Temptation is not a Sin

[stephen]

"Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which comes upon you to prove you - 1 Peter 4:12 RSV

When I was a young Christian I got very puzzled by the fact that I seemed to be tempted in all kinds of ways, much more then other people seemed to be. They talked of the victorious Christian life, and I did not quite understand that they had the same kind of temptations as I had. I remember being for very long times of quiet on my knees, trying to seek out from God why it was that I was undergoing such terrible pressures. And I learned ever so slowly that this was not a proof that I was a poor backslidden sinner, but that in fact I was one of the Lord's own children, and that Satan was interested in me simply for that reason.
Therefore instead of getting overwhelmed in a situation of constant temptation, I was to lift up my head and look to the Almighty God who claimed me as His own, and thank him for the trials and testing's through which I was being brought.

Temptation is not sin.

The Lord Jesus was tempted in all points just as we are, yet without sin. And, Christian brother or sister, if you are feeling in your life the appalling pressures of the world and the flesh and the devil, then look up to God your Saviour, and thank Him. Within you, Christians, there is the Lord, the life giving Spirit. You are not alone, but have the power of Almighty God at work in your life. And no matter how Satan may pull, if you live a Spirit-orientated life, then Satan cannot overcome you.
The pressures are still there, the attractions of the world are still there: but live your life Spirit-orientated, relying on the power of the Holy Spirit who possesses and fills your life, "and sin shall not have dominion over you". And may I say it? - the power of Almighty God makes the strongest power of Satan's seducing work very trivial indeed.

 

[RJ]

Temptation is not sin.

No, succumbing to it is!:glasses:

 

[Fragrant Grace]

No, succumbing to it is!:glasses:

Praise the Lord!
He always provides a way so that we don't have to succumb
Thats true....His word says so

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.
1 Corinthians 10:13

 

[Wired 4 Fishen]

No, succumbing to it is!:glasses:

Amen to that RJ but then again how many times does a Christian bring on their own temptations ? This is when it gets hard to find Gods way out.
Blessings
Jim

 

[Peter]

I believe there can be an element of error with temptation.

The tempest (satan) tempts.

1. We may recognize a temptation that has not tempt us. A person remains with the truth.
2. We may become tempted, considering it. Distracting a person from the truth.
3. We may succumb to the temptation, which is surrender to it, become it. Distracted a person from the truth.

I believe Jesus's, so called temptations, were not as such, but as in # 1.
# 2, has already wavered a person from the truth. May not be a sin, but any consideration is like daring to play god, i.e., tempting self (as Jim said) into believing one may get away with it.
# 3, No truth in sight. A sin.

 

[RJ]

I believe Jesus's, so called temptations

Why do you say "so called"?

 

[Peter]

Why do you say "so called"?

Hello RJ.
Only because I do not believe Jesus was tempted. That is, satan tempted to tempt Jesus, but Jesus was not tempted.

 

[RJ]

Hello RJ.
Only because I do not believe Jesus was tempted. That is, satan tempted to tempt Jesus, but Jesus was not tempted.

That is truly odd. With respect to tempted meaning to entice or attempt to entice, how can you say Jesus was not tempted?
Mark 1:13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan.
As best as I can see, Satan tempted Jesus for sure, he just wasn't successful!

 

[Peter]

That is truly odd. With respect to tempted meaning to entice or attempt to entice, how can you can Jesus was not tempted?
Mark 1:13 And he was in the wilderness forty days, being tempted by Satan.

That is right, satan was tempting Jesus. I do not read it as Jesus was tempted to consider satan's proposals.

As an analogy, suppose a person tempts you to sin. Then it can be said that you were being tempted by that person.
However, lets say, you were not tempted/considered to do the sin, so it was not a temptation, only an attempt from the other person.

 

[RJ]

That is right, satan was tempting Jesus. I do not read it as Jesus was tempted to consider satan's proposals.

As an analogy, suppose a person tempts you to sin. Then it can be said that you were being tempted by that person.
However, lets say, you were not tempted/considered to do the sin, so it was not a temptation, only an attempt from the other person.

Sorry, that is silly nonsense. You plainly don't understand the purpose of Satan's temptation of Jesus!

 

[Peter]

Please explain it to me.

 

[RJ]

Please explain it to me.

Sure:

• First, God says he was tempted in Mark 1:13. Unless you disagree with scripture and insist on your odd interpretation! I not only think you have been tempted with this false doctrine, but you, unlike Jesus, have fully accepted it!
  
• Hebrews 10:14 For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. You don't understand that Jesus had to be the perfect sacrifice. Satan wasn't playing games and God, took no other course, and allowed Satan to tempt Jesus perfectly and in every way! In this same way Satan is always tempting us and we fail.
• Because Jesus was the perfect sacrifice, and lives in us, God can continue to keep his promise to look at our sin no more.

 

[Peter]

Thank you RJ. I understand what you are saying.
I am sorry, if you have felt any resentment towards me for this misunderstanding between the words tempted and temptation.

 

[RJ]

Thank you RJ. I understand what you are saying.
I am sorry, if you have felt any resentment towards me for this misunderstanding between the words tempted and temptation.

I have no resentment. I see no difference between the two. You started this thread by saying "Temptation is not a sin", then you further intimate that Jesus was not tempted, perhaps we agree on the same thing and the difference is semantics. The only communication we have here is writing our thoughts down, so it is best we take care how we say things. Simply, temptation is a sin for the one doing it, and, on the other hand, temptation is not a sin if you do not succumb to the temptation. SO, you agree, right?

 

[Peter]

Hello RJ.

Simply, temptation is a sin for the one doing it, and, on the other hand, temptation is not a sin if you do not succumb to the temptation. SO, you agree, right?

Yes.

 

[TaylorDonBarret]

Peter and RJ...

my own personal opinion about Jesus, and whether or not He was tempted=

scripture makes it clear that Satan tempted Jesus, and that Jesus was tempted in every way that we can be tempted.

However, i do not think that Jesus actually ever felt the desire to sin. while Satan tempted Jesus, I do not think that Jesus was ever actually influenced by that temptation.

SO i would agree with Peter on that point.

However, there is a theory that, when Jesus was hanging on the cross, when He said "My God, why have you forsaken me?", that in that moment God removed Himself from Jesus, and let all of darkness rush upon Him, overwhelming Him with all the sinful emotions and desires that this evil world has to offer. So, in that moment, according to this theory, Jesus would have felt the emotions which cause people to desire to murder, to rape, to steal, to blaspheme, to idolatry, to commit adultery, to engage in homosexuality, to use drugs, and etc etc etc. In that moment, according to this theory, Jesus would have actually felt "the desire" to engage in all those forms of sins, indeed every form on sin, but would have resisted, being God who could not actually give in, but by experiencing these feelings He would truly become able to relate to and mediate on behalf of every kind of sinner.

 

[RJ]

However, i do not think that Jesus actually ever felt the desire to sin. while Satan tempted Jesus, I do not think that Jesus was ever actually influenced by that temptation.

Seems obvious to me!

 

[Peter]

However, there is a theory that, when Jesus was hanging on the cross, when He said "My God, why have you forsaken me?", that in that moment God removed Himself from Jesus, and let all of darkness rush upon Him, overwhelming Him with all the sinful emotions and desires that this evil world has to offer. So, in that moment, according to this theory, Jesus would have felt the emotions which cause people to desire to murder, to rape, to steal, to blaspheme, to idolatry, to commit adultery, to engage in homosexuality, to use drugs, and etc etc etc. In that moment, according to this theory, Jesus would have actually felt "the desire" to engage in all those forms of sins, indeed every form on sin, but would have resisted, being God who could not actually give in, but by experiencing these feelings He would truly become able to relate to and mediate on behalf of every kind of sinner.

Hello TaylorDonBarret.
Fear is behind every form of sin. I would say that Jesus, at the moment, had a rush of fear.
This would have left him open, to be tempted again, to avoid his fears, if he chose to. But instead he faced them victoriously.

 

[RJ]

Fear is behind every form of sin.

I wish you would expand on this, I just don't see every form of sin arising from fear.

I would say that Jesus, at the moment, had a rush of fear.

I see no indication that Jesus feared Satin. As very human, I think what he feared was having to bear the pain of taking on all the worlds sin past, present and future.

 

[Peter]

I wish you would expand on this, I just don't see every form of sin arising from fear.

I have learnt that we can only come from two places. From truth or untruth. In other words, from love or from fear.
At the depth of it all, it really is that white and black. God or no god.
Look deeply, and show me a sin that is not from fear.

I see no indication that Jesus feared Satin....

I did not mention satan.

... As very human, I think what he feared was having to bear the pain of taking on all the worlds sin past, present and future.

I think so too.