Tempted by God

The following was submitted as an article but is included under the discussion section for a variety of reasons. Comments in respect to Eve if she had not sinned are speculative and may elicit remarks from other readers. Second, the reason given for praying not to be tempted is one possible explanation among others that could be suggested. And third, the changing nature of temptation as we grow older, mentioned by Bro. Owen, opens an area that needs further comment, which we invite.

Can we be tempted by God? Categorically, no! “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted by God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man” (Jam. 1:13).

And yet it is evident that God does use temptation to increase our faith and refine our character. He uses temptation in much the same way as He uses other trials and tribulations1 -­to test us and “know what is within our heart.”

God’s use of temptation as part of the refining process is as old as mankind. Eve’s encounter with the serpent in the garden of Eden is the earliest example. Eve did not meet the serpent by chance; God arranged it. The encounter was uniquely designed to test Eve. That she failed the test was not God’s fault, nor did He “set her up” for the fall. The temptation and sin were Eve’s alone. Had she obeyed God and resisted temptation, we have every reason to believe God would have eventually “enlightened the eyes of her understanding” and granted her the gift of immortality. By succumbing to the serpent’s lie — that enlightenment could be obtained through her own devices — Eve set the world on it present rebellious course toward destruction.

In the same manner, Jesus, after his baptism, was “led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” Here, as before, God orchestrated the event, but the temptation was Christ’s alone. His struggle to overcome the “wicked one” and “all that is in the world” was all the greater because of the unlimited powers at his disposal. In this case, of course, righteousness prevailed and God’s will on earth was furthered through obedience.

Why does God use temptation to prove us when He can just as easily use other trials and tribulations for the same purpose? Surely, because until we fully realize our true nature and the “captivity to the law of sin which is in our members” we cannot fully appreciate God’s holiness or the “marvelous kindness” of His saving grace.

When temptation comes, we must learn to resist it. By readily succumbing to sin and counting on God’s willingness to forgive, we are trifling with His grace. But we are not without weapons to fight this battle. Our weapons — which include the word of God and the power of prayer — are “mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds…bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.” Thus armed with the “whole armor of God,” we find, albeit imperfectly, that we can “withstand in the evil day and having done all to stand.”

In addition, God has promised us that He will “not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that we may be able to bear it.” What form this deliverance takes may depend on our willingness to accept it. The best form of escape may be to run away — to “flee” from sin, as Paul counsels us.

Seen from the divine perspective, temptation may be considered a blessing. “Count it all joy,” says James, “when ye fall into divers temptations.” Temptation is the “trying of our faith” which produces patience and all the other godly attributes. Out of weakness we are made strong. By overcoming temptation (as well as other trials and tribulations) we gain wisdom and spiritual enlightenment. “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear,” said Job, “but now mine eye seeth thee.”

What did Jesus mean, therefore, when he bid us pray, “Lead us not into temptation?” Why should we ask God to help us avoid something that is ultimately beneficial to us? What Je­sus evidently meant was, “Lead us not into temptation that we are unequipped to handle.” As we grow in faith, temptation becomes no less a burden but the form of it changes. We may find, for example, the allure of the world and the lust thereof diminishing even as the pride of life within us increases.

We know that the struggle to overcome temptation will be with us until the day we die or until Christ returns. And yet it is to those who overcome that the gift of God will be granted.

“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before the angels.” While we wait for liberty from the “body of this death” let us give thanks that our Father in His wisdom has provided such a way for us to draw closer to him.

  1. Bro. Owen here uses “temptation” in respect to a verbalized incitement to sin which is a very narrow usage of the word. Scripture speaks of “other trials and tribulations” as being temptation. James’ readers were being persecuted (2:6) and the word “temptation” is used in respect to this persecution in lames 1:2 and 12. God does “tempt” believers by putting them in circumstances in which it is difficult for them to obey — such as persecution, illness as well as exposure to direct prodding to sin (Heb. 11:17; Rev. 2:10, Rom. 5:3-4, etc.) but He does so with the objective of improving and saving the person. There is another meaning to “temptation,” however, which de­scribes inducing us to sin with the objective of our being controlled by sin. This form of “temptation” does not come from God but from our own lusts (1:14).