SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20
1 Corinthians 10:13
1 Corinthians 1:9

“God is faithful.”

THE WAY OF ESCAPE

The antidote against presumptuousness is given to us in 1 Corinthians 10:13: “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.”

Christ knows the temptations that we face. Thus, the way out is a humble submission to the power of Christ, trusting that He will keep us from sinning and deliver us from our troubles.

With regard to the faithfulness of God, Calvin made these insightful comments: “As he exhorted them to be of good courage as to the past, in order that he might stir them up to repentance, so he also comforts them as to the future with a sure hope, on the ground that God would not suffer them to be tempted beyond their strength. He exhorts them, however, to look to the Lord, because a temptation, however slight it may be, will straightway overcome us, and all will be over with us, if we rely upon our own strength. He speaks of the Lord, as faithful, not merely as being true to his promises, but as though he had said. The Lord is the sure guardian of his people, under whose protection you are safe, for he never leaves his people destitute. Accordingly, when he has received you under his protection, you have no cause to fear, provided you depend entirely upon him.”

How does God then help us? First, He sets limits to our temptations that it may not be too much for us to bear. Second, He grants us the grace and strength to go through those temptations. When we endure these temptations patiently by His grace, we will emerge spiritually stronger from it.

Whenever we are tempted, always look to Christ! He is our Deliverer.

THOUGHT: The only escape from sin is total dependence on God.
PRAYER: Father, keep me away from wickedness!