The Way Out

11/11/15

1 Corinthians 10.13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. – St. Paul

What this verse does not say is this: that I have any ability at all. What it does say is that I am going to be faced with temptation in this world – that’s just the way it goes: everyone lives with temptation. The question is: what do we do with temptation? Do I give in, or resist?

I struggle with how the concept of temptation is presented in the Scripture. It almost seems that it is presented in such a way as the damage has already been done. (Not true.) It is not a sin to be tempted; it is a sin to give into temptation. And all of us face temptation in one form or another in most of life – that is a result of the pervasiveness of sin.

But what do we do with temptation? Temptation is like a petty criminal who’s not very good at pulling of crime. Temptation is often very obvious; it’s like we can see it coming, even when it is desperately trying to conceal itself. I think, more than anything, the apostle was saying: Lookit! You’re gonna face temptation – deal with it! Just because temptation is there doesn’t mean we have to give into it.

The promise of temptation is that we’re going to find some kind of value in doing what we’re tempted to do. That’s the promise, but it is a hollow promise – which makes it a lie. Funny, how much hollow promises ring true if we let them. Paul, Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit all agree: DON’T!!

What we’re to do with temptation (whether we use it for gratification or as some kind of weapon) is resist it. To me, that is an invitation to not let it get the best of me in its clever, but slimy appeal. The worst part about the sliminess of temptation is that it seems to know the exact place of that sliminess in me – and it works hard to connect there. In Jesus however, I can look away; in Jesus I can think different thoughts; in Jesus I can look for a way out because sure enough, as obvious as temptation is – so is the way out of temptation. I can always change my mind and think about something else – or – I can think it through to its logical conclusion and make up my mind that I don’t want to do what temptation urges me to do…sometimes it is pretty insidious…

Paul isn’t saying I won’t be tempted. What he is saying is that I am not alone in my temptation: the Lord is always very near and He has offered to always lead me away from temptation to salvation.

Lord, today is a new day. Today will be filled with all kinds of stimuli to tempt me to live independently from You – may it not be, but because it is, may I stand strong in Your strength, Your presence, Your peace, and Your power to simply walk away, think away, or pray away those things that would tempt me to try to fight them in my own strength and power – in Your Name, amen.