Temptation is common everywhere throughout history and throughout the world today. It seems to be even more prevalent today, but then again, we publish every bit of garbage the world produces today. It could have been just as bad 100 years ago when we didn’t publish every bit of dirty laundry for everyone to read.
Let’s get something straight from
Baptist the beginning. God does not tempt Church mankind. James 1:13-16 “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren.”
This passage clearly states that man is tempted when he lusts after something. In a man’s case it could be a new car he cannot afford or a new 4 wheeler or maybe a new shotgun when he already has several. Now if he can afford any of these things, that’s fine. Sin comes in when he doesn’t pay his bills because he spent his money on something else. His bills take care of his family. His family is the responsibility of the man to support and take care of. If a man does not care for his family, then that man isn’t the man God designed him to be. But he is exactly what the devil wants in a man.
IThessalonians 3:5 “For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.”
In this verse Paul is worried about the church members in Thessalonica. He had given them truth, yet the “other guy” was peddling lies. The lies sounded pretty good, for the devil was alair from the beginning and a father of it.
John 8:44 “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
Notice it tells us that lusts of your father (the devil) ye will do? So if we return to our beginning verse about where temptation comes from there is a pattern, lust first (supplied by the devil), enticed (by your own desires) lust is then conceived (you act on it) and it bringeth forth sin (which condemns you as a sinner).
If you are a Christian and sin, there is a remedy. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
If you are an unsaved person it confirms your eternal destiny. Revelation 20:15 “And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”
Here is another list of those who were tempted and failed to say no.
Revelation 21:8 “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”
Are you on any of these lists? Are you an unbeliever? You don’t need to be a radical sinner to be sent to the lake of fire. If your name isn’t in the Lamb’s Book of Life (if you are an unbeliever) that is all it takes.
One scripture selection to close. John 3:17-18 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” You need to stop believing the lies of the devil and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior. If you need help, come to church this Sunday.
