The problem of temptation to believers: its source and definition
Contents
Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 1
Thesis Statement………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 2
The Need for Study……………………………………………………………………………………………………. 3
Temptation
Jesus and Temptation
The Procedure for Study…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6
world
Flesh
devil
Conclusion …………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 13
Bibliography ………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 14
Thesis statement
This research paper delves into the definition and source of temptation pertaining to Christian teachings and scholarly studies, intending to enrich the knowledge on the subject.
Introduction
This research paper intends to delve into the question of the source of temptation and its definition. However, in my arguments, I present the facts showing that a Christian or any other person is not exempt from temptation, and ultimately temptation is unavoidable. In the Bible, God assures the believer that He will make a way of escape from temptation (1 Cor. 10-13), and that he knows a way to rescue those qualified as godly from the trials (2 Pet. 2-9 NIV). For this purpose and definition, only I would like to utilize the interpretation of the word temptation from Elwell. He described temptation as “the act of tempting or the state of being tempted.”[1] The bible has an elaborate description and history of sin. It is recorded that Satan desired to overthrow God but was defeated and thrown down from heaven. Right from the Garden of Eden, therefore, Satan perfected temptation as a tool to separate man from his creator. According to Bernard L. Ramm, no one can stand the ultimate scrutiny because all are vulnerable to temptation.[2]
The Need for the Study
Temptation
Scholars have done numerous studies to expound on temptation, what it means, and the sources.[3] The King James Version dictionary states that there are many definitions for the word temptation. The first is a solicitation of passions or enticements to evil proceedings from the prospect of pleasure or advantage. Another explanation is the state of being tempted or enticed to evil, and yet another is simply a trial. There are also many ways to be tempted, lust, money, and pride are just a few.[4]
By conducting this research, I hope to expound more on the actual source of temptation. Throughout history, scholars have pondered on this question, and the different conclusions arrived at, while insightful, have added to the confusion. For early Christians, trials were a mark of their distinct faith and thus a welcomed phenomenon (James 1:2; Romans 5:3-4; cf. 1 Peter 1:6-7). The trials served as a means for self-assessment and practice of endurance for the early believers.
Enns mentions that the example seen in Jesus during his ministry should be a testament that all will be tempted (Luke 4:13; 22:28; Mark 8:11). His temptation was testing and demonstration of his purity and sinlessness (Heb. 4:15) without any possibility of enticement to evil (James 1:13).”[5] For a better explanation of this statement, I want to present one of the best representation from Charles Hodge. “If He was a true man, he must have been capable of sinning. Temptations are different from sin in that only after giving in to temptation is one separated from God’s glory. That, Jesus, did not sin under the greatest provocation is held up to us as an example. If from the constitution of his person, it was impossible for Christ to sin, then his temptation was unreal and without effect, and he cannot sympathize with his people.”[6]
In this contemporary world as well, people know that temptation has always been there since the creation of humanity. Sin is the act of transgression against divine law, but we can still fight against sin by allowing God to guide us through His Holy Spirit and battle temptations completely. God always intervenes in history, raise the dead, defeat evil once for all, and establish his kingdom of peace. Nonetheless, there is a myriad of ways one can be tempted. For example, the temptation to anger, temptation to seek revenge, and sexual temptation, to mention a few.[7]
Jesus and Temptation
There are many studies on the temptations of Jesus, and consequently, many discrepancies arise.[8] Scholars also have many interpretations of the temptation of Jesus and how evil would like to change around God’s plan and will. Nyende argues that “in the epistle of Hebrew, the purpose of Jesus’ temptations is understood as designed to enable fully his priestly role of intercession for those in temptation whom he represents before God.”[9] I want to pay attention to the main temptation out of the three during Jesus’ ministry. While he was in the wilderness, Nyende says; the temptation to have the kingdoms of the world by worshiping the devil (Matt. 4:8–10 and Luke 4:5–8) is almost unanimously viewed as a test of whether Jesus would choose to be God’s Messiah and have the kingdoms of the world, for which he would have to suffer and die, or be the devil’s Messiah and have the kingdoms of the world by worshiping him, without the necessity of suffering and dying.”[10]
Nyende mentions that he is aware of his conclusion and his writing for those who would like a better explanation of his argument; “I am aware that my concrete demonstration of Hebrews’ enrichment to apprehensions of the purpose of Jesus’ temptations is remote territory in academic theology; given our preoccupation with, on the one hand, doctrinal, historical, and literary studies of the Bible, and, relatively recently, with socio-economic, political, gendered, and cultural interpretations of the Bible on the other. This is to say that in academic theology, there is an apparent dearth of a theological scholarship of the contemplative and experiential ilk.”[11] There is, therefore, a need to expound more on topics, such as temptation and its sources, to help enrich others and ourselves.
I believe that this research will be a valuable addition to the already available literature touching on temptation and other related topics. Furthermore, the many confusing works of literature on the topic need to be compared to get a clear picture of the theological perspective as well as the biblical teachings. Various biblical books in both the old testament and the new testament give somewhat contradicting views on the exact sources of trials.[12]
There are many instances when the Hebrew scriptures point to God as the agent of testing. They read that God uses testing as an act of investigation and discipline. Abraham’s near-sacrifice of his son Isaac is one example (Gen 22:1) where both the father and the son were tested. Other trials in the Old Testament can be found in Deut. 4:34, 29:3, 7:19; Exodus 16:4, 15:25: Psalms 66:10; Deut. 8:2-5. According to Coble, God’s testing was meant to ascertain whether the Israelites were fully obedient.[13] However, the assertion that God brings the temptation to believers has been denounced by many scholars and new testament books. There is also an argument that God and Satan act as partners in testing believers.[14] It is clear that darkness and light cannot coexist, and therefore God and Satan cannot work together as partners.[15] This assertion goes against every principle laid down on the bible and tries to point to God as condoning and encouraging sin. There is, therefore, a need to examine the literature to ascertain the truth of the matter of the sources of temptation.
The Procedure for the Study
How believers are tempted
Every human being is created free to make choices in life without being forced by God. However, the devil lacks the power to force believers into doing anything (Rom. 8:38,39) and, therefore, will use temptation to entice them into sin.[16] Believers are assured that God would not allow temptation that they cannot withstand (1 Corinthians 10:13). The book of 1 John 2:15-17 illustrates how believers are tempted. These avenues of temptation are the lust of the flesh, the lust of eyes, and pride of life. The lust of the flesh comprises all which our flesh desires, including sex, food, and even drugs. Lust of the eyes refers to that which our eyes desire, such as coveting our neighbor’s spouse, house, or possession. On the other hand, one’s ambition may be unbridled, causing him or her to fall victim to temptation through the pride of life. These temptations consist of a love of money and wealth. Coble asserts that by taking control of these three, one can be able to master his relationship with God.[17] Although history records many gods that are worshiped other than Yahweh, today, many are idol-worshipping without realizing it. Remember, idolatry is loving anything and placing it as more important than God. Therefore, money, jobs, family, etc. can be idols to some people.
So, what is temptation? James 1:4 gives guidance as to what it means to be tempted; “…very man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed.” Therefore, to be tempted is to be “drawn away from” from that which is godly. As all are tempted according to the magnitude of their faith, some temptations can be devastating to one person but have no effect on others. The devil artfully strikes at one’s weakness (1 Peter 5:8); thus, all believers must aspire to overcome their weaknesses as they battle with temptation. While most people see temptation as a bad experience, sometimes it can be a good thing by strengthening a believer’s faith.[18] James 1:2-4 shows that Christians should be joyful for being tempted because they are being made perfect.
Sources of temptation
The world as a source of sin
During this research, I will present the source of sin as the world. In 1 John 2:15a, believers are advised not to love the world or things in it. The design of the world is to cater to the desires of men; thus, those who love earthly possessions will be tempted to accumulate more. From this theme, it is evident that where one’s treasure is, there is his heart, too (Matthew 6:21). According to Elwell, everything in the world is given to us by God for free enjoyment, but they are not to be our motivation in life.[19] The believers should, therefore, separate from the world if they are to avoid sin. In the entire bible, it is evident that God’s people are different and uniquely set-aside for him. To avoid temptations, therefore, Christians must separate themselves from earthly things by being free of their influence and control. It is common to hear people say that the bible does not say you cannot smoke, dance, pray, etc. but this should not be an excuse to indulge in some ungodly activities. Himes reiterates that being in the world is doing things in the same way people of the world do, i.e., behaving like and mirroring the system of the world. When caught in the system, people tend to live for self-gratification (2 Timothy 3:2-5).[20]
In Matthew 13:22, when Jesus is interpreting the parable of the Sower, he mentions how the cares and temptations of the world choke God’s word causing unfruitfulness. This is a clear indication that the world can be a source of temptation causing some believers to sin. Martin Luther has also thought on the source of temptation and asserted that the world “assails us by word and deed” in a bid to ensure conformity to its standards, hence resulting in hatred, envy, and pride. The same warning is given in James 4:4, which emphasizes that friendship with the world equals hatred for God.
The flesh as a source of sin
James 1:13-14 reiterates that God does not tempt humankind, but temptation comes due to people’s own evil desires. Therefore, the source of temptation is within oneself. With the fall of Adam, every person is sinful in nature and seek self-gratification. For instance, let’s look at the verse Paul brings to the Galatians in 5:16. “So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.” First of all, we need to be sure that Paul is talking about himself and not about any other person, if we compare that verse with (James 1:14) “but each person is tempted by evil and when they are dragged away by their evil desire and enticed.” Notice that Paul is talking about him and also refer to each person as the one who might be tempted by evil.
Every time Paul uses “I” in a statement it “is an autobiographical denoting the experience of his own person as an apostle.”[21] Schreiner argues that the statement is the closest to the truth, about Paul and I agreed with it. In Galatians 5:16, Paul begins to explain how spiritual life works in relationship to Christ and the Holy Spirit. It is a Christian’s internal battle; if believers want to conquer the flesh, they must continually yield to the Holy Spirit.[22] Bruce also mentions; that the word “flesh” is significantly used in Paul’s writings in reference to the undegenerated person.[23] Speaking of his old “I: he says in Romans 7: “I am fleshy.” Not merely his nature or a particular part of his being is fleshy; the “I” means Paul’s whole being is fleshy. He reiterates this thought in verse 18.[24] This indicates that every person needs to understand their inner man, personality, and consciousness, and also know that their soul is connected to the spiritual world through man’s spirit. “The soul must decide whether it is to obey the spirit, and hence be united with God and His will, or to yield to the body and all the temptations of the material world.”[25] McCabe still indicates that “The letter of James is not a compendium of isolated traditional materials. It is a coherent appeal to endure temptation in humble reliance on a provident deity, elaborated particularly with respect to the three broad areas of good deeds, control of speech, and a gentle disposition.”[26] Meaning desire is the action of the flesh, and following those will destroy the human condition, not to mention the relationship with God. One of the most important McCabe articles about the warfare between the flesh and the human spirit is that; he mentions; “the peace of Christ and the joy of Christ and the love of Christ possess us, (we already know this) and he kept writing, and, “whatever battles remain to be fought, the outcome of the warfare between the love and the human spirit is no longer in doubt. Spiritual formation in Christ conquers the flesh and makes the servant of the spirit, human and divine. That is the testimony of Paul, and the testimony of disciples thought he ages.”[27]
The devil as a source of temptation
James 4:7 and 1 Peter 5:8 have striking similarities that describe the devil as the source of temptation. These two books share the same time of authorship, and their language show resemblance when describing temptation.[28] The implication is that we ought to interpret ‘the devil’ in James 4:7 the same way that we interpret ‘the devil’ in 1 Peter 5:8.
Furthermore, most Christadelphian exegetes have acknowledged that the devil in 1 Peter 5:8 refers to an external entity, by comparing it with other text from the same period. Perhaps the most relatable parallel to this verse is Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. At the end of the narrative, it is said that the Devil left Jesus (Matthew 4:11; Luke 4:13). From reading the text, it is evident that there was a dialogue between two beings, Jesus and the devil. Although some may claim that this was all in Jesus’ mind[29], it is necessary to differentiate this narrative from a parable. Jesus was tempted to do physical things like kneeling in the worship of the devil, thereby showing that the interaction was physical.
If the “personal being” left after Jesus resisted the temptation, then it is the same being that is referred to in James 4:8. Other instances that show the existence of the devil are James 2:19 and chapter 3:15, which further strengthens the assertion that the devil of temptation is a being. In interpreting 1 Peter 5:8, Watkins argues that the devil is the “great adversary” Satan and his demons.[30] Therefore, Satan and the devil should be viewed as synonymous.
We can, therefore, see that the devil is responsible for temptations both in the New Testament and the New Testament. The devil initiated Job’s temptation after getting permission from God. Also, Revelation 12:9 refers to the devil as the one who would lead the world astray. The Bible consistently portrays the devil as being in continual conflict with believers.[31] In Ephesians 6:12 and 1 Thessalonians 2:18, Paul insists there are spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm led by Satan.
Conclusion
The conclusion of this research paper is to my assurance of my concrete intent to answer the question; what is the source of temptation in the Christian, and how does this relate to flesh and desire, according to Galatians 5:16 and James 1:12-15? And the answer is that the source of temptation in the Christian life is the one reason you might use accordingly your flesh and desires, who destroy Christianity, your relationship, with the Lord, and separated you from the purpose and perfect will of God. As I presented the many reasons, people might be able to decide to use and to be able to discern between temptation by the flesh and desires, temptation by the devil, and that of the world. They might be able to understand that as the testimony of Paul and disciples through the ages, Christ conquers the flesh and makes the servant of the spirit, human and divine.
On the other hand, James kept saying, “each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.” And, not to mention that if we as Christian could learn more about the Armor of God. In my opinion, using the armor of God, it is a great way to avoid temptations, the anxiety of the flesh and the carnal desires, even that I know for sure that it is an internal Christian battle, if believers want to conquer the flesh, they must continually yield to the Holy Spirit. By looking at the comment of Peels, “We have seen that sin has (had) profound and devastating consequences for our knowledge of God. It is primarily a privation of knowledge by acquaintance, but, partly because of that very fact, it also has effects on our propositional knowledge of God. The major reason for this is our existential separation from God, which has resulted in a sinful condition.”[32]
Bibliography
Barker, Kenneth L., John R. Kohlenberger, Verlyn Verbrugge, and Richard Polcyn. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2004.
Bruce, F. F. Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000.
Elwell, Walter A. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001.
Enns, Paul. The Moody Handbook of Theology. Rev. ed. Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 2008.
Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013.
Goodrich, John K. “Sold Under Sin: Echoes of Exile in Romans 7.14-25.” New Testament Studies 59, no. 4 (10, 2013): 476-95.
Nyende, Peter. “Tested for Our Sake: The Temptations of Jesus in the Light of Hebrews.” The Expository Times Vol 127, Issue 11, pp. 525–533. First published date: (April-26-2016).
Willard, Dallas. “Spiritual formation and the warfare between the flesh and the human spirit.” Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care 1, no. 1 (2008): 79+. Academic OneFile (accessed October 23, 2017).
[1] Elwell, Walter A. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology. 2nd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2001.
[2] Ramm, Bernard L. Offense to reason: A theology of sin. Regent College Publishing, 2000.
[3] Barker, Kenneth L., John R. Kohlenberger, Verlyn Verbrugge, and Richard Polcyn. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary. Grand Rapids, Mich: Zondervan, 2004.
[4] Ibid
[5] Paul Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology. Rev. ed. (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 2008), 247.
[6] Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, 3 vols. (Reprint. London: Clarke, 1960), 2:457. In Paul Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology. Rev. ed. (Chicago, IL: Moody Press, 2008), 247.
[7] Goodrich, John K. “Sold Under Sin: Echoes of Exile in Romans 7.14-25.” New Testament Studies 59, no. 4 (10, 2013): 476-95.
[8] Garrett, Susan R. The temptations of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 1998.
[9] Peter Nyende, “Tested for Our Sake: The Temptations of Jesus in the Light of Hebrews”. The Expository Times Vol 127, Issue 11, pp. 525–533. First published date: (April-26-2016), 525.
[10] Ibid., 525-526.
[11] Ibid., 532.
[12] Ibid
[13] Coble, Derrick. “Temptation: Has It Changed?.” HOW TO SURVIVE TEMPTATION
[14] Johnson, M. D. “Life of Adam and Eve,‖ The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha vol. 2. Edited by James H. Charlesworth.” (1983).
[15] Ibid
[16] Ibid
[17] Ibid
[18] Ibid., 14
[19] Ibid
[20] Himes, Paul A. “When a Christian Sins: 1 Corinthians 10::13 and the Power of Contrary Choice in Relation to the Compatibilist-Libertarian Debate.” Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 54, no. 2 (06, 2011): 329-44.
[21] Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans. (Grand Rapids, Mich: Baker Academic, 2008), 359-360.
[22] Willard, Dallas. “Spiritual formation and the warfare between the flesh and the human spirit.” Journal of Spiritual Formation and Soul Care 1, no. 1 (2008): 79+. Academic OneFile (accessed October 23, 2017).
[23] Bruce, F. F. Paul: Apostle of the Heart Set Free. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2000.
[24] Watchman Nee, The Spiritual Man. Volume I Volume I. Christian Fellowship Publishers, Inc, (New York 1968), 69.
[25] Ibid., 69-70.
[26] McCabe, Matt Jackson. “Enduring Temptation: The Structure and Coherence of the Letter of James.” Journal for the Study of the New Testament Vol 37, Issue 2, pp. 161 – 184. First published date: (November-25-2014).
[27] Ibid., 87.
[28] Boa, Kenneth. Conformed to His Image: Biblical and Practical Approaches to Spiritual Formation. 2009.
[29] Ibid
[30] Erickson, Millard J. Christian Theology. 3rd ed. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2013.
[31] Ibid
[32] Rik Peels, “Sin and Human Cognition of God.” Scottish Journal of Theology 64, no. 4 (11, 2011): 390-409. 409.