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Understanding Temptation
#48115
03/09/06 09:38 AM
03/09/06 09:38 AM
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Something else just came to my mind this morning, as I was thinking about this subject of "Temptation". Don’t we all believe that as Satan’s time gets shorter, as we get nearer to the coming of Jesus, that Satan is going to work even harder to get God’s people to sin, so that in the end, their sins will rest on their own head, and not on his? Doesn’t that translate into meaning that Satan is going to bring stronger and stronger temptations to God’s people, as he knows his time is running out? Here are a couple of quotes that says what I’m talking about: quote:
The power of Satan now to tempt and deceive is ten-fold greater than it was in the days of the apostles. His power has increased, and it will increase, until it is taken away. His wrath and hate grow stronger as his time to work draws near its close. {2SG 277.1}
The temptations of Satan are greater now than ever before, for he knows that his time is short, and that very soon every case will be decided, either for life or for death. {CET 103.1}
If your understanding of a “strong temptation” is to the effect that: a temptation is not a temptation unless you really desire the sin that is being offered – well, look what that would imply:
1. As we are getting closer to the end, Satan is going to work in bringing stronger and stronger temptations to you.
2. And that as these stronger and stronger temptations come, you are going to have stronger and stronger desires to commit the stronger and stronger temptations.
3. So, the closer we get to the end, the more you are going to want (desire) to sin.
Doesn’t that sound depressing? It sure does to me! I believe the very opposite is true – that as we get closer to the end, we are going to hate sin more and more, til the day comes when it can be said of us, as it was said of Jesus, quote:
“His character revealed a perfect hatred for sin.” {ST, May 10, 1899 par. 9}
If you have a “perfect hatred” of some sin, Satan will find in you no “answering chord” for that sin, just as he found none in Jesus.
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Re: Understanding Temptation
#48116
03/09/06 01:47 PM
03/09/06 01:47 PM
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SDA
Charter Member
Active Member 2019
20000+ Member
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 22,256
Southwest USA
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Tammy, as I see it, 1 Corinthians 10:13 still applies, and will continue to apply until Jesus arrives. Jesus will not allow us to be tempted above His ability to empower us to recognize and resist it unto the honor and glory of God our Father.
He allows us to be tempted to showcase His power and praise so that we can grow more and more like Jesus. Being tempted is a sign of the faith and trust Jesus has in us to bring Him honor and glory. Jacob's time of trouble is the ultimate opportunity to demonstrate the validity of God's love and law.
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Re: Understanding Temptation
#48117
03/09/06 02:26 PM
03/09/06 02:26 PM
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Active Member 2012
14500+ Member
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 14,795
Lawrence, Kansas
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quote:
It is the darkness of misapprehension of God that is enshrouding the world. Men are losing their knowledge of His character. It has been misunderstood and misinterpreted. At this time a message from God is to be proclaimed, a message illuminating in its influence and saving in its power. His character is to be made known. Into the darkness of the world is to be shed the light of His glory, the light of His goodness, mercy, and truth....
Those who wait for the Bridegroom's coming are to say to the people, "Behold your God." The last rays of merciful light, the last message of mercy to be given to the world, is a revelation of His character of love. (COL 415)
quote:
An unwillingness to yield up preconceived opinions, and to accept this truth, lay at the foundation of a large share of the opposition manifested at Minneapolis against the Lord's message through Brethren {E.J.} Waggoner and {A.T.} Jones. By exciting that opposition Satan succeeded in shutting away from our people, in a great measure, the special power of the Holy Spirit that God longed to impart to them. The enemy prevented them from obtaining that efficiency which might have been theirs in carrying the truth to the world, as the apostles proclaimed it after the day of Pentecost. The light that is to lighten the whole earth with its glory was resisted, and by the action of our own brethren has been in a great degree kept away from the world. (1SM 343)
The big issue Satan is concerned about is not getting people to do this or that bad thing, but to not see what is important, which is understanding the truth about God. God works on the basis of truth. It is His purpose to reveal the truth about Himself and the principles of His government. He sends us messages that we may better understand these principles.
The deceiver deceives us about God's character, and thus induces us to sin. The deceiver distracts us from taking hold of the messages God sends to reveal truth.
quote:
It is Satan's constant effort to misrepresent the character of God, the nature of sin, and the real issues at stake in the great controversy. (GC 569)
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Re: Understanding Temptation
#48118
03/09/06 02:28 PM
03/09/06 02:28 PM
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Active Member 2012
14500+ Member
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 14,795
Lawrence, Kansas
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Assuming for the sake of argument that when Christ was tempted He had no desire whatsoever to commit the sin with which He was being tempted, how could He possibly have sinned?
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Re: Understanding Temptation
#48119
03/10/06 03:29 AM
03/10/06 03:29 AM
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MM, that's a key point. Also, isn't that part of what putting on the Armor of God is for?
Jeff
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Re: Understanding Temptation
#48120
03/09/06 09:55 PM
03/09/06 09:55 PM
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Active Member 2012
14500+ Member
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Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 14,795
Lawrence, Kansas
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Can anyone bring up the EGW reference which says that Satan works to deceive believers so as to minimize his punishment?
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Re: Understanding Temptation
#48121
03/10/06 10:00 AM
03/10/06 10:00 AM
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Dedicated Member
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,196
Ontario
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MM, what is the point of treasuring and strengthening the desires and lusts which are contrary to the kingdom of heaven and thus increasing and making stronger ones temptations? Is the trick to show how much double minded one can be, and still survive?
This business about showbiz and God and us is mighty sad. Everything seems to be showbiz in your world. There is no reality; no one to save. No hearts and minds to be changed. No truth to dispel deception.
The Lord never says that the temptations will be stronger, but that the deception will be greater. In other words; darkness will increase, and people will think that their darkness is light.
What is spiritual darkness?
What is spiritual light?
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Re: Understanding Temptation
#48122
03/10/06 10:01 AM
03/10/06 10:01 AM
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Dedicated Member
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Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,196
Ontario
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Phi 3:8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
What is the knowledge of Christ?
What is the knowledge of Christ that Paul did not know about while he had all the knowledge of the law and sin and sacrifice?
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Re: Understanding Temptation
#48123
03/10/06 10:49 AM
03/10/06 10:49 AM
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quote:
Tammy, as I see it, 1 Corinthians 10:13 still applies, and will continue to apply until Jesus arrives. Jesus will not allow us to be tempted above His ability to empower us to recognize and resist it unto the honor and glory of God our Father.
He allows us to be tempted to showcase His power and praise so that we can grow more and more like Jesus. Being tempted is a sign of the faith and trust Jesus has in us to bring Him honor and glory. Jacob's time of trouble is the ultimate opportunity to demonstrate the validity of God's love and law.
I agree with you, Tom. But how do you understand the words “tempted” and “temptation” in this text? (1 Corinthians 10:13).
I looked up a couple places where Ellen White commented on 1 Corinthians 10:13.
quote:
The prayer, "Bring us not into temptation," is itself a promise. If we commit ourselves to God we have the assurance, He "will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." 1 Corinthians 10:13. {MB 118.2}
The only safeguard against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. It is because selfishness exists in our hearts that temptation has power over us. But when we behold the great love of God, selfishness appears to us in its hideous and repulsive character, and we desire to have it expelled from the soul. As the Holy Spirit glorifies Christ, our hearts are softened and subdued, THE TEMPTATION LOSES iTS POWER, and the grace of Christ transforms the character. {MB 118.3}
Wouldn’t the opposite also be true, that “It is because unselfishness existed in Jesus’ heart that temptation had no power over Him.” Was He still “tempted”? Yes! Fiercely! But did the temptations have any power over Him? No. She even says that “As the Holy Spirit glorifies Christ, our hearts are softened and subdued, the temptation loses its power…” Does that mean that when the temptation loses its power that it is no longer a temptation? No, it just means the temptation has lost its power, or that there is no longer an “answering chord” that responds to the temptation. That is how it was for Jesus on all temptations. He was so close to God, that there were no answering chords in His heart that responded to Satan’s temptations.
Can you think in your own life, where something that used to be very hard for you to resist, today, is not a problem? Before I became a vegan, I loved cheese. Then, when I was 13, I read Counsels on Diet and Foods, and learned how bad cheese was for me, and decided I had to give it up, if I was really going to follow God all the way. It wasn’t easy. But, as time went on, it got easier and easier. Today, I can say, “I have no desire for cheese.” Does that mean that Satan won’t still tempt me on cheese? No, but it means, when he does, he won’t find an “answering chord” that responds positively for that temptation. But that doesn’t mean he still doesn’t try.
To me, that is how our experience with all temptations should be, no matter what it is. It is a growth experience. First, we are convicted that something is sin, than we have to decide to give it up…than the battle begins – Where? In the “flesh”? No, in the mind and heart. It was my mind that wanted that cheese, not my “flesh”.
The temptation remains the same, as Rosangela said, but over time, the way we perceive the temptation changes. At first, we are weak, quote:
“Satan finds in human hearts some point where he can gain a foothold; some sinful desire is cherished, by means of which his temptations assert their power.” {GC 623.1}
For me, that “point” where Satan could “gain a foothold”; that “sinful desire” that was cherished, was cheese. But, as time went on and I resisted that temptation, (in other words, I got stronger), the very same temptation “lost its power.” It was me that changed, not the temptation.
And as Ellen White says, quote:
“But Christ declared of Himself: "The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me." John 14:30. Satan could find nothing in the Son of God that would enable him to gain the victory. He had kept His Father's commandments, and there was no sin in Him that Satan could use to his advantage. This is the condition in which those must be found who shall stand in the time of trouble. {GC 623.1}
Just as I got the victory over the temptation of cheese, so I can and must get the victory over every other sin, at the level of the mind.
By the way, I sent a message to your Personal Messages….did you see it?
Have a blessed Sabbath!
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Re: Understanding Temptation
#48124
03/10/06 10:56 AM
03/10/06 10:56 AM
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quote:
Assuming for the sake of argument that when Christ was tempted He had no desire whatsoever to commit the sin with which He was being tempted, how could He possibly have sinned?
Tom, when Adam sinned, was it because he had a desire to sin?
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Here is the link to this week's Sabbath School Lesson Study and Discussion Material: Click Here
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