Temptation (1 Corinthians 10:13)

Temptations are thoughts, ideas and circumstances that test our trust in God.  Jesus’ temptations came from the devil himself (Matthew 4:1-10).  The devil used similar tactics with Adam and Eve (Genesis    3).  Satan’s tactics failed with Jesus, but not with Adam and Eve.  We can experience temptations from the devil, but we can also experience them from wrong emotions and desires (James 1:14).  The devil’s purpose of temptation is to spoil a person’s trust in God.  But God allows it to prove a Christian’s trust in Him is genuine.  He doesn’t send hardships upon us, but He permits them.  They are opportunities for us to see what is really inside of us – faith or doubt.  When refusing to give in to these temptations, a Christian becomes stronger in his relationship with God.

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.  And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.  But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” - 1 Corinthians 10:13

Paul is talking about specific temptations of sexual immorality and grumbling in the preceding verses.  These are common to all of us.  But he says “no temptation”, which covers all temptation. 

We all know that temptations are very common to every believer.  No one is exempt from the temptations from evil.  We all suffer or will suffer from someone gossiping about us or from lies told about us.  We suffer from worrying about our teenager, when we’re in financial difficulty, or when there is illness of someone we love.  We all have had some kind of grief during our lifetime.  All our troubles are ordinary, because we all go through these types of things.  That’s life.

BUT, God is faithful.  Remember He is in control.  We belong to Him and He is always there to help us through.  We all have limits.  Some can bear the pressure of a trial better than others.  We all have a breaking point.  God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to handle.  He knows our weaknesses, our motives, and our fears.  He knows our level of spiritual maturity or immaturity at any particular moment in our lives.  He knows how much pressure we can take.  He stretches us in these difficult situations and causes us to grow in our faith.

However, we have responsibilities during these temptations.  We are to look for our escape route.  We are to avoid certain situations that would increase our temptation.  “Do not be misled:  bad company corrupts good character.” – 1 Corinthians 15:33.  We are to pray, “Lead us not into temptation” – Matthew 6:13.

Sometimes we get ourselves into temptations.  So be careful of the company you keep and the places you go.  Be discerning as to what is right and wrong.  See how Joseph avoided temptation in Genesis 39:6-23.  He did that by recognizing sin, taking responsibility and running from it.

If we find ourselves in a temptation, there is a way out and God will always provide the resources to help us get out of the temptation.  He will give us the answers we need.   God never tempts us, but He does test us.  Every temptation is a test.  God will constantly test us and the decisions we make.  He designs our spiritual growth in every temptation.  God controls our temptation and will personally provide a way of escape.

The way out is: walk by the Holy Spirit, live in the Word, flee from temptation, pray faithfully, watch your attitudes, live by faith, seek fellowship with other believers, have the right values and priorities, be responsible, and keep your eyes on Jesus.

There are many stories of God’s people who have fallen into sin, but finished well.  The story of Job is a perfect example how God allowed Satan to test Job way beyond the point we would consider reasonable.  But Job kept his faith and God provided him the means to succeed.  He may have doubted God at times, but he never gave up on God.

There is comfort and encouragement in knowing we are not alone and that others have faced similar or even wore temptations, but endured because of God’s strength and faithfulness.

Principles:

We all experience common temptations.

All temptations are under God’s control.

God always provides an escape from temptations.

Have a blessed day and thanks for visiting my site.  Hope to see you here again.  --  I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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