Fighting TemptationSample

Temptation’s Lies

Genesis teaches us important lessons about temptation.

In Genesis 2:16-17, God permitted Adam and Eve to eat from every tree in the garden except one.

He warned them that if they ate from it, they would surely die. This rule wasn't random. The tree symbolized God's authority. It reminded Adam that he lived in God's world and needed to obey Him.

In Genesis 3, Eve was tempted to eat from that tree. Three qualities made it attractive to her:

1.It looked like it would satisfy a craving. Eve saw that the tree was good for food. It appealed to her physical desires and cravings for satisfaction. Temptation always seems like a solution to our needs.

2.It looked alluring. The tree was a delight to the eyes. Sin always looks appealing. It’s hard to resist because it looks so good.

3.It looked wise. Eating from the tree was "desirable for obtaining wisdom.” Rather than submitting to God’s wisdom, temptation promises that we can achieve wisdom on our own terms.

I notice these same three qualities in every temptation I face.

Temptation always promises to satisfy a craving. It always looks alluring. It always looks like a smart choice that allows us to get our own way.

But when men give in to temptation, it’s always disastrous. Temptation never delivers what it promises. Sin brought death and destruction into the world, and we’ve been living with the consequences ever since.

“Satan gives Adam an apple, and takes away paradise,” says Richard Sibbes. “Therefore in all temptations consider not what he offers, but what we shall lose.”[1]

One way to resist temptation is to learn how to spot temptation’s lies. Temptation never satisfies the craving as it promises. It’s like drinking salt water to satisfy our thirst. It looks alluring, but its ugliness shows up later. It looks wise, but it leads to destruction.

Men, learn how to spot and resist temptation’s lies.

Prayer: Lord, please help me to see temptation for the lie that it is and consider what I will lose if I give in to it. Give me the strength to resist. Amen.

Reflection: How does understanding the nature of temptation help you battle it?

[1] Sibbes, Richard. The Bruised Reed, p. 45.