What do we need to do when we are exposed to temptations? Is there any way to escape them? Which is the key?
It is important to acknowledge that no one is completely secure when it comes to temptations, and even I, the one writing about this, can fall victim to them. We can give many examples through situations of what a temptation is. There are sexual temptations; there are also temptations related to addictions or money or a desire to have something. Someone might be just tempted to react in an impulsive way or get angry and upset about something. All of these things all together take part in what a temptation is. As we said, no one is secure in not falling into it. We see examples in the Bible, such as the one of King David, who committed adultery and other sins later on as a consequence of it (2 Samuel 11).
Proverbs 7:24-26 states:
24 Now therefore, listen to me, my children;
Pay attention to the words of my mouth:
25 Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways,
Do not stray into her paths;
26 For she has cast down many wounded,
And all who were slain by her were strong men.
We are talking of strong men here. Strong in faith obviously. Chapter 7 of Proverbs speaks about an adulteress woman who entices a person to go with her. It gives an example of adultery, but in general, to me, it talks about any kind of sin and temptation.
In Hebrews 12:1, 2 we read:
“Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
This passage talks about two things: about sin and how to run the race with endurance and overcome it – by looking into Jesus. It says that we should lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily ensnares us. Sin might also be addictive. Many times, what really kept me from falling into sin was that I knew that after I was going to repeat it again and maybe persist into it. I am not referring to addictive substances here but to the sin in itself in general. The sin ensnares us and enslaves us quickly, giving us apparent freedom but leading us to death in the end.
“There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 14:12)
You start depending on it. By saying this, I am not saying that I am not tempted, and I never ever sin. The Bible says that all of us are sinners and there is also a sin dwelling in us, and even godly people battle with it daily (Romans 7:23). Still, there is a difference between the original sin that we face daily and we always will need to be cleansed from and the one that we do more purposely or better said more consciously. Yes, all of the sins we do are done by us, and we are responsible for them, but there are some sins done more intentionally by our side, with more purpose, knowing already what we are doing. Surely, we need to repent from all sin, but there is one that is done more consciously, and the weight, if we can say so, is heavier. The Bible also makes a difference in the kinds of sins committed. Obviously, also, the people sinning subconsciously without clearly acknowledging it need to be forgiven by His grace and mercy. Everything comes to this point because, without His grace, we can’t survive, no matter if we have sinned little or a lot.
We have to say that the Bible speaks about believers getting sanctified and becoming more like Jesus by being transformed according to His image.
“But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18)
Obviously, it is easy to conclude and say that everyone is a sinner and to justify our behavior with this statement. Still, a spiritual person who has been reborn is in constant transformation and sanctification happening by looking into Jesus.
Sin by himself is actually “missing the mark.” This is the other meaning of the Greek word used for sin in the New Testament. And how can we hit that mark? How can we do things in the right way? Only by Jesus and His power dwelling in us. It is never by our own strength.
One of the ways to protect ourselves from sin and temptation is to realize that we can easily fall into it, that we are never completely over it, and that only by the blood of Jesus and by faith in Him can we stand and overcome it. To think that we are already strong and that nothing can ever happen is to think that we can overcome it by ourselves and rely on our own strength. We do not stand by ourselves, by our strength, but by Him.
“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12)
Notice that here, it speaks for the one who thinks he stands, not for the one who actually does. He was probably thinking that he was able enough already to resist, and therefore, he was thinking he stood.
With this, I am not saying that we need to live constantly in fear of falling into sin because it is wrong as well but to fear God and be respectful to Him. This is one of the keys.
We can also look at the verse that comes right after 1 Corinthians 10:12.
“No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1 Corinthians 10:13)
This is an invitation and a promise for us to know that we do not necessarily have to fall into temptation, even if it looks strong, but we need to resist it, standing in the faith.
What do we need to do when facing temptation, we are tempted, and everything in us cries out and desires that sin? Yeah, it is easy to say and harder to do, but nevertheless, we need to resist it. The first option, obviously, is to pray at that very moment. We always need to do it, even if sometimes we cannot focus, but it is one of the most effective solutions. At other times, we must resist the temptation, and later on, it will surely be gone. We just need to resist. Of course, turning away from that particular situation or temptation is also an effective solution and must be done most of the time. We need to realize our weaknesses and avoid them as well. This kind of attitude should be always present in us. Sometimes, we need to “flee” from sin and temptation.
“Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (2 Timothy 2:22)
Many times, we also need to burn ourselves so that we can know how much it hurts and, in this way, avoid it the next time. Sometimes, this happened to me, and it helped me learn my lesson. It is the same as a small kid who has been told not to touch the pot on the stove, but later on, he is doing it and learns his lesson that way. True Christians know that even though God loves them and forgives sin when they truly acknowledge it, He still corrects them because they are His children. This is also how His love is expressed toward them. Sometimes, the correction is unpleasant, but it is for good. In Hebrews 12:7-11 we read:
7 If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons. 9 Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits and live? 10 For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best to them, but He for our profit, that we may be partakers of His holiness. 11 Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
We also need to understand that when God gives us a word, it is most of the time, if not always, primarily for us so that He can warn us. Thinking that we are above all and that the word we receive is mostly for others will make us lower our guard and will ease falling into temptation or sin. Every time, even when we know that a certain message we receive is for others, we need to examine ourselves if we do what that message says. Because when God sends His word or warns us, He is doing that because He wants us to avoid danger and failure. He doesn’t want to hurt us by correcting us, but on the contrary, He wants to spare us the consequences of sin and the pain it causes.
“Do not withhold correction from a child, for if you beat him with a rod, he will not die.” (Proverbs 23:13)
This is God's correction towards us. He knows what would happen if we continued to go our own way. That’s why He wants us to avoid that. Obviously, this is the character of God, and if He corrects someone, it is for a purpose and for good. Not like many people who have unfortunately misunderstood this aspect and correct others or their own children without any meaningful purpose, doing so just for the sake of it, the Bible teaches that God corrects us for our benefit. That’s why we need to understand this verse very well and have experiences before we can discern and correct someone. God’s example of how He is dealing with His children is the best example we can ever find of how we need to deal with other people and our own children.
One of the reasons for us as well to avoid falling into sin, besides that it can entangle us, is that there are consequences for each sin. We can see this in the story of King David.
9 Why have you despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon. 10 Now therefore, the sword shall never depart from your house, because you have despised Me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife.’ 11 Thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will raise up adversity against you from your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this sun. (2 Samuel 12:9-11)
This was said by the prophet Nathan to David after he committed adultery with the wife of Uriah. We can see two things that were about to happen to him – the sword would never depart from his house, and his wives would be taken away from him. Exactly the same things that he did. He took the wife of his neighbor and killed him by sending him to the most dangerous place of war, leaving him there.
David repented and was forgiven, but there were still these consequences. God often corrects us for our sins so we can know their gravity and not return to them again. He knows that if we sin deliberately and repeatedly, we can end up worse and lose everything. He wants us to avoid that because He loves us. That’s why He corrects us – for love.
Even though God can forgive us and cleanse us from that sin, we will still bear its consequences. This refers to the sins committed intentionally by us.
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