Temptation and Sin

Temptation and Sin

“But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” Jas. 1:14-15.

The word of truth and the power of the Holy Spirit help us in temptation so that we can fight and gain the victory. God’s grace, through the blood, helps us when we have fallen in temptation—resulting in sin—so that we will be raised up and be cleansed again.

Much is lost in our life if we are not clear about these things. Satan plays games with us in areas where we are not enlightened, whether we know it or not. The most important point concerning this matter is to be able to discern between temptation and sin. It is bad for us to say that we have not sinned if in fact we have sinned! It is also extremely grievous and bad when a simple soul says that he has committed a sin when in fact he has not done it. Either one of these misunderstandings is harmful to us.

The above-quoted words from the epistle of James show us clearly what the situation is: First we are tempted by the desire being awakened. It wants to be satisfied. If I now agree to satisfy it, conception has taken place and sin is born.

It is not difficult to discern sin when it is a manifest action, but when the sin is invisible—in the thought life—it is difficult to discern. For example, a person doesn’t have to commit an act of adultery; he can commit adultery in his thoughts. However, preceding that sinful thought there is a drawing away by my own desires, and this temptation (which is not sin) also occurs to us as a thought.

This is where we must learn to discern whether we have agreed and allied ourselves with the desire or whether we have resolutely resisted it and rejected it.

The first is sin; the last is far from sin, because it is a blessed victory.

Instead of confronting the desire in the flesh, we confront Satan (the tempter) who works through the flesh. He is a person; therefore we can fight against him with the word of truth. We must not lose courage when we are tempted to jealousy, love of money, adultery, gluttony, envy, hatred, arrogance, etc., in short, all kinds of temptations. We know that nothing good dwells in our flesh and that it resists us stubbornly. When the desire manifests itself it is like a declaration of war, and we have the hope of gaining the victory.

We should not seek to dream ourselves away from reality, but rather be wide awake, sober, and thoughtful, fighting the good fight of faith.

Having few temptations is nothing to boast of. Far from it! On the contrary, we count the person blessed who endures in temptations and gains the victory. See James 1:12. It is not praiseworthy if someone is not fit to fight and therefore has to stay home, but it is praiseworthy if someone has been in the battle and has gained the victory!

On this basis a servant of Jesus Christ can say that we shall count it all joy when we fall into various temptations (Jas. 1:2) precisely because we have a firm and good hope of victory. Therefore: Every single temptation is an opportunity to overcome, a trial to confirm what you have received; it is an opportunity for further progress. The more you are tempted—the more you are tried—the more patient, the more fully equipped you become.

For every word we hear, every enticing suggestion by Satan (which always agrees with our own desire), we resist him steadfast in the faith, not giving him any room but answering him like this: “Away with you, Satan!” By showering him with words of truth, faith, and the good doctrine, he flees from us.

We cannot—not by any power or by any other means—get the desires out of our flesh or keep Satan away from our door; but we can deny the desires and stop opening the door and thus giving Satan room.

It is vital for us to become acquainted with our calling, to understand what God’s will is for us in this world, so that we can also pray accordingly and be heard.

You must not think it strange when you are tempted to all kinds of things as if the desire for all kinds of evil should not be in your flesh, because they are there. Therefore you should view it as something quite natural, something that you are well aware of.

And you shall know that just as surely as you know this, so you will just as surely overcome by reckoning yourself crucified to all the passions and desires.

You love God’s laws, all His glory, and you have previously tried your hand at following your desires, and therefore you say: Away with you, Satan! You are a liar and a deceiver! You have been conquered and condemned! I, too, will overcome you!