sin. "He said unto them, Pray that ye enter not INTO temptation" (Luke 22:40).
Excerpt Number 15:
"Pray Not to Be Led Into Temptation... Christians underestimate the necessity of prayer in overcoming temptation, perhaps because they incorrectly assume that God's unwillingness that we commit any kind of sin, prevents Him from allowing the world, the flesh, or the Devil to tempt us. Remember, Christ 'was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin' (Hebrews 4:15). The purpose of God allowing temptation is to get us to turn to Him for help. 'Let us therefore come boldly unto the Throne of Grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find Grace to help in time of need' (4:16). [R. A. Torrey's 'How to Pray' ---New Window gives insight into the basics of prayer.]
Our LORD Jesus Christ was allowed by the Father to be tempted in the wilderness by the flesh (i.e., '2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He was afterward an hungred. 3 And when the Tempter came to Him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread' [Matthew 4:2-3]), and to be tempted by the world (i.e., '8 Again, the Devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; 9 and saith unto Him, All these things will I give Thee, if Thou wilt fall down and worship me' [4:8-9]). The LORD Jesus countered and overcame the temptation by resorting to the help of the Word of God each time, i.e., 'It is written' (4:4, 7, 10). Our victory over temptation is no different. You must also 'resist stedfast in the faith' (1Peter 5:9) before Satan 'will flee from you' (James 4:7). If the Father saw fit to allow His Only Begotten Son to be tempted, to benefit us by the example of Jesus overcoming by actively and purposely depending on the Word of God, then the Father will also allow us to be tempted to glorify Himself by our overcoming temptation. 'Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man' (James 1:13). Also, remember that the Apostle Peter denied the LORD Jesus after he failed to avail himself of the opportunity to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane, because he was tired and did not see the need. 'Watch and pray, that ye enter not INTO temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak' (Matthew 26:41). [Read our editorial, 'What Happened in Gethsemane?' ---New Window for more concerning this.]" --from "How to Promote the Beauties of Holiness" ---New Window.
Back to Table of Contents
Conclusion
estings are from the hand of God the Father for our perfecting. Temptings
are from the Devil, but God allows them, also for our perfecting. "Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good" (Genesis 50:20). Jesus was "led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the
Devil" (Matthew 4:1). In this same way, Job was led to be tempted by Satan. "8 And the LORD said unto
Satan, Hast thou considered My servant Job, that there is none like him in the Earth,
a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?... 12 And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold,
all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand" (Job 1:8,12). But, the Spirit of God does NOT lead us INTO sin. "9 After this manner therefore pray
ye... 13 Lead us not
INTO temptation, but deliver us from evil" (Matthew
6:9,13). In fact, the Spirit of God wants us to pray that the LORD
would not permit us to fail our test and succumb to the temptation. "Lead us NOT INTO [or, do not
let us succumb to] temptation, but deliver
us FROM evil." Or,
"LORD, please do not let me sin."
The "wilderness"
experience that Jesus endured for "forty
days and forty nights" (Matthew 4:2)
can teach us many things. But, the lesson of being delivered "from
evil" (6:13), in Jesus' being led
TO testing by God, or His being led "INTO
temptation" by the Devil, depends upon the victory we
must learn from Christ Jesus alone. "Nay,
in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved
us" (Romans 8:37).
Jesus became as human as you and I to prove that we can, like Himself, overcome the Devil and NOT give in to sin. He demonstrated that "man shall not live by bread alone, but by every WORD that proceedeth out of the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). With each temptation that the Devil cunningly used to try and ensnare our LORD Jesus, the Record is given to us of the method Jesus used for overcoming the temptations and the Devil-- "It is written", "It is written again", and "It is written" (Matthew 4:4,7,10). God's Word is our Defense, "His Truth shall be thy Shield and Buckler" (Psalm 91:4), and "His Name is called The Word of God" (Revelation 19:13)!
Excerpt Number 16: From C. G. Finney:
"If we are not enabled to put away and overcome temptation, it is because we have no Savior. The Savior's name is Jesus, because He saved his people from their sins. If, therefore, you are not enabled to overcome your sins, it is because you reject the Savior." --from "Temptations Must Be Put Away" ---New Window, by Charles G. Finney (1792-1875) ---New Window, "The Oberlin Evangelist" 1840 ---New Window.
Jesus is our Saviour from sin and from sinning. "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might DESTROY the works of the Devil" (1John 3:8). He came "for this purpose" and He died "for this purpose". "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might DESTROY him that had the power of death, that is, the Devil" (Hebrews 2:14).
Excerpt Number 17: From C. G. Finney:
"And now, whatever you do, do quickly. Will you put away now and for ever those temptations that overcome you, which can be put away by you? And will you now commit yourselves to the keeping and protection of the Lord Jesus Christ, to sustain you against the power of those temptations which you cannot avoid? Or will you hold on to your idols but a little longer, until all is lost. Again I say, whatever you do, do quickly. Every moment's delay is grieving the Holy Spirit. And even while I speak, unseen hands may be ready to toll the knell of eternal death over your soul! while you sink, weeping and wailing, down the sides of the pit!
Professor of religion, and you, impenitent sinner, do you realize, that while I speak the curtain may be ready to drop, the scene close, and your soul shut up to the horrors of the second death! O, do you know, 'that now of a long time your judgment lingereth not, and your damnation slumbereth not'--that the Spirit is grieved--God is provoked; Divine forbearance almost exhausted--and your soul for ever lost! Again I say, what you do, do quickly." --from "Temptations Must Be Put Away" ---New Window, by Charles G. Finney (1792-1875) ---New Window, "The Oberlin Evangelist" 1840 ---New Window.
It is perhaps the final indication that a misunderstanding of the basic doctrines of God, righteousness, holiness, testing, temptation, sin, and judgment, would conclude with the "Hour of Temptation" (Revelation 3:10) that precedes the Second Coming of the LORD Jesus Christ. When we stumble over the "first principles of the oracles of God" (Hebrews 5:12), we will be unable to understand the doctrines of eschatology-- the study of Last Things-- because we misunderstood the first things. Our only protection from sinfully stumbling over the basic doctrines or the doctrines of eschatology, would be the Spirit of God's preservation of those who have a willing heart. "16 Jesus answered them, and said, My Doctrine is not Mine, but His [the Father's] that sent Me. 17 If any man will do His Will, he shall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself" (John 7:16-17). The plain Promise of the LORD to His people preceding the time of His appearing the Second Time, is that they will be kept from the "Hour of Temptation" (Revelation 3:10), because they have lovingly kept His Word. "Because thou hast kept the Word of My Patience, I also will keep thee from the Hour of Temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the Earth" (Revelation 3:10). Just as we are promised to escape temptation without sinning, i.e., "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is Faithful, Who will not suffer [allow] you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it" (1Corinthians 10:13), we are promised to be kept from the "Hour of Temptation" (Revelation 3:10). If the Faithful God cannot keep us from sinning, neither will He be able to keep us from the "Hour of Temptation" (3:10); but, if He is able to "make a way to escape" (1Corinthians 10:13) from sinning, then surely He can Pre-Tribulationally Rapture His Watching and Waiting Saints. "Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man" (Luke 21:36). (See our article, "Must There Be a Pre-Tribulational Rapture?" ---New Window, for a Scriptural look at the event.)
.
.
Related Topics:
Victory Over Temptation
---New Window
Christ's Human Sinlessness
Proves the Justice of God's Demand for Man's Sinlessness ---New Window
The Amazing
Humanity of Jesus Christ ---New Window
Escaping the Lie of the Serpent
---New
Window
The Subtle Trap ---New
Window
.
.
Next "What the Bible
Says About..."
This art print, "No Greater Love" by Robert
Grace is provided courtesy of Christ-Centered Art ---New Window.
What
the Bible Says About
Why Did Jesus Have to Suffer? ---New Window
by Tom Stewart
"Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the
Just for the unjust,
that He might bring us to God,
being put to Death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit"
(1Peter 3:18).
"The Natural Love that we have for ourselves is a Universal
Truth, for 'no man ever yet hated his own flesh'
(Ephesians 5:29); and,
Jesus the Son of Man was no different. 'For we have
not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but
was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin' (Hebrews 4:15). He had no special enjoyment
of suffering, just as we do not enjoy suffering. 'Wherefore
in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be
a Merciful and Faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make Reconciliation
for the sins of the people' (Hebrews 2:17). It is difficult for the Righteous to watch the Guiltless and Innocent
suffer, because their suffering is our suffering. 'Remember
them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being
yourselves also in the body' (Hebrews 13:3). Further, we have been advised by the Scriptures to remain
'simple' concerning the specifics
of the sufferings that evil men inflict. 'For your Obedience
is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would
have you wise unto that which is good, and simple [Greek,
akeraion, harmless] concerning evil' (Romans 16:19). It was only the Providence
of God that allowed the human mother of Jesus to be at the scene of Christ's Crucifixion,
and one can only imagine the impression upon Mary as she beheld the Agony of her
Son upon the Cross! Perhaps it was at that moment that Mary recalled the prophetic
words of Simeon from the dedication of Jesus. '34 And Simeon blessed them,
and said unto Mary His mother, Behold, this Child is set for the fall and rising
again of many in Israel; and for a Sign which shall be spoken against; 35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce
through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed' (Luke 2:34-35). For those we love, suffering and even death for ourselves would
be more desirable than to watch them suffer. But, Jesus willingly set His
face like flint to suffer the Cruel Death of the Cross for friend and foe
alike, e.g., the Roman centurion in charge of His Crucifixion exclaimed about the
events and manner of Christ's Death on the Cross, 'Truly
this was the Son of God' (Matthew 27:54)."
The Majesty
of the Atonement of Jesus Christ ---New Window
Or, Christ's Humanity Provided an Atoning Sacrifice for the Sins of Mankind
by Tom Stewart
"And not only so, but we also joy in God through
our LORD Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the Atonement" (Romans 5:11).
"At this moment, only a short time before the 'glorious
appearing of the Great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ'
(Titus 2:13), it is a retrospective of awe and wonder that we would consider again
the central, fundamental, and timeless theme of the atoning self-sacrifice of the
Creator for the well-being of rebellious and sinful man... he most majestic act of
God towards us was the Atonement of Jesus Christ on the Cross for all mankind. So
marvelous was this act of atonement, that the angels were quite eager to see how
the LORD would handle it. 'Unto whom it was revealed,
that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now
reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost
sent down from Heaven; which things the angels desire to look into'
(1Peter 1:12). Eternity cannot exhaust our study of the love of God that was manifested
in His atonement for us."
The
Amazing Humanity of Jesus Christ ---New
Window
Or, The Benefit of Christ's Birth
by Tom Stewart
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us,
(and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only Begotten of the Father,) full
of Grace and Truth"
(John 1:14).
"The Old Testament of the Scriptures is replete with clues of God's purpose
to redeem and govern mankind through the human advent of the Divine Son of God. '6 For unto us a Child is born, unto us
a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His Name shall
be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince
of Peace. 7 Of the increase of His government and
peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order
it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.
The zeal of the LORD of Hosts will perform this'
(Isaiah 9:6-7).
What astounds us is that the Son of God condescended to become a man-- to suffer
all the difficulties of the flesh and the human condition, 'yet
without sin' (Hebrews
4:15). Heaven will surely be filled with the Saints'
praise and admiration for so bold an act of love that the Son of Man would become
human flesh and then 'lay
down His life for His friends' (John 15:13).
'Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you' (15:14)."
His Resurrection
Is The Highest Proof That Jesus Is The Messiah ---New Window
by Tom Stewart
"What evidence should satisfy the most inquisitive mind that Jesus is the Messiah?
All of humanity must be born into this world, and it will be by the hand of the Almighty
that He will take us out of this world, i.e., 'And as it is
appointed unto men once to die, but after this The Judgment' (Hebrews
9:27), so birth and death are common to man. However, who but God Alone has
the Power to resurrect from the dead? 'God hath spoken once;
twice have I heard this; that Power belongeth unto God' (Psalm
62:11). Even if a questioning mind could not settle whether Jesus resurrected
by His own Power or whether it was the Power of the Almighty to resurrect Jesus from
the dead, Why would Jehovah resurrect Jesus and thereby vindicate the claims of Jesus
of Nazareth that He would Rise again after three days, unless Jesus is
the Messiah? '3 Concerning
His Son Jesus Christ our LORD, which was made of the seed of David according to the
flesh; 4 and declared to be the
Son of God with Power, according to the Spirit of Holiness, by the Resurrection from
the dead' (Romans 1:3-4)."
What Happened in Gethsemane? ---New
Window
by Tom Stewart
"The Garden of Gethsemane is best known to us for the scene of the betrayal
of the LORD into the hands of the 'chief priests and elders
of the people' (Matthew 26:47). Of the events prior
to His betrayal that night in Gethsemane, we are called upon to consider the nature
of Jesus' agony when He prayed, 'Father, if Thou be willing,
remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done' (Luke 22:42)."
Without Jesus,
My Wage is Death ---New Window
by Katie Stewart
"Without Jesus, as my very 'Life',
no amassed regretting, no mustered repenting, no aggregate of tears-- NOTHING I could
ever do-- could EVER change the wage I had earned for the sin I had committed against
God's Holy Law. 'Against Thee, Thee only, have
I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight: that Thou mightest be Justified when Thou
speakest, and be Clear when Thou judgest' (Luke 20:21). My wage was rightfully--
Death. 'The soul that sinneth, it shall die' (Ezekiel 18:20). A Death which would forever separate me from the Creator of my
soul. 'Commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well
doing, as unto a Faithful Creator' (1Peter 4:19)... Without Jesus Christ,
we will pay our own sin debt, 'for the wages of sin
is Death' (Romans 6:23).
With the Atoning Work of the Cross that the LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ suffered,
our debt of Death has been paid in full. He did that for us! As 'The
Gift of God' (6:23),
the Father has given Jesus Christ, His Son, to us. He is our
'Eternal Life' (6:23).
And, dear reader, if you receive Him, this 'Life' begins in you NOW. You will live victoriously-- without sin-- ONLY
if you live 'through Jesus Christ' (6:23).
'In this was manifested the Love of God toward us, because that God sent His Only
Begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him'
(1John 4:9)."
Seven Reasons Why I Believe in
THE ATONING
BLOOD OF CHRIST
by Dr. Ian R. K. Paisley
---New Window
"This vital consideration brings us to the
fulcrum of the great operation of the Divine Revelation, to the centre of the vast
circumference of Divine Redemption and to the very heart of the throbbing purpose
of Divine Reconciliation. We come from the shallows of human speculation to the depths
of divine revelation when we come to the Blood. We step at this juncture from the
shadows of Old Testament typology to the blazing sunshine of New Testament theology.
It is here we launch our souls from the shores of man's estimate into the boundless,
tideless, endless sea of God's ultimate."
Seven Reasons Why I Believe in
THE BODILY
RESURRECTION OF CHRIST
by Dr. Ian R. K. Paisley
---New Window
"The Resurrection is essential to Christianity,
for by it alone can Christianity be confirmed. The Resurrection is the great corroborator
of the Christian gospel. Remove this keystone and the goodly temple crashes into
ruin. As life is essential to living so the Resurrection is essential to a living
Christianity. Take away the Resurrection and Christianity becomes a dead letter,
but another contribution to the world's Pantheon."
"And if Christ be not raised, your Faith is vain; ye are
yet in your sins" (1Corinthians 15:17).
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