Tempation vs Testing
I sang at the Truck Stop Sunday morning. I do that from time to time...usually about 3-4 times a year. The pastor and his wife (Jim and Jackie Cary) are the sweetest most caring people I have ever known.
But the thing that really stuck with me this time was the Sunday School lesson (and yes, they still call it that:-)).
The man who does the music there (Dan) also does the Sunday School lesson.
And the lesson yesterday was about temptation and testing. I probably should have had a pencil, but I didn't, so this is just the part that I remember.
He talked about how in school, testing is to see what you know. But that God knows everything, so He doesn't need a test to see what you know. That the testing is for us, so that we can kind of see where we are in our Christian walk.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4
Temptation, on the other hand, is from Satan. If you do a search on temptation at Bible Gateway (or similar) you will find that there is no place that talks about God tempting people. In fact, James 1:13-15 says
When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
although it does say that He will allow it to a certain degree.
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
The point was that testing comes from God, so that you can see for yourself how you are growing in the Lord, while temptation is there to make you fall.
Anyway, I thought that was interesting and something I hadn't heard in a long time.
But the thing that really stuck with me this time was the Sunday School lesson (and yes, they still call it that:-)).
The man who does the music there (Dan) also does the Sunday School lesson.
And the lesson yesterday was about temptation and testing. I probably should have had a pencil, but I didn't, so this is just the part that I remember.
He talked about how in school, testing is to see what you know. But that God knows everything, so He doesn't need a test to see what you know. That the testing is for us, so that we can kind of see where we are in our Christian walk.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4
Temptation, on the other hand, is from Satan. If you do a search on temptation at Bible Gateway (or similar) you will find that there is no place that talks about God tempting people. In fact, James 1:13-15 says
When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
although it does say that He will allow it to a certain degree.
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
The point was that testing comes from God, so that you can see for yourself how you are growing in the Lord, while temptation is there to make you fall.
Anyway, I thought that was interesting and something I hadn't heard in a long time.
posted by angela at 3:13 PM
2 Comments:
What a wonderful post Angela! Thanks for sharing!
this made me smile...1) because it is so deeply true and 2) because I just said almost those exact words to someone the other day! God wants us to learn, not be defeated.
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