When You Are Tempted
    
by R. J. Evans

 

Temptation is an inducement to sin.  The source of all enticements to sin is Satan.  When he came to Jesus in the wilderness, he is referred to as "the tempter" (Matt. 4:3).  The temptation of Adam and Eve expressly recognizes him as a deceiver and tempter (Gen. 3:1-15; Jn. 8:44; 2 Cor. 11:3; 1 Jn. 3:8).  He successfully induced Ananias and Sapphira to lie to the Holy Spirit (Acts 5:3). When the devil temps us to sin, he appeals to "the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life" (1 Jn. 2:16).  We see him using these avenues in the very beginning.  Eve "saw that the tree was good for food (lust of the flesh), that it was pleasant to the eyes (lust of eyes) and a tree desirable to make one wise (pride of life), she took of its fruit and ate.  She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate" (Gen. 3:6).  When Satan tempted Jesus in Matthew 4, he used the same avenues---the lust of the flesh (v. 4); the pride of life (v. 6); and the lust of the eyes (v. 8). Temptations may reveal our weaknesses and strengths, try our faith, promote our humility, and cause us to recognize our dependence upon God.  We must not yield to or rush into temptation.  Jesus exhorted Peter, James and John to "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation.  The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matt. 26:41).  The world usually views those who seek to resist temptation and desire to please God as "weak" individuals.  But, in reality, the opposite is true.  "Temptation often assails the finest natures; as the pecking sparrow or destructive wasp attacks the sweetest and mellowest fruit; eschewing what is sour and crude."  (Charlotte Bronte) C.S. Lewis expressed a keen insight concerning temptation as follows:  "No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good.  A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means.  This is an obvious lie.  Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is.  After all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting against it, not by giving in.  You find out the strength of a wind by trying to walk against it, not by lying down.  A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later.  That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness.  They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in."  (Mere Christianity, C.S. Lewis, pp. 124-125)  Giving in to temptation results in awful consequences---we sin; resisting temptation builds character.  James says, "Resist the devil and he will flee from you" (Jas. 4:7).  To "resist" him means an attack on his part.  Ephesians 6:10-18 describes at length the weapons we are to use in fighting against his attacks.  Although the devil "walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour" (1 Pet. 5:8), we can put him to flight--- "he will flee from you" (Jas. 4:7).  Also, we must remember that friendship with the world is friendship with the devil.  The Apostle Paul referred to Satan as “the god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4).  James stated: "Adulterers and adulteresses!  Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?  Whoever therefore wants to be friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God" (Jas. 4:4). After warning against pride, and the possibility of falling, Paul gives encouragement to us when we are confronted with temptation.  "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it" (1 Cor. 10:13).  God is not, and cannot be the tempter (Jas. 1:13-14).  But He does provide us "a way of escape."  In finding the way of escape, we must look to Christ our Savior---the perfect example, who never sinned.  When the devil tempted Him to sin in the wilderness, each time, Jesus overcame the temptation by referring to the word of God--- "it is written" (Matt. 4:4,7,10).  This is in accord with what the Psalmist stated:  "Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You"  (Psa. 119:11).  Again, Jesus is our perfect example---"For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example, that we should follow His steps: 'Who committed no sin, Nor was guile found in His mouth'" (1 Pet. 2:21-22).      Other Articles by R. J. Evans The Blight of Bitterness Murmurers and Complainers Responding to Our Enemies Envy and Jealousy I Am Praying For You The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire   For Past Auburn Beacons go to: www.aubeacon.com/Bulletins.htm   Anyone can join the mailing list for the Auburn Beacon! Send your request to: larryrouse@aubeacon.com