Temptation

March 15, 2022

Last night in our men’s Bible study group, we talked about temptation, and defined as anything that distracts or deters us from God’s purpose for us. It doesn’t have to involve horrible, bad thoughts or deeds. Even good things can be a temptation if they keep us from God’s purposes.

Of course, if we are to deal effectively with temptation as defined this way, if we are to recognize and resist it, we must know what God’s purposes for us are. The Westminster Catechism helps here: “The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” I tend to focus on glorifying God (which can deteriorate into legalism), but neglect the part about enjoying him. Perhaps it’s because I am pretty reserved emotionally, but I know my Cuban friends worship exuberantly, singing and dancing, while I tend to stand on the sidelines only tentatively able to join in.

In Ephesian 1, Paul reveals God’s purpose for us in words like “predestined,” and “his will.” These purposes are, 1) to be holy and without blame before him (v.4), 2) to praise his glorious grace (v.6), 3) to know the mystery of his will (v.9) ie, bringing everything to Christ, 4) to know him (v.17), 5) to know the hope of his calling, the riches of Christ’s inheritance in us, and his great power (vv.18-19), and 6) to do good works (2:10). These are descriptions of God’s purpose for us; temptation is anything that would prevent us from these goals.

Praising God for his grace is mentioned three times (1:6, 12, 14), which accords with the Westminster Catechism’s enjoying God. I am seriously deficient in this. Little children if not abused, are experts in praise and wonder, which may be why Jesus held them in such high regard as an example for us who wish to enter the kingdom of God. 

When one has been a Christ-follower for some years, it is easy to imagine being beyond temptation. The old sins of our youth may be behind us, but we never get beyond the distractions of this life that would keep us from glorifying God and enjoying his presence. For me, the latter means giving more attention to praise and thanksgiving. Giving attention to these spiritual disciplines are the among the best means I know to both avoid and resist temptation.