To: Hebraic-Foundations@yahoogroups.com
From: "Pastor Buddy Martin" <Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org>
Date sent: Mon, 8 Apr 2002 13:31:53 -0500
Subject: Bible Study HF059 - The Allurement of the Forbidden
Hebraics,
Jesus came to His disciples and found them sleep. The Lord says to
them, "Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into
temptation; the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." This
statement
is very telling with regard to temptations. It tells us up front that a
temptation is not something we want to enter into. And, secondly, it
tells us that temptations have their strongest avenue through our
flesh life. (The flesh life refers to that part of our lives that is not
under the influence of the Holy Spirit.)
In this study we want to look at what temptations are, how they work
in a believer's, life, and how to deal with issues of temptations. This
part of our study will deal with some basic issues. This is Bible
Study HF059 - The Allurement of the Forbidden.
Solicitations to evil come in many forms, but the source is the
same, and the goal is pretty much the same. The word 'temptation'
(peirasmos) speaks of an enticement to sin. The purpose of a
temptation is to break down a believer's faith, that is, to pull a
believer away from the Lord by way of an allurement.
In line with what Jesus said to the disciples, a temptation is
something we do not want to enter into. The reason is that in a
temptation we meet, or experience, or encounter an allurement of
Satan. A Satanic allurement can be very powerful. A temptation
from Satan, is his invitation to participate in what he has for us.
While it should be understood that a temptation itself is not a sin, it
should also be understood that a temptation can be very powerful.
This is why Jesus said we must pray so that we won't enter into a
temptation.
In the Greek text, "enter into temptation" is 'eiserchomai
eis
peirasmos.' The 'eis' denotes a movement from one realm of
reality
into another. When we enter 'into' a temptation, we actually pass
into another reality. The reality in this case proves to be Satan's
doing. But once the temptation has completed its work, the person
who has fallen into this 'alternate' reality, and then returns to their
right mind, they then wonder how it could ever have happened. This
shows the power of a temptation.
James gives us the process of a temptation. Listen carefully; "Let
no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted (tested) by
God' (or, 'God is in this.'); for God cannot be tempted by evil, and
He Himself does not tempt anyone (with evil). But each one is
tempted when he is carried away (demonic allurement) and enticed
by his own lust (strong desire). Then when lust has conceived (the
door has been walked through), it gives birth to sin; and when sin is
accomplished it brings forth death. (Something always dies. Only
God can restore life.) Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren"
(James 1:13-16)
Where James says 'Do not be deceived,' the word 'deceived' is
'planao.' It speaks of something that causes a wandering, or a
misleading. The idea behind the word 'deceive', in the Hebrew
includes the thought of 'stealing the heart.' Satan's goal in
temptation is to steal a person's heart. A person under a deception
is unable to recognize the things of God in their truthful perspective.
They are under the power of another 'reality.' And Satan has a way
of working a temptation where the person is convinced that the
thing being offered is actually of God.
There is a principle in hermeneutics that says the first time you see
a word or concept in Scripture, that setting will carry the definitive
idea of what that word or concept means throughout Scripture. The
first time we come across the word 'deceive' in the Scriptures, is
when Eve says to the Lord, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."
(Gen3:13) So the temptation of Eve, can serve as sort of a
background for how temptations work in our lives.
Now we need to take this a step further. A temptation can also be
defined as the working power of sin. For this reason sin is not
simply an act. Before the fall of Adam and Eve, they did not know
about the power of sin. After the fall they became well acquainted.
And through the fall the human race became even more acquainted
with the working of sin. Sin is enmeshed in the human makeup.
Adam and Eve became sinners. That is, they became prone to evil
because of their fallen nature. (We can cover this area further if
someone has a question.)
In regard to the temptation of Eve, a question is often asked, 'Why
Eve and not Adam?' It seems from the Scriptures that a woman,
because of her spiritual make up and nature, may be more
vulnerable to a deception than would be the man. This isn't a plus
for the man. Rather, the man, because of his nature, is more apt to
be overtly rebellious. (I can't prove this, but a pattern does seem to
be there.) Eve's sin was deception. Adam's sin was rebellion.
Lets look more closely of the aspect of temptation that has to do
with the 'forbidden.' Coming back to the law of hermeneutics, once
again in considering the temptation of Eve, from this picture it can
safely be said that for a believer, a temptations is largely going to
be in an area of something 'forbidden' by God. And this is why a
temptation from Satan is a solicitation to evil.
Remember the temptation of Eve? The serpent said to her, "Indeed,
has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?'"
Satan draws Eve into a area of reasoning, and by this process she
comes under his power. My point is that Satan doesn't always spring
a temptation on us where we instantly fall. Most often he works the
pieces together in a way that when the proper moment comes, we
step right through the door. Satan is good at painting a picture or
working a puzzle. He does it stroke by stroke, or piece by piece.
This is why the apostle warns us concerning the "schemes of the
devil." (A scheme is a well thought out plan. 'Methodeia'
means to
employ craft.)
In order to shorten the study a bit, and to allow for more discussion,
lets come back to what Jesus said about temptation. The Lord said
to his sleepy disciples, "Keep watching and praying that you may
not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing but the flesh is
weak."
The best defense against the temptations of the enemy is to live a
prayerful life. Included in this defense is the knowledge that all
believers are subject to temptations and failures.
There is so much more to be said, but I'll leave the study open at
this point for discussion.
Shalom in Christ,
Buddy
Lawrence E. (Buddy) Martin, HF Host
email: Bro.Buddy@ChristianChallenge.org
Web: http://www.ChristianChallenge.org
"See to it that no one comes short of the grace
of God; that no root of bitterness springing up
causes trouble, and by it many be defiled." (Heb12:15)