Temptation after Temptation

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"Blessed is the man who endures temptation" (Js 1:12)


Temptation is not sin, but yielding to temptation is. We usually blame someone or something for our failure. A study of how Adam and Christ handled temptations gives us many practical lessons.

*How many temptations

Jesus overcame eventhough temptations flooded upon Him one after another. Though in the Scripture (Mt 4) only three temptations are recorded, we know for sure that the devil departed from Him only "until an opportune time!" (Lk 4:13). A particular temptation stops or weakens when we yield. Because Jesus never yielded, the devil kept on changing his tactics and intensifying his fury. So the Bible says, He was tempted in "all" points. For Jesus the temptations were a series and He overcame whereas Adam failed even at the first single temptation.

Folks commonly complain, "How can I withstand if temptations come one after the other?" No one but Job other than Jesus has the answer for us. A messenger reported to Job that his servants were killed by the Sabeans. "While he was still speaking," the second messenger came with the news of his sheep burned up by a fire from God. "While he was still speaking," another came with the news of the carrying away of the camels by the Chaldeans. "While he was still speaking," another brought the news of the death of his children due to the collapse of the house. Have trials or temptations visited any of us in such quick succession and awfulness? "In all this Job did not sin!" (Job 1:13-22). No degree of temptation justifies any degree of sin!

*Where we are

It was the Holy Spirit who led Jesus into the wilderness just as it was God who put Adam in the garden (Mt 4:1; Gen 2:15). Jesus overcame, but Adam gave in. The nature or the condition of the place cannot serve as an excuse for our failure.

Though his brothers sold away Joseph into Egypt, it was "God" who sent him there (Gen 45:4,5). Egypt was known for its low morality. The Egyptians wouldn't hesitate to kill a man to take away his wife (Gen 12:12). The moral decay was there at all levels. Potiphar was an officer of Pharaoh and his wife was enticing Joseph the overseer of his house (Gen 39:5-7). In such a place of debauchery, Joseph said no to sin! I've heard many a Christian say, "If only I can get a job in a Christian institution, I will..." Beloved, whatever may be the type of place, if it is God who put you there, you have no excuse for your failure.

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