The Nature of Temptations
When I was very young in the Lord, I knew Jesus was God in the flesh. Then I discovered this verse.
James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for GOD CANNOT BE TEMPTED WITH EVIL, neither tempteth he any man:
I thought, “how could Jesus be tempted if he was God, for God can not be tempted with evil?”
Later, the Lord taught me how that was possible. This scripture is very important to understand, because it sheds light about many things.
1Cor 10:13 THERE HATH NO TEMPTATION TAKEN YOU BUT SUCH AS IS COMMON TO MAN: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
All temptation comes to the part of man that is “common” to man. What does all men have in common to each other? All men have a “HUMAN NATURE”, but no all men have a “DIVINE NATURE”.
Only born again children of God have the divine nature in them, which is Christ him self in us.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet NOT I, BUT CHRIST LIVETH IN ME: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
The divine nature of man which is Christ in us, can never be tempted to sin, nor can he sin!!
1John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God DOTH NOT COMMIT SIN; for his seed remaineth in him: and HE CANNOT SIN, because he is born of God.
Even though Christ in us, who happens to be our new life, can never sin, the human nature of man can!!! When a man/woman becomes born again they received a new heart (spirit), not a new body. The fleshly body is still corrupt with sin in the flesh. The Apostle Paul describes this in the book of Romans.
Rom 7:18 FOR I KNOW THAT IN ME (THAT IS, IN MY FLESH,) DWELLETH NO GOOD THING: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, IT IS NO MORE I THAT DO IT, BUT SIN THAT DWELLETH IN ME.
After Jesus was baptized by John, he was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert to be tempted of the Devil. Jesus fasted for 40 days, and nights, and the scripture says, “ ….”Jesus was hungry....”
The divine nature of Jesus who was God the Father in him could not be tempted with evil, but Jesus's human nature could. The bible tells us something very important about the “NATURE” of temptations.
James 1:14 But EVERY MAN IS TEMPTED, WHEN HE IS DRAWN AWAY OF HIS OWN LUST, and enticed.
The word, “LUST” simply means, “A STRONG DESIRE”. Jesus, after not eating for 40 days, had a “STRONG DESIRE” to eat!! Jesus was tempted in his human nature to eat food. His divine nature does not need to eat food to sustain it's life, but for the human nature to stay alive it needs food!!!
Mat 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, COMMAND THAT THESE STONES BE MADE BREAD.
The other two temptations came as a result that Jesus's "strong desire" to proof he was the son, but not by casting himself down so his angels would bear him up, but by the works his Father would do through him by many miracles.
The last temptation would come because Jesus's "strong desire" to destroy,and recover what Adam had lost in the garden of Eden, not by worshiping the Devil, but through his cross!!
The nature of temptation(s) we experience in this life is the results that come from our own STRONG DESIRES, and as a result of those strong desires the Devil entices us to sin!!!
How would a Christian stop these temptations that come from within our self's (human nature)?
Gal 5:16 This I say then, WALK IN THE SPIRIT, AND YE SHALL NOT FULFIL THE LUST (strong desires) OF THE FLESH.
When I was very young in the Lord, I knew Jesus was God in the flesh. Then I discovered this verse.
James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for GOD CANNOT BE TEMPTED WITH EVIL, neither tempteth he any man:
I thought, “how could Jesus be tempted if he was God, for God can not be tempted with evil?”
Later, the Lord taught me how that was possible. This scripture is very important to understand, because it sheds light about many things.
1Cor 10:13 THERE HATH NO TEMPTATION TAKEN YOU BUT SUCH AS IS COMMON TO MAN: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
All temptation comes to the part of man that is “common” to man. What does all men have in common to each other? All men have a “HUMAN NATURE”, but no all men have a “DIVINE NATURE”.
Only born again children of God have the divine nature in them, which is Christ him self in us.
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet NOT I, BUT CHRIST LIVETH IN ME: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
The divine nature of man which is Christ in us, can never be tempted to sin, nor can he sin!!
1John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God DOTH NOT COMMIT SIN; for his seed remaineth in him: and HE CANNOT SIN, because he is born of God.
Even though Christ in us, who happens to be our new life, can never sin, the human nature of man can!!! When a man/woman becomes born again they received a new heart (spirit), not a new body. The fleshly body is still corrupt with sin in the flesh. The Apostle Paul describes this in the book of Romans.
Rom 7:18 FOR I KNOW THAT IN ME (THAT IS, IN MY FLESH,) DWELLETH NO GOOD THING: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.
Rom 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.
Rom 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, IT IS NO MORE I THAT DO IT, BUT SIN THAT DWELLETH IN ME.
After Jesus was baptized by John, he was led by the Holy Spirit into the desert to be tempted of the Devil. Jesus fasted for 40 days, and nights, and the scripture says, “ ….”Jesus was hungry....”
The divine nature of Jesus who was God the Father in him could not be tempted with evil, but Jesus's human nature could. The bible tells us something very important about the “NATURE” of temptations.
James 1:14 But EVERY MAN IS TEMPTED, WHEN HE IS DRAWN AWAY OF HIS OWN LUST, and enticed.
The word, “LUST” simply means, “A STRONG DESIRE”. Jesus, after not eating for 40 days, had a “STRONG DESIRE” to eat!! Jesus was tempted in his human nature to eat food. His divine nature does not need to eat food to sustain it's life, but for the human nature to stay alive it needs food!!!
Mat 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, COMMAND THAT THESE STONES BE MADE BREAD.
The other two temptations came as a result that Jesus's "strong desire" to proof he was the son, but not by casting himself down so his angels would bear him up, but by the works his Father would do through him by many miracles.
The last temptation would come because Jesus's "strong desire" to destroy,and recover what Adam had lost in the garden of Eden, not by worshiping the Devil, but through his cross!!
The nature of temptation(s) we experience in this life is the results that come from our own STRONG DESIRES, and as a result of those strong desires the Devil entices us to sin!!!
How would a Christian stop these temptations that come from within our self's (human nature)?
Gal 5:16 This I say then, WALK IN THE SPIRIT, AND YE SHALL NOT FULFIL THE LUST (strong desires) OF THE FLESH.