1 Corinthians 10:12-13 “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
Continuing, Pastor Kyle states that God give everyone the same ways and strategies out of every temptation, but it’s up to the individual to take it. This is a crucial turning point for our lives when we realize that it is when we feel the strongest and invincible that we are on the brink of a big fall. We need to remind ourselves that we are not good. Jesus said in Matthew 19:17 “No one is good but One, that is, God.” We are finite, but God is infinite. We are not strong in mind, body and soul. On this side of glory, we have the sinful desire of the flesh. The Apostle Paul says in Romans 7:18 “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.” God is holy, just and pure, but we are broken and sinful by the “Fall of Man” and the sins that we continue to make ... a slave to sin.
Psalm 14:1-3 tells us, “There is none who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God. They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, No, not one.” Basically, every human on earth is messed up and steps away from ruining our entire lives. We need to seek the Lord always and continue to lean into God’s strength, to depend on God’s grace, and to go back to the truth of God’s holy Word. Romans 3:22-25 “even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith.” Everyone is a sinner in need of a Savior. We need to continue to lean on Christ, the Christian church and on Christian community; all for in keeping ourselves focused and accountable go God.
Yet, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” Know the difference between “right” and “wrong” in the eyes of God, then choose to do “right” and escape evil (Depravity; corruption of heart, or disposition to commit wickedness; any deviation of a moral agent from the rules of conduct prescribed to us by God). Many people pretend that when temptation comes, that they never saw it coming as an excuse. Do not play dumb with your all-seeing and all-knowing God, who looks at your heart. Don’t sell yourself short, there is a clear path in the decisions that we make. To be grown up and mature Christians, we need to act like grown up Christians. Guard your heart and mind against temptations of the sinful desires of the flesh, from the God-rejecting world system, and from the devil, who comes with tempting deceptions and distractions designed to kill, steal and destroy us in the end. Think “right”, do “right” and be “right”.
This is not new and fresh advice. This is the same enduring message that has that has existed from the dawn of creation that has been spoken to Adam and Eve, to the Israelites, to the Corinthians and to us today. It is as relevant as ever. And, brother and sisters in Christ, we are to help each family of God member out of temptations when they arise. They may have faced or currently facing, the same issues that you are facing in life. You may not be able to stop temptations from appearing, they are all around us, but God will always make a way of escape, so you can choose to recognize them for what they are, resist them, reject them, refuse them, rebuke them, and elect to walk in the Spirit on paths of righteousness instead.
God makes the way of escape from sinful temptations in life, but we need to take it. God puts the “Off-ramps” on the “Highway to Hell”, but it is up to us to take the way off. We may be over-whelmed by temptations, stumbling and drawn to think that you cannot get out of this; I’m too far down the rabbit-hole now, but God says: “Yes, you can! Here is the way out”, but you have to choose to accept and take it. God always makes a way of escape for every sinful situation that we will ever find ourselves in, and we can make godly plans and contingencies too. God’s best “escape hatch” from temptation is the brain that he gave us. We can use it in order to not put ourselves into sinful situations; it’s called planning ahead to not place ourselves where temptation exist – physically or mentally don’t go there. And if they show up anyway, you anticipated the possibility and have a plan of escape.
Too many today blame God, the devil, their parents, the society, their boss, or other people for why they are responding the ungodly way that they are. They do not want to take a long, had look in the mirror and place the blame squarely and solely on their own choices for their disobedience and sin in thought, word and actions. Christian, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:14-17 “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.” Same God, same opportunities, same choices to make.
In Christ, Brian
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