Five Lies That Open The Door For Temptation’s Trap:
1. “It couldn’t happen to me.”
- v. 12.
- Often we are the most vulnerable when we believe we are the strongest. We don’t take the proper precautions against sin and soon we find ourselves deeper into a mess than we ever imagined we would be.
- “He who stands wrongly is often he who thinks he stands strongly.”
- It’s important that we don’t view ourselves as the exception to the rule. We are all capable of sin.
2. “I’m the only one.”
- v. 13a - “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man. . .”
- Sometimes we think that no one has struggled with what we’re struggling with. Sometimes we think no one has felt such intense pressure to give into a particular temptation as we are right now.
3. “God’s abandoned me.”
- v. 13b - “. . . but God is faithful. . .”
- We don’t always feel the closeness of God when we’re going through a time of temptation and some may construe that to mean that God is not with them any more. Sometimes we are simply not as aware of God’s presence, but that doesn’t mean God is not with us.
- Further, as we get deeper into temptation, we are moving away from God. Because of that, we may not sense His presence as clearly.
- God does not abandon us. God is faithful to us even in our time of intense temptation.
4. “I didn’t have a choice.”
- v. 13c - “. . . who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able. . .”
- One of the most powerful lies is that the temptation overwhelmed us and we didn’t really have a choice in the matter. This is so enticing because it takes the responsibility from us.
- This part of the verse is clear, though, that there is never a situation where we are forced into sin. It is always a choice on our part to concede to the enticement of the sin.
- Also note that God is not the author of temptation, although He does allow testing to come into our lives. The difference: temptation’s goal is sin and death; testing’s goal is purification and sanctification.
5. “It’s not my fault.”
- v. 13d - “ . . . but with the temptation will also make the way of escape. . .”
- This one is closely tied to #4. Sometimes we will argue that we held up as long as we could, but there was no relief for us. We did the best we could, but God didn’t provide a way out.
- It’s interesting that Paul used the definite article “the” in writing about our way of escape. God will provide a specific means of escape from our temptation. This is not to say it may not be costly or painful, but there will be an opportunity to get out.
- The way of escape is not often miraculous, but may be more mundane. For someone “burning with passion,” Paul counsels marriage. Sometimes the way of escape comes early and is preventative rather than prescriptive.
