Nuances of Temptation

In the New Testament we find two words that are both based upon one Greek word. The words are “testing” and “temptation.” Both of these words go back to the one Greek word, peirasmos. The context in which the terms are used determines the meaning.

James chapter one has both nuances. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials (peirasmois) of many kinds, because you know that the testing (not peirasmos, but dokimion) of your faith develops perseverance.” (1:2-3). The second nuance is in 1:13, “When tempted (peirazomenos), no one should say, ‘God is tempting me.” For God cannot me tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.”

When God tests us, his object is to strengthen our faith. When our evil desires or even demonic forces tempt us, the objective is to weaken our faith.

·       Temptation is normal for Christians. Remember, Jesus was tempted by Satan in the desert (Matt 4:1).

·       Temptation by itself is not sin. Jesus was tempted but did not sin.

·       Temptation is demonic in origin (The snake in the garden and Satan in the desert tempted)

J. Wilbur Chapman once said, “Temptation is the tempter looking through the keyhole into the room where you’re living; sin is your drawing back the bolt and making it possible for him to enter.”

I vividly remember preaching a sermon in German in the city of Oberursel on how God tested Abraham by commanding him to offer up his son Isaac (the promised progeny) on an altar. A  young woman stood up in the middle of my message and shouted out, “My Father in heaven would never tempt his children!” Admittedly, I was taken back, but stood my ground. I said, “The text clearly says, ‘Some time later God tested Abraham.” (Gen 22:1).

She was not to be silenced. Again, she stood up and opposed me. I had to tell her that we should continue our disagreement after the service.

Why would God test us?

The Bible gives us a number of reasons why God sends or allows us to be tested.

·       God wants our faith to be refined (“In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.” 1 Pet 1,6)

·       To reveal our faithfulness to him (see Gen 22)

·       To teach us patience (James 1;2-4)

·       To mold und shape us to become more like Christ (4:19)

When I was in high school, I started working for a janitorial company. Gene was the boss who put an ad on the bulletin board in the school, and I responded. He taught us how to clean offices and shop floors, strip, wax, seal, and buff floors. Within six months he appointed me his foreman. In my junior year of high school, I knew that God had called me into full time ministry. I set my sight on theological training and applied to a Bible College. During this time Gene came up to me one day and said that he was planning on starting a new company and wanted me to be his partner. We would split everything fifty-fifty. He told me that I could make a lot of money, marry my girlfriend, buy a house and have a great life. The offer was tempting.

I realized I was being tested to vocationally go down a path that God had not laid out for me. Though humbled by Gene’s offer, I declined respectfully telling him why I couldn’t join his new venture.

Call to action

Think about the past twenty-four hours of your life. Can you identify specific areas of either testing or temptation? How did you respond?

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