APR 26

James 1:13-15
Memorise 1 Timothy 1:15
“… Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

A temptation is something that attracts us, and to be tempted is to have the strong desire to do something wrong or unwise. God is holy and perfect and temptations do not come from God, neither can He be tempted nor does He tempt anyone. Temptations come from within us – from the sin that remains in us even after salvation. As long as we remain in our present corruptible bodies in this world we will always have to contend with our lusts – the strong desire and appetite for sin. There are 3 main catagories of temptations: the lust of the flesh (or body, e.g., gluttony), the lust of the eyes (or mind, e.g., envy) and the pride of life (or spirit, e.g., idolatry and inflated self-esteem). We learn here that the origin of temptations is in our very own hearts as we are born in sin (Psalm 51:5). God is not the one who tempts us with evil, but it is out of our own lustful desires that we are drawn to sin. When we give in to this desire, sin is the result. Sin appears sweet, attractive and pleasurable. But it is destructive, for the end result is that it brings forth death – the spiritual death of our soul.

How then does a Christian deal with temptation? First, he needs to examine himself and acknowledge his sinful nature. To quote Matthew Henry, “the Christian’s security against sin is distrust of himself”. He also needs to reflect on his life and search for the things that tempt him. What tempts one person may tempt another. One person may be tempted and easily influenced by friends. Another may be tempted by material possessions. This process of reflecting and searching should be a continual one. As we change, what tempts us will also change. We must remain sensitive to sin and aware of our weakness and tendency to succumb to particular temptations. There are temptations that we can take active steps to avoid or get rid of. And there are others that we may have no choice but to encounter. Purpose in your heart how you will overcome these. Have a plan. To be forewarned is to be forearmed! Prior knowledge of something enables you to prepare for it. And this, with the help of the Holy Spirit, will enable you to resist and overcome such temptations. Cling to Christ and the Word. Love holiness. Remember that the pleasures of sin are fleeting and temporary. It is not worth it. And of course, as always, we must pray!

Thought: What are the sins you struggle with?
Prayer: Give me the strength and the wisdom to know my own sinful self and not give in to sinful desires.