Enticed (1185) (deleazo from delear = a bait) means to to beguile, entice by blandishments, entrap, delude, allure, entice. Deleazo was commonly used as fishing term to refer to bait. The idea of deleazo then is to catch by use of bait as does a trapper (bait in a trap or snare) or fisherman who lures prey from their place of hiding. Evil desires act as a bait to "hook" us and get us in trouble. Lust hides the hook so to speak! The point is that no temptation appears as temptation but always seems more alluring and promising than it proves to be. Note again the present tense pictures continual enticement. Temptation continually prods and baits us by appealing to our dark side. An illustration of enticing words - Knowing how much an acquaintance despises his wife’s parakeet, I was surprised one day to hear him coaxing it to speak. Upon listening more closely, however, I nearly choked holding back my laughter. Now, along with its constant, annoying jabbering, the bird also calls out a suicidal, “Here kitty, kitty, kitty.” (Contributed by Lisa French Reader’s Digest, September 1983, p. 130) Richison has an interesting thought writing that... Knowledge does not seem to prevent us from yielding to temptation. Temptation is more powerful than our knowledge. (Ed Note: Knowing about God is one thing. Knowing God intimately is quite different and it is this intimate, experiential "knowledge" associated with sweet fellowship, that motivates and empowers the saint's walk of victory over sin, self and Satan. cp 1Th 4:5 which implies that the solution for "lustful passion" is "knowing God" - see note, cp knowledge in James 2:19 - see note) Mayor mentions a number of examples where deleazo is used to describe the "drawing of the fish out of its original retreat." Burdick - James pictures man's "evil desire" first, as attracting his attention and persuading him to approach the forbidden thing and second, as luring him by means of bait to yield to the temptation. Robertson entitles this verse "Snared by One's Own Bait." (Gaebelein, F, Editor: Expositor's Bible Commentary 6-Volume New Testament. Zondervan Publishing) In short, the first effect of lust is to draw man out of his original repose and the second is to allure him to a definite bait. Vaughan - The suggestion is that man's lust, like a harlot, entices and seduces him. Man surrenders his will to lust, conception takes place, and lust gives birth to sin. Talk about deception! Listen to George Bernard Shaw (1856 - 1950) - I never resist temptation because I have found that things that are bad for me do not tempt me. (Wow!) Warren Wiersbe - Temptation always carries with it some bait that appeals to our natural desires. The bait not only attracts us, but it also hides the fact that yielding to the desire will eventually bring sorrow and punishment. It is the bait that is the exciting thing. Lot would never have moved toward Sodom had he not seen the “well-watered plains of Jordan” (Ge 13:10, 11). When David looked on his neighbor’s wife (1Sa 11:1, 2, 3, 4, 5), he would never have committed adultery had he seen the tragic consequences: the death of a baby (Bathsheba’s son), the murder of a brave soldier (Uriah), the violation of a daughter (Tamar). The bait keeps us from seeing the consequences of sin. (Wiersbe, W: Bible Exposition Commentary. 1989. Victor) Entice is an interesting word in terms of derivation Webster writing that it comes from the Latin Latin in- + titio = firebrand. "The sense, in these languages, is to lay the firebrands together, or to stir the fire; to provoke; to incense. The sense in English is a little varied." Entice means to to draw towards oneself (what a picture of temptations originating from our depraved strong inner desires or lusts!) or to attract artfully or adroitly or by arousing hope or desire. Entice is usually used in a bad sense (as entice to evil) and hence, means to seduce; to lead astray; to induce to sin, by promises or persuasions. There are 3 uses of deleazo, here and two other uses in 2 Peter where we see false teachers “entice unsteady souls” and those who have once escaped from error. 2 Peter 2:14 (note) having eyes full of adultery and that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls (Asteriktous. Why unstable? 2 Peter 1:12-note explains the opposite character using the related verb - sterizo in the perfect tense - Ephesians 6:14-note also instructs believers to stand firm. Note carefully in both cases the foundational, stabilizing effect of Truth, the Word of Truth. Why are so many saints seemingly not experiencing the abundant life Christ promised? I fear it is because they are not being stabilized by the regular eating of "every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God"! And don't just read it but memorize it so you will be able to meditate and be blessed and like a tree firmly planted by streams of living water! See notes Psalm 1:1; 1:2; 1:3), having a heart trained in greed, accursed children...18 (note) For speaking out arrogant words of vanity (false teachers Peter describes would dangle the "baited lure" in front of their unsteady victims causing them to look away from the Lord Jesus and His Word. They offer people a kind of religion that they can embrace and still hold on to their fleshly desires and sensuality.) they entice (present tense = continually) by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, John MacArthur rightly notes that... Animals and fish are successfully lured to traps and hooks because the bait is too attractive for them to resist. It looks good and smells good, appealing strongly to their senses. Their desire for the bait is so intense that it causes them to lose caution and to overlook or ignore the trap or the hook until it is too late. In exactly the same way, we succumb to temptation when our own lust draws us toward evil things that are appealing to fleshly desire. Although in contemporary use, lust has long been associated almost exclusively with illicit sexual desire, the Greek term epithumia that it translates refers to a deep, strong desire or longing of any kind, good or bad. Sin can look attractive and pleasurable, and usually is, at least for a while (cp Heb 11:25-note, Heb 3:13-note). Otherwise it would have little power over us. Satan tries to make sin as attractive as possible, as do the evil and seductive men and women just described above by Peter. But there would be no attraction of sin were it not for man’s own sinful lust, which makes evil seem more appealing than righteousness, falsehood more appealing than truth, immorality more appealing than moral purity, the things of the world more appealing than the things of God. We cannot blame Satan, his demons, ungodly people, or the world in general for our own lust. Even more certainly, we cannot blame God. The problem is not a tempter from without, but the traitor within. (James: The MacArthur NT Commentary) Thomas Watson - It is not laying the bait that hurts the fish if the fish do not bite. John Dryden gave good advice when he said... Better shun the bait than struggle in the snare. J. J. Bonar rightly said... How daily, hourly, is the struggle with sin and fear and temptation—it is never over! Oscar Wilde, the well-known British writer (and infidel), summed up the attitude of millions of people when he said "I can resist anything except temptation." Unfortunately "resisting temptation" has gone out of style and "doing what comes naturally" has become the "in" thing in post-Christian America. Enticed by his own lust - Lust always promises more than it produces. That is, more than it produces in a positive (beneficial) sense. It's fruit is never ripe and good but ever rotten! The Puritan writer Thomas Watson explains that the "heart of the problem" is our heart writing that in the Lord's (really the "Disciple's) prayer, that when Jesus instructs us to pray... Deliver us from evil, we pray to be delivered from the evil of our heart, that it may not entice us to sin. The heart is the poisoned fountain, from whence all actual sins flow. "For from within, out of a person's heart, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wickedness, deceit, eagerness for lustful pleasure, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness." Mk 7:21, 22. The cause of all evil lies in a man's own bosom-all sin begins at the heart. Lust is first conceived in the heart, and then it is mid-wifed into the world. Whence comes rash anger? The heart sets the tongue on fire. The heart is a shop or workhouse, where all sin is contrived and hammered out. How needful, therefore, is this prayer, deliver us from the evil of our hearts! The heart is the greatest seducer, therefore the apostle James says, "Each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed." Jas 1:14-note. The devil could not hurt us, if our own hearts did not give consent. All that he can do is to lay the bait- but it is our fault to swallow it! O let us pray to be delivered from the lusts and deceits of our own heart. "Deliver us from evil." Luther feared his heart more than the pope or cardinal; and it was Augustine's prayer, "Lord, deliver me from myself!" It was good advice one gave to his friend, "Beware of yourself!" Beware of the bosom traitor, the flesh. The heart of a man is the Trojan horse, out of which comes a whole army of lusts. (Matthew 6:13 The Sixth Petition in the Lord's Prayer) James is not teaching that Satan never has a role in tempting us and in fact later alludes to the devil's tactics writing... Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7-note) Comment: The devil is left out of the present discussion as a source of temptation for the mention of his role as Tempter would only have provided the sinner with an alternative excuse. James wants us to focus on the heart of the problem which is the problem with our heart! Note the two verbs in red are both aorist imperative, which is a command calling for urgent attention! Don't put this off! Thomas Kempis has said, "First there comes to the mind a bare thought of evil, then a strong imagination thereof, afterward delight and evil motion, and then consent." His advice was, "Withstand the beginnings." If you apply a magnet to the end of a needle that moves freely on its pivot, the needle affected by a strong attraction approaches as if it loved it Reverse the order, applying the magnet to the other pole, and the needle shrinks away trembling as if it hated it One man rushes into the arms of vice; another recoils from it in horror According as the nature it addresses is holy or unholy, temptation attracts or repels, is loved or hated Our Lord Jesus said, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:41). Lusts (epithumia) (see discussion on epithumia below) is a neutral word that describes for example even the normal God given desires of hunger, thirst, etc. Even sexual desire is God given and without it the human race may never have procreated! Sadly, this desire (among many) has been grossly distorted and perverted by our fallen flesh, the godless world system and the devil. In an attempt to control these lusts many have gone to non-biblical extremes, Paul writing that... These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence (no effect when it comes to conquering a person's evil thoughts and desires). (See note Colossians 2:23) So what James is explaining is that the source of temptation is not actually in external "lure" (like a fishhook) but emanates from the inherent lust in every man. Lehman Strauss adds that... Temptation is traced first to our lusts, or desires. Where there is no desire there is no temptation. Not all persons have the same evil desires. An evil which may be desirable to one person may be repulsive to another. We are sometimes critical of others who have evil desires which may not bother us, forgetting that we have evil desires which may not appeal to them. Donald Robert Perry Marquis wrote a poem based on an imaginary conversation between a rat and a moth. - The rat asked some hard questions: Why did moths fly into candles and other bright lights and risk getting themselves fried to death? The answer, written in the poet's unpunctuated style, is very instructive: we get bored with routine - and crave beauty - and excitement - fire is beautiful - and we know that if we get - too close it will kill us - and what does that matter - it is better to be happy - for a moment - and be burned up with beauty - than to live a long time - and be bored all the while. (Brian Bell) James is saying we have met the enemy and the enemy is within us. The enemy is not just out there somewhere but is on the inside. Although lust is the main fisherman described by James, Thomas Adams adds that... Satan, like a fisher, baits his hook according to the appetite of the fish. We have many leaders into temptation, but it is our fault if we follow them. Steven Cole has some practical thoughts about how we overcome temptation and sin writing... To overcome temptation, it is important to realize that although the initial thought to sin stems from my sinful flesh, it is not sin unless I pursue it. For example, if I’m flipping through a magazine and come to a picture of a seductive woman, the thought will probably pop into my mind, “Wow, she’s quite a woman!” Right there, I face a critical decision: Will I go farther, entertaining sinful thoughts of what it might be like to have sex with such a woman, or will I turn from the temptation and “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts” (Ro 13:14 -note)? Sin always begins in the mind. No one ever falls into adultery without first entertaining it in his (or her) thought life. If we judge these sinful thoughts the instant they pop into our minds, we will not head down the path toward outwardly sinful behavior. If we do entertain such sinful thoughts, sooner or later Satan will present the outward opportunity to sin, and we will fall. But in such cases, the actual sin has been going on mentally for some time. If we make it our habit to take “every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2Cor 10:5-note), we will not sin in thought or deed. We differ from person to person with regard to the things that tempt us. Men differ from women, but also men differ among men, and women among women. Pride leads us to judge those who yield to sins that have little appeal for us: “How could they do such a thing?” But the same pride lets us excuse our “weakness.” “That’s just the way I am!” Humility says, “Let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall” (1Co 10:12). Also, when we yield to a particular sin, it becomes a point of vulnerability for future temptation. For example, you could leave me in a room with a bag of cocaine, and it would not tempt me in the least. I’ve never yielded to that sin, and it just doesn’t have any appeal to me. On the other hand, in certain circumstances I am tempted to look at pornography, because as a young man I did yield to that sin. So I now have to be on guard against every form of that temptation. So James’ first point is that to overcome temptation, we must recognize its source. It does not come from God. It comes from our own sinful desires. (James 1:13-15 The Source, Force, and Course of Temptation) Steven Cole in his sermon series on 1Timothy writes... moral purity (must be) not just outwardly, but in the thought life. Sexual immorality always begins in the mind. Walking with Christ means taking “every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2Cor 10:5-note). As soon as a wrong thought pops into your mind, you confess it and turn from it (Job 1:1, 1Co 6:18). You “put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts” (Ro 13:14-note). Moral failure among pastors is happening with shocking frequency in the American church. A Leadership survey (Winter, 1988, pp. 12-13) revealed that one out of eight pastors have committed adultery since they’ve been in local church ministry. Almost one out of four admitted to doing something they feel was sexually in-appropriate. One out of five acknowledged fantasizing at least weekly about sex with someone other than their spouse. If you widen the question to monthly, the number grows to over one out of three. Dietrich Bonhoeffer describes how we are tempted by lusts... In our members there is a slumbering inclination (Ed: Mine doesn't seem to slumber enough!) towards desire (lust) which is both sudden and fierce. With irresistible power desire (lust) seizes mastery over the flesh. All at once a secret, smoldering fire is kindled. The flesh burns and is in flames. It makes no difference whether it is sexual desire, or ambition, or vanity, or desire for revenge, or love of fame and power, or greed for money, or finally, that strange desire for the beauty of the world, of nature...With irresistible power desire seizes mastery over the flesh...Joy in God is…extinguished in us and we seek all our joy in the creature. At this moment God is quite unreal to us (Ed: We become in essence "practical atheists, Biblical amnesiacs!"), He loses all reality, and only desire (lust) for the creature is real (Ed: Or at least seems to be real at that moment!)…Satan does not here fill us with hatred of God, but with forgetfulness of God.…The lust thus aroused envelops the mind and will of man in deepest darkness. The powers of clear discrimination and of decision are taken from us. The questions present themselves: “Is what the flesh desires really sin in this case?” (Ed: Remember that sin at its core is deceitful. See Heb 3:13-note) “Is it really not permitted to me, yes—expected of me, now, here, in my particular situation, to appease desire?”…It is here that everything within me rises up against the Word of God (Ed: And the God of the Word. This is tantamount to willful rebellion which outside of God's great mercies would call for our death). (Creation and Fall--Temptation) D L Moody - When Christians find themselves exposed to temptation they should pray to God to uphold them, and when they are tempted they should not be discouraged. It is not a sin to be tempted; the sin is to fall into temptation. Alexander Maclaren - The temptation once yielded to gains power. The crack in the embankment which lets a drop or two ooze through is soon a hole which lets out a flood. (cp Pr 25:28, 16:32) William Bridge - The greatest temptations sometimes follow the highest manifestation of God's love. Vance Havner said of our faithful God that "He does not keep us from temptation, but He can keep us in temptation." Hallelujah! Thank You Jesus! C H Spurgeon on temptations... To sin without temptation is to sin like the devil, for the devil was not tempted when he sinned. Holy Scripture is full of narratives of temptations. Expect, there-fore, Christian, that your life will be as abundantly garnished with them as is a rose with thorns. Earnest Christian men are not so much afraid of trials as of temptations. The great horror of a Christian is sin. Keep clear of Lucifer's matches. You have got enough mischief in your heart without going where you will get more. If anybody feels that he is so very gracious and good that he can safely enter into temptation, I am sure that he is laboring under a very great mistake. I would say to him, "Brother, there is devil enough in you without your sending out invitation cards to seven more. Go to him who casts out devils. " I have known what it is to escape from a strong temptation without falling into it. And I think that I have felt as grateful to God as a man would be who had seen a shark after him, had been almost between its jaws, and had just slipped away as he heard the monster close his mouth with a snap. I remember standing under a building which was in course of erection and seeing a mass of stone fall from a great height just in front of me. What a thud it made! How narrow was my escape! How I started! But what joy filled my heart! So it is when one is delivered from temptation which began to overpower the heart. You cannot help birds flying over your heads in the air, but do not let them alight and build their nests in your hair. Temptations will come, but do not entertain them. Drive them away. It is a very serious thing to grow rich! Of all the temptations to which God's children are ex-posed, it is the worst, because it is one that they do not dread. Therefore, it is the more subtle temptation. Constant droppings of temptation have worn away many stones....Where Satan (Ed: And our own lust) captures one man by force of strong temptation, he captures ten by the gradual process of sapping and undermining the principles which should rule within. My peculiar temptation has been constant unbelief. I know that God's promise is true. Yet does this temptation incessantly assail me—"Doubt him; distrust him; he will leave you yet." I can assure you when that temptation is aided by a nervous state of mind, it is very hard to stand day by day and say, "No, I cannot doubt my God." Overcoming Temptation - When a traveler was asked whether he did not admire the admirable structure of some stately building, "No," said he, "for I've been at Rome, where better are to be seen every day." O believer, if the world tempt thee with its rare sights and curious prospects, thou mayst well scorn them, having been, by contemplation, in heaven, and being able, by faith, to see infinitely better delights every hour of the day. "This is the victory which overcomes the world, even our faith." ><>><>><> C. S. Lewis made these insightful observations about temptation: “No man knows how bad he is until he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. That is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is....Christ, because He was the only Man who never yielded to temptation, is also the only Man who knows to the full what temptation means.” ><>><>><> Temptation Has a Price - Ronald Meredith, in his book Hurryin’ Big for Little Reasons, describes one quiet night in early spring: Suddenly out of the night came the sound of wild geese flying. I ran to the house and breathlessly announced the excitement I felt. What is to compare with wild geese across the moon? It might have ended there except for the sight of our tame mallards on the pond. They heard the wild call they had once known. The honking out of the night sent little arrows of prompting deep into their wild yesterdays. Their wings fluttered a feeble response. The urge to fly—to take their place in the sky for which God made them—was sounding in their feathered breasts, but they never raised from the water. The matter had been settled long ago. The corn of the barnyard was too tempting! Now their desire to fly only made them uncomfortable. Temptation is always enjoyed at the price of losing the capacity for flight. - Jim Moss ><>><>><> George Mueller - Satan’s Temptation - It is a common temptation of Satan to make us give up the reading of the Word and prayer when our enjoyment is gone; as if it were of no use to read the Scriptures when we do not enjoy them, and as if it were no use to pray when we have no spirit of prayer. The truth is that in order to enjoy the Word, we ought to continue to read it, and the way to obtain a spirit of prayer is to continue praying. The less we read the Word of God, the less we desire to read it, and the less we pray, the less we desire to pray. ><>><>><> Charles Stanley - Misunderstandings Regarding Temptation temptation itself is sin We fall into temptation God is disappointed and displeased when we are tempted To be strongly tempted means we are as guilty as if we had actually committed sin. We overcome all temptation by separation from it When I am spiritually mature, I will no longer be harassed by temptation ><>><>><> A man in a responsible position, entrusted with large sums of money, was tempted one day to put some of the cash into his own account He knew that it would be a long time before his theft could be discovered He resisted the temptation but felt that he must tell somebody the anguish of mind through which he had passed He went, therefore, to the man who had occupied the position before him, told him all about the temptation, and how he had almost fallen To his surprise, the man did not reprove him but put his hand on his shoulder in a fatherly sort of way "I know exactly how you felt," he said quietly "I went through it all myself when I occupied your position." It was, of course, humiliating for both of these men to admit the temptation of the heart, although it did not result in a crime Realizing that whatever victories we score, we do so merely by the grace of God, how hesitant we should be to criticize others who may have allowed sins of the thought and will to materialize a little more than we have ourselves Let us not, therefore, speak evil of our brethren, even in our minds, even to ourselves. ><>><>><> A Korean Christian showed that he had grasped the meaning of the injury caused by anger when he got up in prayer meeting and said, "I heard the missionary say that every burst of anger pierced the heart of Jesus. So I hung a picture of the Lord Jesus on my wall, and every time I lost my temper, I put a thorn on that picture. The picture was soon covered with thorns. A great love welled up in me that He should suffer because of my temper; now He gives me grace in temptation. I say, 'Not I, but Christ within me,' and His sweetness comes instead of my bad temper." ><>><>><> It's My Fault - The first step in overcoming sin is to admit that we are the ones who are responsible. To look for someone else to blame is to evade the real issue. A man in a parking lot backed into another car. He simply didn't look to see if the way was clear, and he was obviously at fault. But he jumped out of his car, yelled furiously at the woman driving the car he hit, and told her it was her fault for getting in his way. I learned later that he continued to blame her when he spoke to his insurance agent. Eventually she was cleared, but only after going through tremendous anguish. This is similar to what happened in the Garden of Eden. After Adam ate the forbidden fruit, he said he wasn't to blame. It was the fault of the woman God had made. Sometimes we respond like that. When we do something wrong, we immediately look for someone to blame, even if it's God. But James says we sin because we listen to our own selfish desires. Troubled by a sin that won't go away? Maybe you're not overcoming it because you are blaming someone else. You might even be blaming God because He didn't stop you from doing it. Nonsense! You'll never conquer your sin until you're willing to say, "It's my fault!" -- David C. Egner God cannot prosper those who try To cover sin and wrong deny; But all who humbly will confess, The Savior with His love will bless. - DJD You can never conquer sin with an excuse. ><>><>><> HIS OWN LUST - As an aside church history records the tragic story of Origen of Alexandria misinterpreted and thus misapplied Jesus' teaching in Mt 5:29-30 (notes) and as a result had himself physically emasculated in an attempt to overcome his sensual desires (lusts). It is significant that not long afterward, the Council of Nicea outlawed the practice. Apart from the fact that such mutilation is contrary to Scripture, poor Origen still had his eyes, and even if he had caused them to be removed, he would still have had the "eye" of his mind! John Stott gives a more sane interpretation and application of Jesus' teaching, writing that... If your eye causes you to sin because temptation comes to you through your eyes (objects you see), then pluck out your eyes. That is, don’t look! Behave as if you had actually plucked out your eyes and flung them away, and were now blind and so could not see the objects which previously caused you to sin. Again, if your hand or foot causes you to sin, because temptation comes to you through your hands (things you do) or your feet (places you visit), then cut them off. That is: don’t do it! Don’t go! Behave as if you had actually cut off your hands and feet, and had flung them away, and were now crippled and so could not do the things or visit the places which previously caused you to sin.” That is the meaning of “mortification.” Kent Hughes on the "positive aspect" of temptation... If temptations helped shape the life and ministry of the perfect Christ (cp Heb 2:10-note) much more do they do so for us! Temptation is necessary for the development of our moral character. (William Barclay wrote that) “Temptation is not so much the penalty of manhood as it is the glory of manhood. It is that by which a man is made an athlete of God.” That was the way it was for Martin Luther. No one can doubt that Luther became stronger as he fought off the massive temptations of the world, the flesh, and the devil. Conquered temptation knits the fibers of our souls into muscular cords. The old belief that the strength of a slain enemy passes into the slayer is true in regard to a Christian’s overcoming temptations. That is why the Scriptures urge the long view. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1:2, 3-note). That is why today we count among the great Christians of our time people like Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Corrie ten Boom, and Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Their great trials (Ed: Which were in a very real sense also temptations, temptations to deny God and His Word and Way) made them into spiritual giants. (Hughes, R. K. Sermon on the Mount: The Message of the Kingdom. Crossway or Wordsearch) ><>><>><> A boy named Bobby asked his mother if he could go play ball with his friends. She consented, but she knew that the boys had to pass their favorite "swimming hole," so she told him not to go swimming. When Bobby left the house, however, he took his bathing suit with him just in case! Well, you know what he did when he saw his friends enjoying themselves in the pond. Bobby had invited temptation by taking his swimsuit with him. How different the attitude displayed by the youngster who said, "When I go past a watermelon patch, I can't keep my mouth from watering, but I can run!" His action exemplifies what Paul was saying to young Timothy in today's Scripture reading. According to 1Corinthians 10:13, God is faithful and will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that we may be able to bear it. When temptation comes, God will do His part—He will provide "the way of escape." But it's up to us to run! —R. W De Haan EVERY TEMPTATION IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO FLEE TO GOD. ><>><>><> In 1346, during the Hundred Years' War, the English army of King Edward III met a French battalion at Crecy, France. The King's son, Prince Edward, led one vital division of the British force while Edward III stood nearby with a strong band of soldiers, ready to send relief if needed. Soon after the battle started, the prince thought he was in danger, so he sent for help. But the king didn't come. Young Edward sent another message, pleading for immediate assistance. His father responded by telling the courier, Go tell my son that I am not so inexperienced a commander as not to know when help is needed, nor so careless a father as not to send it. This story illustrates the heavenly Father's relationship with believers as we battle temptation and sin. Often we cry out for help, but it seems that God sends no relief. Yet at no time does He withdraw His eye from our precarious position. He never allows us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear, and when He sees that we are about to be overcome He rushes to our aid or provides a way to escape. So we need not get frantic—our Father is aware of our situation. In 1 Corinthians 1:9 the apostle Paul said, "God is faithful." Commenting on this, Ambrose Serle noted, He is wise to foresee and provide for all my dangers. He is faithful to perfect and perform all His promises. No matter how hot the conflict, the Lord is ready to intervene at the right moment. He is always standing by. —P. R. Van Gorder. Spurgeon (in Feathers for Arrows) made several pronouncements regarding temptation(s)... Many horses fall at the bottom of a hill because the driver thinks the danger past and the need to hold the reins with firm grip less pressing. So it is often with us when we are not specially tempted to overt sin, we are the more in danger through slothful case. I think it was Ralph Erskine who said," There is no devil so bad as no devil." The worst temptation that ever overtakes us, is, in some respects, preferable to our becoming carnally secure and neglecting to watch and pray. More the treacherous calm I dread Than tempests rolling overhead." --- Notice the invention used by country people to catch wasps. They will put a little sweet liquor into a long and narrow-necked vial. The do-nothing wasp comes by, smells the sweet liquor, plunges in and is drowned. But the bee comes by, and if she does stop for a moment to smell, yet she enters not, because she has honey of her own to make; she is too busy in the work of the commonwealth to indulge herself with the tempting sweets. Master Greenham, a Puritan divine, was once waited upon by a woman who was greatly tempted. Upon making enquiries into her way of life, he found she had little to do, and Greenham said, "That is the secret of your being so much tempted. Sister, if you are very busy, Satan (Ed: And your flesh) may tempt you, but he will not easily prevail, and he will soon give up the attempt." Idle Christians are not tempted of the devil (Ed: Or the lusts of their own fallen flesh) so much as they tempt the devil to tempt them. --- One of the ancient fathers (Augustine), we are told, had, before his conversion, lived with an ill woman, and some little time after, she accosted him as usual. Knowing how likely he was to fall into sin, he ran away with all his might, and she ran after him, crying, "Wherefore runnest thou away? It is I." He answered, "I run away because I am not I. I am a new man." (cp 1Co 6:18-note) --- Dr. Preston tells us of a professor who on one occasion was found drunk, and when much depressed on account of his folly, the devil said to him, by way of temptation, "Do it again, do it again; for," said he, "the grief you feel about it now you will never feel any more if you commit the sin again." Dr. Preston says that the man yielded to the temptation, and from that time he never did feel the slightest regret at his drunkenness, and lived and died a confirmed sot, though formerly he had been a very high professor. ><>><>><> We had everything set .for the first bass fishing expedition of the year. We had exotic new lures that we knew would be irresistible to those big six-pounders lurking beneath the surface of our favorite fishing lake. We would tempt them with Sassy Shads, brightly colored new Hula Poppers, buzz baits, a "killer" red flatfish with a black stripe, and a white double spinner with long bright streamers. And, if all else failed, we had some fresh Canadian crawlers. Out at dawn, we hit all the best spots with our assortment of delectable temptations. But nothing happened. We worked the shore. We cast along the weeds. We tried every lure in the tackle box—even the crawlers. Finally we gave up. Heading back to the cabin, we concluded, "The fish just aren't hungry." Satan (and our fallen flesh which is still present in believers) has a whole "tackle box" of alluring devices he uses to tempt us. Some are gaudy and exotic, easy to spot—yet oh, so tempting. Others whet our appetites in quiet and subtle ways, appearing harmless until the hook is set. Whatever the temptation, we can best resist if we do not let our thoughts dwell on evil but on things that are true, noble, just, pure, and lovely (Phil. 4:8). With mental discipline and the help of the Holy Spirit, we can keep our hearts full of goodness. Then the temptation will have to say in effect that "They just aren't hungry."—D. C. Egner. ><>><>><> Concerned about his personal life, Ed went to his pastor for help. After listening to the young man's mild list of supposed sins, the wise preacher felt that he had not been completely honest. "Are you sure that's all?" the preacher asked. "Yes, pastor," Ed said. "Are you positive you haven't been entertaining any impure thoughts lately?" the pastor continued. "Oh, no," Ed replied, "but they've sure been entertaining me." ><>><>><> Temptation may be defined as a desire for sinful pleasure. If it didn't offer pleasure, it would be easy to resist (cp Heb 11:25). Perhaps that's why we understand the truth behind the cartoon in which a man says, I don't mind fleeing temptation— as long as I can leave a forwarding address. And, if we're honest, we admit that sin often takes place first in our mind. For many people, illicit sexual thoughts provide pleasure. Temptation is not sin. For it to develop into sin, we have to welcome it, dwell on it (Ed: And we don't have to dwell very long!), and enjoy it. For example, the temptation to get back at someone who has hurt us is wrong only when we begin to think about ways to harm that person and get revenge. Paul said that every thought must be brought "into captivity to the obedience of Christ" (2Cor 10:5-note). When we allow wrong thoughts into our minds, we must confess them as sin, ask God to help us, and then fill our minds with good and pure thoughts (Phil 4:8-note). When we submit to God and resist the devil, we can say no to tempting thoughts. —D .C. Egner ><>><>><> Temptations and trials are two different experiences. Though they often occur at the same time, there is a fine line between them. In the New Testament a single Greek word covers both situations. James 1:2-note tells us to rejoice when we fall into various trials, but in Matthew 26:41-note Jesus tells His disciples to pray that they enter not into temptation. The first is an occasion for good, the second a danger to avoid. In a sermon entitled Faith Tested and Crowned, Alexander Maclaren distinguished between being tempted and being tested or tried. He said that "the former word conveys the idea of appealing to the worst part of man, with the wish that he may yield and do the wrong. The latter means an appeal to the better part of man, with the desire that he should stand. Temptation says, `Do this pleasant thing; do not be hindered by the fact that it is wrong.' Trial or proving says, `Do this right and noble thing; do not be hindered by the fact that it is painful.' The one is a sweet, beguiling melody, breathing soft indulgence and relaxation over the soul; the other is a pealing trumpet-call to high achievements." Every hardship holds the potential to be a temptation and a trial. By resisting all suggestions we know are wrong and accepting all circumstances as opportunities for growth, we cooperate with the Holy Spirit in His sanctifying work in us. We move toward that desired goal of being "perfect and complete, lacking nothing" (James 1:4). —D. J De Haan. ><>><>><> SUMMARY OF TEMPTATION Ron Mattoon Rod Mattoon has summarized temptation in outline form... The Sources of Temptation 1. Satan-Mt 4:1 2. The Flesh-James 1:14; 1Jn 2:16 a. Lust of the Flesh b. Lust of the Eyes c. The Pride of Life 3. The Wrong Crowd-Pr 1:10 4. Carnal Christian Friends-Mt 16:22, 23 The Methods of Temptation 1. Through poverty. Pr 30:9 2. Through prosperity. Pr 30:9 3. Through popularity of the world. Nu 22:17 4. Through prostration and discouragement. 1Ki 19:4 The Types of Temptation 1. To paganism and unbelief. Job 2:9; Mt. 4:3 2. To pretended penitence. A false humility which says I'm no good and can't serve God. 3. To presumption. Mt 4:6 4. To possessive pecuniary. This is the lust for money. John 13:21-30] 5. To prayer and praise of Satan. Mt. 4:9 6. To perversion in morality. 2Sa 11:2-4 (David) 7. To pride Da 4:30 8. To possessions. Achan in Joshua 7:1-26, see esp Joshua 7:20-21 9. To pleasures that are sinful. 2Ti 4:10 (Demas) How to Get Victory Over Temptation 1. By God's Faithfulness. 1Cor 10:13; Rev. 3:10 2. By the Weapon of God's Word. Mt. 4:1-10 3. By Resisting Satan. James 4:7 4. By Running from Sin. 2Ti 2:22; Pr. 4:14, 15 5. By the Power of our Prayers. Mt. 26:41 6. By the Intercession of Christ. Lk 22:31, 32 7. By Using the Way of Escape. 1Co 10:13 See Related Studies... Our enemy/enemies = the world, the flesh the devil Sin = Principle hamartia flesh James 1:15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. (NASB: Lockman) Greek: eita e epithumia sullabousa (AAPFSN) tiktei (3SPAI) hamartian, e de hamartia apotelestheisa (APPFSN) apokuei (3SPAI) thanaton. Amplified: Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death. (Amplified Bible - Lockman) KJV: Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. NLT: These evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death. (NLT - Tyndale House) Phillips: His own desire takes hold of him, and that produces sin. And sin in the long run means death (Phillips: Touchstone) Wuest: Then when the aforementioned craving has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and this sin when it is full grown brings forth death. (Eerdmans) Young's Literal: afterward the desire having conceived, doth give birth to sin, and the sin having been perfected, doth bring forth death. THEN WHEN LUST HAS CONCEIVED, IT GIVES BIRTH TO SIN: eita e epithumia sullabousa (AAPFSN) tiktei (3SPAI) hamartian: (Genesis 3:6; 4:5, 6, 7, 8; Job 15:35; Psalms 7:14; Isaiah 59:4; Micah 2:1, 2, 3; Matthew 26:14,48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59; Acts 5:1, 2, 3 ) Then (1534) (eita) often serves as a time phrase (be alert for this word especially when reading prophetic passages for it often serves as a distinctive marker of the sequence of events--always stop and ask "When is then?") but in this context James uses it as a marker of transition to a new point in his argument, introducing the result of temptation arising from lust. When - Again it is not "if" but "when" for the lust that penetrates our mind and heart will take root and will bring about a "new creation" albeit one that does not honor nor please God. Spurgeon - There you see the egg, and the larva, and the full-grown fly of sin: “Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” So here we see the "life cycle of sin" with lust at the inception, sin as the conception and death as the consequence. Expositor's Greek Testament - With this idea of personification (Ed: Lust is personified as a "parent" of sin), cf. Zech. 5:5-11, where the woman “sitting in the midst of the ephah” is the personification of Wickedness; and for the metaphor see Ps. 7:15-note Since epithumia is represented as the parent of hamartia it can hardly be regarded as other than sinful itself; indeed, this seems to be taught in the Targum of Jonathan (a Targum which had received general recognition in Babylonia as early as the third century a.d., and whose elements therefore go back to a much earlier time) in the paraphrase of Isa 62:10, where it says that the imagination of sin is sinful (Reference Online) Hiebert - The inner craving demands action. It must either be acted on or be resolutely repulsed. When indulged, a chain of results surely follows... The craving is an inner reaction of the individual's own nature, but when it is indulged it becomes malignant and is destructive of personal well-being. Our nature may involuntarily and instinctively feel a longing .for a certain object when it is presented, but the craving becomes sinful when it is encouraged and acted upon, the will surrendering to the enticement of the harlot and uniting with it in a guilty union. When the will consents to the illicit union, the lustful feeling becomes impregnated with sin. Wiersbe feels that in this passage describing disobedience... We have moved from the emotions (desire) and the intellect (deception) to the will...Christian living is a matter of the will, not the feelings. I often hear believers say, “I don’t feel like reading the Bible.” Or, “I don’t feel like attending prayer meeting.” Children operate on the basis of feeling, but adults operate on the basis of will. They act because it is right, no matter how they feel. This explains why immature Christians easily fall into temptation: they let their feelings make the decisions. The more you exercise your will in saying a decisive "no" to temptation (Ed: because you have already said "yes" to the Spirit of Christ - note the order in Gal 5:16-note- "Yes" to Spirit, "no" to lust.), the more God will take control of your life. And Paul writes that God even gives us the "want to" to say "no"... for it is God Who is at work (energeo - in the present tense = He is continually "energizing" us) in you, both to will (present tense = continually giving us the "want to") and to work (again the verb is energeo - present tense = continually working in us) for His good pleasure (His sovereign purpose). (Phil 2:13-note) God also provides the grace to say "no" Paul writing that the grace of God is continually (present tense)... instructing (disciplining, teaching, educating like a loving school master) us to deny (say "no" to) ungodliness (living as if He did not exist - "pragmatic atheists" as it were) and worldly (anti-God) desires and to live sensibly (self-controlled - inward), righteously (right conduct before men - outward) and godly (as in the presence of God - Coram Deo) in the present age (see note Titus 2:12) (This aspect of "grace" is known as sanctifying grace. It is His divine enablement to carry out His divine commands and instructions.)