Temptation

Where does temptation come from? How are we tempted? Why are we tempted? What do we do about temptation? Where is God when we are tempted?

Ever since the fall of humanity, in Genesis chapter three, humanity has been tempted by the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. When the serpent tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, he did so by sowing seeds of doubt, “Did God really say?” … “So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise” (Genesis 3:1-7, ESV). Eve was tempted by what she saw, she desired to satisfy her hunger, and she longed to be wise and to be like God.

In his book Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters, Timothy Keller makes the point that we are tempted to make gods of money, sex, and power. Keller says, “the incomplete joys of this world will never satisfy [the human] heart” (Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods). Our temptations will always fall short of satisfying the void in us, which only God can fill.

The Apostle John wrote in his first letter of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, saying, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:15-17, ESV).

John’s categories of lustful temptation mirror that of Genesis chapter three, and echo Keller’s categories of “money, sex, and power”, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.

There is no new temptation in the world. To quote Ecclesiastes, “There is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9, ESV). The Apostle Paul said it this way, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13, ESV).

The enemy is unoriginal, taking a good thing and twisting it to become evil, or to become an ultimate thing, to lead us into worshipping something, or someone, other than God. Tempting us to worship idols. As Keller puts it, “As we have seen all along, idols are good and necessary things that are turned into gods” Keller also defined idolatry, saying, “An idol is whatever you look at and say, in your heart of hearts, ‘If I have that, then I’ll feel my life has meaning, then I’ll know I have value, then I’ll feel significant and secure.’” (Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods).

Jesus himself was tempted to worship idols, something other than God, when he was tempted in the wilderness by Satan. Jesus was tempted by the enemy to fulfill the lust of the flesh, the pride of life, and the lust of the eyes, when he was tempted to turn stones into bread, when he was tempted to do something spectacular and to provoke angels to save him if he jumped from the pinnacle of the temple, and he was tempted with the kingdoms of this world if he would only worship Satan. (Matthew 4:1-11, ESV).

The temptations of this world, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life, are common. Falling into these temptations of the enemy leads to the worship of the created rather than the creator. As Paul wrote to the Romans, “because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.” (Romans 1:25, ESV).

The temptations of the enemy must be resisted. God does not tempt us, it is the evil one, the enemy, the father of lies, who is the tempter. As James wrote in his letter, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:13-15, ESV).

May we resist the temptations of the evil one as we trust in God and his word and as we worship God alone.

A Collect for the First Sunday in Lent: “Almighty God, whose blessed Son was led by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan: Come quickly to help us who are assaulted by many temptations, and, as you know the weaknesses of each of us, let each one find you mighty to save; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (Book of Common Prayer, 2019).

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