“The woman YOU gave me.”

“The man said, “The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.” -{Genesis 3:12}.

 Temptation is not sin! It is only when we choose to yield to it is it sin against God!

When Adam was tempted and disobeyed by choice. No one forced him, no one threatened him. God did not “make” him sin. When God asked him about it his reply was to shift the blame off himself and blame someone… GOD! He implied it was God’s fault for He gave him the woman. If God had not given him Eve, he would not be in this place having faced temptation and yielded to it. Adam blamed God, Eve blamed the serpent and then she in turn tempted Adam to disobey God. – {Gen 3:13}. So was God to blame for the place he found himself in and was he bound to fail in the temptation?

God’s Word says that God is not responsible. He does not do the temptation to solicit someone to sin. “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.”-{James 1:13}. There is no sin in God and so He cannot be tempted and neither does He tempt someone to sin, for that is opposite of His Being, for He is Holy.  God cannot be tempted by sin because there is nothing in Him that sin appeals to and there is nothing in sin that God desires!

God sent His SON to rescue, save us from sin, not to lead us back into  the bondage of sin!

He does not put evil into someones heart so as there is something to appeal to their desire to yield to the temptation and sin!

So where does this temptation come from?

It Comes From WITHIN;

it is an Inside Job. When my youngest son and I were once traveling i was trying to teach him on the concept on sin and that we all are sinners, and he went quiet and several moments later he said,”It’s an inside Job.” and he was right.

James gives two illustrations on temptation. -{James 1:13-14}

That’s correct there is something in me and you, that is enticed, desires something that God forbids, or  is legitimate but goes about getting it in a morally wrong way. Sin is an “inside job!”

“But” the fact is there is no one who is continually tempted, be they various types who is not enticed drawn away from obeying the LORD and instead choosing to yield to sin for which Christ does to deliver us from that is not enticed by his or her what? Lust!

“Carried away…” {dragged away}… It is a participle and is a “hunting” term. It is used of luring an animal into a trap. The verb means to be drawn by an inward power, something within them it means to be led, compelled, impelled, lured into a trap. Lured and caught!

“Enticed” {Deleazomenos} is a “fishing” term. Literally means to  capture or catch and it’s literal use was to catch a fish with bait! To put something on a hook and catch! The purpose of a lure or putting something on a hook to go fishing is to catch a fish! The purpose of the temptation to you, me and everyone is to entice us, “fish” with the intent to capture us through yielding to sin! The Greek word translated “entice” means – to catch a fish with bait! So we are enticed to sin from WITHIN… each of us, there is something in us that temptation finds an appeal to.

It Comes From WITHOUT;

satan– In Matthew 4:1-13, Jesus faced temptation from satan, and the goal ultimately that He fall down and worshiped him.

People-“What sorrow awaits the world, because it tempts people to sin. Temptations are inevitable, but what sorrow awaits the person who does the tempting. “-{Matthew 18:7 NLT }. People tempting people and leading them into temptation with the purpose of them sinning! Temptations are inevitable because we live in a sinful world, but the one who leads others into temptations what sorrows await them.

How do we lead others into temptation?

Potiphars wife sought to seduce Joseph  and fulfill her lust by using him to that end. She sought to seduce him “day after day,” she was relentless in her temptation to get him to sin, “Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance. 7 It came about after these events that his master’s wife ]looked with desire at Joseph, and she said, “Lie with me.”  But he refused and said to his master’s wife, “Behold, with me here, my master  does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge. There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?” As she spoke to Joseph day after day, he did not listen to her to lie beside her or be with her. Now it happened one day that he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household was there inside. She caught him by his garment, saying, “Lie with me!” And he left his garment in her hand and fled, and went outside.“-{Genesis 39:7-12}  The Temptation was direct. relentless. What saved Joseph? His consciousness of living in the presence of God. He says to Potiphar’s wife, “How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?”And spurning her evil advances she lied and he was thrown into prison accused of false attempts of rape!

Or Herod who would have another murdered... he was tempted and succumbed by choice to have John the baptist beheaded!

“But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before them and pleased Herod, so much that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. Having been prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” Although he was grieved, the king commanded it to be given because of his oaths, and because of ]his dinner guests. He sent and had John beheaded in the prison. And his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. “-{Matthew  14:8-11}, Note Herod was tempted, Herodias was tempted, her daughter was tempted, at any time they could have said no this is wrong, but so great their evil that they succumbed to the temptataion and had John murdered!

There is the temptations to parents with their children and tempting them to sin by exasperating them,” Fathers, do not irritate and provoke your children to anger [do not exasperate them to resentment], but rear them [tenderly] in the training and discipline and the counsel and admonition of the Lord  “- {Ephesians 6:4 Amplified Bible}

One evening while walking outside a store a young boy and his mother were walking, his mother shouting at him as they walked side by side. He said “you are embarrassing me” she responded loudly, “I don’t care.” There is the temptation by ungodly example that can exasperate a person and lead them into temptation of responding sinfully . Or like the young husband who kept enticing his wife to curse and in exasperation at his taunts ended up so.

The temptation by ungodly example. Psalm 1 :1 shows the characteristic of the “Blessed” person and the discernment they posses to recognizes un-gdoly conduct and choose not to succumb to their ways in temptation”How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked,
Nor stand in the path of sinners,
Nor sit in the seat of scoffers!
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night .” {Psalm 1;1-2}. Note the progression into sin in these words of “walk…stand…sit.”

The compromise with sin brings about spiritual corrosion

Note how the “Blessed” one dealt with it, by turning to the LORD and His Word. Finding His delight In His Word and not in the companionship of the ungodly who have their counsel to show them a value system that is opposed to God’s good way!

The temptations to lead others into sin! Don’t do this. Don’t be the instigator to lead others by tempting them to sin against God! The temptation to make fun of others to get a’laugh,” and so enticing others to join in and make fun of another. The temptation to entice others through lying about something and assign them to go along with it. The temptation to cheat and ask others to cover up. Temptations come in various ways and offer us something that appeals to us and ultimately lead us into sinning against God if we choose to submit.

Don’t yield to temptation and don’t be the Tempter… tempting others!

AN ENVIRONMENT OF TEMPTATION;

We live in a world and surrounded on a daily basis of temptations of all types, the temptation to trust Him or not, to Honor Him or deny Him that Honor, and at times give to self or someone or something else. The Temptation to be truthful or dishonest. The temptation to boast in self or boast in self. The temptation to love or with-hold love. The temptation to not hold grudges but in love cover sin, or to yield and embrace resentment, bitterness. The temptation to return evil with evil, insult with insult rather than blessing. There is the temptation to sexual purity, or immorality. There is the temptation to exalt self or exalt God. The temptation to believe His Word or displace it. Temptations are prevalent in all areas of our lives, and come in various types some  we might consider gross, that are offensive to us, others subtle All temptation offers us something for us but the cost is bondage, dishonoring God!

DENY THE CONSEQUENCES;

We often convince ourselves that there is no consequence to our yielding to the temptation to sin. We seek to justify ourselves, make excuses. Live as though there is no consequences. But Adam and Eve would learn when God says something He means it. satan had tempted Eve with a question, does God mean what He says, surley He doesn’t. But He does and they would know the consequences.-{Read genesis 3:13-19}.

Israel found out also. They were tempted in various ways and choose to yield and there were consequences!-{Read 1 Cor 10:1-9}. We are told, “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life.“-{Gal 6:7-10}

THE CRY FOR DELIVERANCE.

Jesus tells us that we are to Pray this way… “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”-{Matt 6:13}. So we are not kept from temptation but we are to pray we do not succumb to the temptation and the prayer that He would “deliver us from the evil one.” The prayer He would keep us from entering “Into” The temptation, and “rescue,” us from doing so, that we may not sin against Him. We pray because of our own realization of our weakness and ind dependency upon Him to rescue us from temptation but also we need to pray we will not be the one tempting others to sin, leading them into sin! Whether by direct propositions, or by example, as they watch us.

When we choose, and it is a personal choice, to yield to temptation we disobey God and His Word and displace His authority with exalting ourselves to be above Him and His Word as having the right to rule our lives. the purpose of temptation is when we yield we bow down to satan as was the temptation Jesus faced and the end of the temptation was worship satan.”and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.”-{Matthew 4:9}. It is a worship issue. Whom will I worship in this temptation? Whom will I love? Whom will I be loyal to?

GOD’S PROVISION FOR DELIVERANCE;

God gives us the ability to face  and overcome “the temptation.” Note it is specific “the” and with “the” temptation is “the specific” way of escape God provides so we need not sin against Him. In every temptation you face GOD will provide “THE WAY OF ESCAPE.”-  Paul wrote,” No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”- { 1 Cor 10:13}. No temptation that we go through is unique to us  but is common. Others have and are going through the same temptations and for us all He provides His answer.

MOTIVATION TO RESIST THE TEMPTATION;

“DAY AFTER DAY,” we read Potiphar’s wife sought to seduce Joseph to lie with her. His responses is one we should hide in our hearts to remind ourselves and give the Holy Spirit fuel to remind us when we too are tempted sometimes once, sometimes relentlessly as in the case of Joseph whose response to Potipahrs wife was ,“How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?”-{Genesis 39:9}, This would be a good verse to memorize, meditate upon and apply.

Note when Joseph spoke to her, he rationally gave TWO reasons why HE WOULD NOT succumb to her temptation.

  1. He would not betray the trust Potiphar had placed in him.
  2. He would not sin in the presence of God.

“Behold, with me here, my master does not concern himself with anything in the house, and he has put all that he owns in my charge. There is no one greater in this house than I, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?”-{Genesis 39:8-10}

TRUTHS TO PONDER AND APPLY!

  1. There is the acknowledgment we live amidst constant temptation.
  2. We acknowledge that temptation comes from WITHIN us and from WITHOUT through satan, others, such as Eve who tempted Adam.-{Genesis 3:6}. And we ourselves can be the instigator to tempt others!
  3. We acknowledge our own insufficiency and instead turn to the Sufficiency in God to rescue us. It is a Prayer of  Dependency on Him. -{Matt 6:13}
  4. God provides “The way of escape” when we encounter Temptation. -{1 Cor 10:13}.
  5. God does not tempt us to Sin! God sent His SON to rescue us from a life of bondage to sin. And makes provision for us when we are tempted!

 

Two Verses to Memorize and Meditate upon when Tempted to sin ;

I am Personally Responsible for my Response to temptation;

“How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?”-{Genesis 39:9}

Pray the Prayer of Help;

“Pray this way…And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”-{Matt 6:1,13}