Eld Chew Chong Kiat

Introduction

When we are tempted, it is very helpful to call to remembrance the faithfulness of God to our aid. We may yield to temptation because we fail to realize what God has done for us and who He is to us; when we trust in ourselves we will fail because the arm of flesh is powerless against the wiles of the evil one and our own lusts.

I. Not our faithfulness (v12)

In contrast to verse 13, verse 12 warns of a man who trusts in himself that he will stand; God says that he will fall. He is to “take heed”, i.e. to see that he does not have this self-confidence, for the battle is not against flesh and blood but spiritual, against sin and cannot be fought with carnal weapons of the flesh.

We may learn from the mistakes of the Jewish fathers. Verses 6 to 10 describe their unfaithfulness to the faithful God. They sinned in not trusting God but in their own wisdom and strength. Their sins were recorded for our example, lest we follow in their footsteps and fail (v11). What were their sins? They lusted after evil things (v6b), made a golden calf to replace God (v7), committed idolatry and sexual sins in the time of Balaam (v8) and tempted God in the wilderness and complained of no food and no water (v9-10). God destroyed many of them. “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” (v11). We are nearer the end of the world than they, so let us not do the same and be destroyed. These examples prove that by ourselves we will fail. “12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.”

It is not our faithfulness that is going to preserve us from falling, although we are to be faithful unto the end. What is going to preserve us faultless?

II. God’s faithfulness

It is not by our faithfulness but God’s faithfulness alone that preserves us in times of temptations. “13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who 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.”

God’s faithfulness is seen through the following characteristics of temptation: 

1. A Common Temptation. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man”. One reason why we fall into temptation is because we over exaggerate the temptation we face. Like Elijah, we say, “I, even I only, am left, and they seek my life to take it.” (1Ki 19:10, 14) God had to remind him that He had left seven thousand who had not bowed unto Baal” (1Ki 19:18). Don’t over-estimate your temptation as unique only to you. God says it is common to man, i.e. believers. Do not over-state it.  God says that there is no temptation - which word “no” is an absolute negation - without any exception. Not one believer experiences a temptation that is not common to other believers, because God is faithful.

2. A Measured Temptation. “but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able”. God has weighed every temptation and He knows the measure of the strength of your faith and because He is faithful, He will not allow a temptation that you are unable to bear. God’s faithfulness to Job restrained Satan twice when He permitted Satan to tempt Job. Job 1:12, “And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD. And in Job 2:6 “And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life”. (emphasis added) Don’t say of any temptation that it is beyond our ability. God knows us better than we know ourselves. He weighs the weight of temptation before He suffers you to be tested and knows that He has given you sufficient grace that you may be able to bear it and come forth with refined faith.

3. An Escape from Temptation. “but will with the temptation also make a way to escape”. God promised an exit from temptation. There is no excuse for us to fall into temptation; we have a way out, but we choose to yield. When you are tempted to lie and get away with a mistake, you can choose to tell the truth and face the consequence, but you choose to tell the lie because it is an easier way out. Yielding is wrong. It leads to more sin. You will displease God and He will not hear your prayers until you repent. Instead of solving the first problem, you now have two. The temptation is greater now, and you have to choose again - to sin more or to take the way of escape to repent and confess. Remember how David’s sin led him to cover up with more lies and even murder! God remains faithful and ready to restore. He will send His Nathan; or your sins will find you out and you will be brought like the mule with the hook in the nose and turn back by the way you came, to retrace with pain and regret the steps you took, so that you can be placed on the strait and narrow way of righteousness again. Take the way of escape that God faithfully offers!

4. A Bearable Temptation. “that ye may be able to bear it”. We see God’s faithfulness in that the temptation is common and has been carefully weighed and measured by our heavenly Father. There is a way of escape that God always provides. Lastly, we see the faithfulness of God in that the temptation is bearable. The phrase “may be able” means that God has given the strength and power to bear it and endure patiently. The strength God gives, by the indwelling Holy Spirit leading and illuminating our understanding to what is that good and perfect will of God through the Word of God, enables us to bear it. God knows the measure of our strength. God knows that Job would succeed and not curse God to His face as Satan has suggested twice (Job 1:11, 2:5). Job’s wife did (Job 2:9) and urged Job to do the same but he rebuked her. The Word of God sustained him.

Thank God for His faithfulness. We need not yield to temptations. They are common to man and bearable and there is always an escape. Be holy as God is holy. Trust not in ourselves. Escape temptation.