I don’t like verse 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 . . . .” Do you see what I mean? I always want to think it’s harder for me, my struggles are greater, my burden weightier, and my temptations beyond what any mortal could withstand. However, the original language says these temptations are characteristic of people. The truth is that really what I’m experiencing is common, everyday, and even mundane.
Really these are words of comfort. Even though we might be tempted (there’s that tempting idea again) to think that we’re all alone in our temptation and that no one can understand our affliction, the truth is others can and they can help us.
Have you ever watched one of those nature channels where the lionesses attack a herd of wildebeests? Often the one that get’s eaten is the one the lionesses are able to separate from the herd. Keep that in mind and re-read v. 20, “No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.” If the demonic is real (and Paul just said it is if you like it or not) then it stands to reason that as they tempt us, one of the tactics they would use would be to isolate us.
No temptation has overtaken us that is not common to people, and the passage continues, “but with temptation he [God] will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” Two key words: escape and endure.
Often when we think of escaping temptation we think that we get beyond it’s destructive influence so that the particular temptation cannot harm us again. However, if that is escape, why then does Paul add, “that you may be able to endure it”? Escape sounds like a moment and it’s done. Endure sounds like this could take a long time!
Escape is a moment as we endure temptation our whole life here on Earth. Enduring temptation is normal in life this side of Glory. Escaping may be possible on our own (sometimes), but enduring . . . that’s a different matter. To endure we need the herd. We need our brothers and sisters who have faced that common temptation to stand with us and encourage us, and at times we will do the same for them. Together we can remind one another that we do not live for our own glory our own benefit, but our lives are for God’s glory.
We do well to learn from the mistakes of others, whether it’s the believers of the Old Testament, or our brothers and sisters who surround us today. We also do well to support one another and point one another back to our source of power in the face of temptation: Jesus Christ and him crucified.
One thing that is beautiful about God’s grace is that it is given to us even though we don’t deserve it and as we make mistakes falling into sin. God does not abandon us when we sin. We should not abandon one another either but share that grace that we have received to support one another, after all our temptations are common to all of us. Let’s give up the comparisons and delusions that our temptations are worse than everyone else’s and that we need to stand alone. We have Jesus with us always, but we also have our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Really these are words of comfort. Even though we might be tempted (there’s that tempting idea again) to think that we’re all alone in our temptation and that no one can understand our affliction, the truth is others can and they can help us.
Have you ever watched one of those nature channels where the lionesses attack a herd of wildebeests? Often the one that get’s eaten is the one the lionesses are able to separate from the herd. Keep that in mind and re-read v. 20, “No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons.” If the demonic is real (and Paul just said it is if you like it or not) then it stands to reason that as they tempt us, one of the tactics they would use would be to isolate us.
No temptation has overtaken us that is not common to people, and the passage continues, “but with temptation he [God] will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” Two key words: escape and endure.
Often when we think of escaping temptation we think that we get beyond it’s destructive influence so that the particular temptation cannot harm us again. However, if that is escape, why then does Paul add, “that you may be able to endure it”? Escape sounds like a moment and it’s done. Endure sounds like this could take a long time!
Escape is a moment as we endure temptation our whole life here on Earth. Enduring temptation is normal in life this side of Glory. Escaping may be possible on our own (sometimes), but enduring . . . that’s a different matter. To endure we need the herd. We need our brothers and sisters who have faced that common temptation to stand with us and encourage us, and at times we will do the same for them. Together we can remind one another that we do not live for our own glory our own benefit, but our lives are for God’s glory.
We do well to learn from the mistakes of others, whether it’s the believers of the Old Testament, or our brothers and sisters who surround us today. We also do well to support one another and point one another back to our source of power in the face of temptation: Jesus Christ and him crucified.
One thing that is beautiful about God’s grace is that it is given to us even though we don’t deserve it and as we make mistakes falling into sin. God does not abandon us when we sin. We should not abandon one another either but share that grace that we have received to support one another, after all our temptations are common to all of us. Let’s give up the comparisons and delusions that our temptations are worse than everyone else’s and that we need to stand alone. We have Jesus with us always, but we also have our brothers and sisters in Christ.
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