Temptation
From the heart of the pastor...
“But each one is
tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his
own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives
birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it
brings forth death” (Js. 1:14f.).
Temptation is sin’s proposal. Your response to sin’s
proposal discloses your interest or disinterest in sin’s
offer. You are vulnerable to temptation’s seductions.
Because you are tempted by what is temporary, your
awareness of temptation’s methods and propositions must
increase.
As long as you breathe you shall be subject to
temptation. The godlier you become the more subtle will
your temptations become. Every tempting proposal you
accept will reveal your range of greatest weakness. As
you surrender to temptation, more temptations will
follow in that same area of weakness.
God says your own lusts entice you and carry you away.
Temptation’s bait is especially designed, presented and
selected just for you. The hook carrying you away is
concealed via the façade of innocence, excitement or
self-delusion.
Where do your lusts carry you? They carry you away from
innocence, away from purity, away from God. But to
where do your lusts carry you? To death, the last place
you want to be (Ro. 5:12).
The natural man is governed by rebellious confederacies
within himself. The mutinous spirit remaining within
him after his conversion need not dominate the
supernatural man, but he does remain susceptible to his
own lustful insurrections. Therefore, the Christian
must guard against cultivating thoughts that pirate his
confederacy with God. He does this by exercising
self-distrust (I Cor. 10:12).
The natural man does not have the ability to appreciate
the strength or the harmfulness of his lustful spirit.
Due to his unawareness, he offers no resistance because
he does not view his lust as the enemy. His will
consistently yields itself to the lusts of his flesh.
Every temptation you refuse to reject gives birth to a
child that you do not want to parent. Your acceptance
of temptation’s offer forms a conjugal union whose fruit
is sin. God says that when sin completes its journey,
it brings forth death.
You do not want any conceptions of the sort God warns
you against. James counsels you saying, “Do not be
deceived, my beloved brethren” (Js. 1:16). You must
identify bogus lusts by being on the alert and by
developing holy habits because your Christian virtue
knows no limits.
“Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for
the flesh in regard to its lusts” (Ro. 13:14).
Soli Deo Gloria!
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