Day 11 - Why We Must Fear Temptation
To approach temptation on the basis that you believe God will protect you is the same as continuing in sin that grace might about (Rom 6:1-2).
John Owen, Temptation Resisted and Repulsed
Do We Really Need to Fear Temptation?
Do we really need to fear temptation? After all James 1:2 says, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds." (ESV)
John Owen takes this and two other objections head on to show that we must fear temptation.
John Owen takes this and two other objections head on to show that we must fear temptation.
Three Objections to Fearing Temptation
Owen lists three objections that people advance as to why they should not fear temptation.
1) We are to consider it a joy when we face temptation. (Jam 1:2)
2) Christ was tempted, so we should not think it is a bad thing for us to be tempted.
3) We need not worry about temptation because God will give us a way of escape (1 Cor 10:13) or rescue us from temptation (2 Pet 2:9).
The ultimate response to why we must fear and avoid temptation whenever possible is in the same vein of why we must not continue in sin: " 1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" (Rom 6:1-2, ESV)
1) We are to consider it a joy when we face temptation. (Jam 1:2)
There are two basic responses to this. First, in James 1:2 the word should be understood as "trials" not "temptations". That is, what James is addressing is that when trials comes that are intended and designed to strengthen our faith, these we should rejoice in. But temptations are designed to destroy our faith, to bring destruction to us. These we should not rejoice in. Secondly, even if we were to face true temptation with joy, this would only be after we have done our duty to seek to avoid entering into temptation. We would not live recklessly in other areas of our lives and then rejoice that our destruction now comes. So it is with temptation. We should not live recklessly and then rejoice that now we stare destruction in face.
2) Christ was tempted, so we should not think it is a bad thing for us to be tempted.
Owen makes two important points here. First, the temptation of Christ was "part of the evils that befell him." That is, Christ's temptation was not to be seen as good but as evil. Thus, we would not want to recklessly and knowingly plunge ourselves in to evil. This would be the equivalent of tempting God, which is sin. (Matt 4:7) Secondly, Christ did not enter into sin in His temptations; He only entered into suffering. But for us, when we willingly enter into temptation, not fighting it, we are thus choosing to willingly enter not merely into suffering but into sin. And unlike Christ, Satan has claim on us in that Christ was sinless and had no sin nature. We, on the other hand, are not sinless and continue with our sinful flesh that Satan can use against us to draw us into sin.
3) We need not worry about temptation because God will give us a way of escape (1 Cor 10:13) or rescue us from temptation (2 Pet 2:9).
If we live recklessly and do not in all our ways acknowledge him (Prov 3:5-6), we should not expect him to guard us in all our ways (Psa 91:11). To live this way and not carry out our duty to avoid temptation is to live presumptuously: do we think we can just live however we want and God does not care? Further, if our only fear is ultimate rescue from the effects of sin (i.e., deliverance from hell) and have no concern about other effects of sin (dishonoring God, bringing scandal to the gospel, bring destruction into our own lives and the lives of others), then there is something of greater concern we must consider: we may not be saved at all. Such lightheartedness towards sin betrays a lack of true understanding of the seriousness of our sin and rebellion against God.
The ultimate response to why we must fear and avoid temptation whenever possible is in the same vein of why we must not continue in sin: " 1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?" (Rom 6:1-2, ESV)
Our Challenge
Do you take temptation lightly? Are you unconcerned with being tempted? Do some of these rejections resonate with you? See the danger of temptation! It will bring dishonor to God, disgrace to the gospel, and destruction to your life and to the lives of others. You must fear temptation! Temptation is no trivial matter. It is on the path to destruction. Fight it. Resist it. And pray that God would protect you from it.