1 CORINTHIANS 10:13 – “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”

THEME OF THE DAY: GOD’S WAY OF ESCAPING TEMPTATION.  We face it all the time, and it comes in so many different forms.  We are tempted by our weaknesses of our flesh. There are also temptations to sin in our attitudes, relationships, and speech.  The classic example of temptation is that of the Lord Jesus.  We read of it in the fourth chapter of Matthew’s gospel and it contains many lessons for us – the source of temptation, Satan; the areas of temptation, flesh, pride, and worship; the way to defeat temptation, the Word of God.  The account is as follows:

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of bread.” But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, “ ‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and “ ‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’ ” Jesus said to him, “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, “All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’” Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and were ministering to him.” (Matthew 4:1–11)

When it comes to temptation, today’s scripture is encouraging.  Though temptation is inevitable, we don’t have to yield to it and sin. Why? God provides ways of escaping it.  There are at least two.

The first is the power given to us by our union in Christ. When Christ died for our sin, our union with Him assured that we died to sin. It shall not have dominion or power over us.  This truth is clear in the Apostle Paul’s testimony in his letter to the Galatians – “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

Another way of escape from temptation is to remember and apply the Gospel.  Milton Vincent, in his excellent book A Gospel Primer, wrote – “The gospel slays sin at the root point and thereby nullifies sin’s power over me.  The forgiveness of God, made known to me through the gospel, liberates me from sin’s power because it liberates me first from its guilt”. We apply the gospel by reminding ourselves of these truths.

God has provided us the way of escape from temptation, all temptation.  It is two-fold; the means Jesus modeled for us, and the power of the gospel.  Let’s apply both and live consistently defeating temptation.

PRAYER: Father, I praise You for the sufficiency of Your Gospel to defeat all temptations that come my way.

REFLECTION: Temptation always has a way of escape. We don’t have to yield to any form of temptation.