Previous Questions and Answers
Subject: Temptation
Does God arrange our
temptations?
The word
arrange
is defined as “to put into a proper order or into a correct or suitable
sequence, relationship, or adjustment” (Merriam-Webster’s 11th
Collegiate Dictionary).
God does not “arrange”
temptations in the sense of being the one who brings temptation before us.
James 1:13 says, "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:”
God does “allow,” with certain conditions, Satan to
tempt mankind.
Job 1:6-12
says, "Now there was a day when the sons of
God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
And
the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and
said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
And
the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that
there is none like
him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and
escheweth evil? Then
Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Hast
not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he
hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance
is increased in the land.
But
put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to
thy face. And
the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath
is in thy power;
only upon himself put not forth thine hand.
So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.”
This is also what happened to David in the matter of
numbering the people of Israel.
2 Samuel
24:1-3 says, "And again the anger of the LORD
was kindled against Israel, and he moved David against them to say, Go, number
Israel and Judah. For
the king said to Joab the captain of the host, which
was with him, Go
now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan even to Beer-sheba, and number ye
the people, that I may know the number of the people.
And
Joab said unto the king, Now the LORD thy God add unto the people, how many
soever they be, an hundredfold, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see
it: but why
doth my lord the king delight in this thing?”
The Bible tells us that it was God allowing
Satan, as He did with Job, to tempt David.
1 Chronicles 21:1-3 says, "And
Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.
And
David said to Joab and to the rulers of the people, Go, number Israel from
Beer-sheba even to Dan; and bring the number of them to me, that I may know
it.
And
Joab answered, The LORD make his people an hundred times so many more as they
be: but, my
lord the king, are
they not all my lord's servants? why then doth my lord require this thing? why
will he be a cause of trespass to Israel?”
God always makes a way for us to escape temptation.
1 Corinthians 10:13 says, "There hath no
temptation taken you but such as is common to man:
but God
is faithful,
who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the
temptation also make a way to escape,
that ye may be able to bear it.”
When we fall to temptation, the problem is with us,
not with God.
Matthew
26:41 says, “Watch
and pray, that ye enter not into temptation:
the spirit indeed
is willing, but the flesh
is weak.”
When we fall to temptation, we are giving in
to the weakness of our flesh.
Sometimes people complain that they faced
temptation, and they could not find a way to escape.
The problem is that the flesh does not want to
find the way of escape.
James
1:14-15 says, “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.”
How much better to start out the day praying that God would keep us from temptation, rather than finding ourselves in the middle of a temptation, and then trying to find a way to escape. How much better to be told, “Do not go down that path, for a lion is loose down there!” rather than go down that path, and be confronted with the lion, and then frantically try and find a way to escape. The same holds true with temptation. Matthew 26:41 says, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
