Temptation - Chambers, Oswald
To be raised above temptation belongs to god only.
Wherever there is moral responsibility there is temptation, i. E. , the testing of what a man holds in his own person.
The old puritan idea that the devil tempts men had this remarkable effect, it produced the man of iron who fought; the modern idea of blaming his heredity or his circumstances produces the man who succumbs at once.
When we say a thing is satanic we mean some- thing abominable according to our standards: the bible means something remarkably subtle and wise. Satanic temptations are not bestial, those temptations have to do with a mans own stupidity and wrongdoing.
The holy ghost is the only one who can detect the temptations of satan, neither our common sense nor our human wisdom can detect them as temptations.
Every temptation of Satan is the acme of human wisdom, but immediately the spirit of god is at work in a man the hollow mockery at its heart is recognised. Jesus Christ deals with Satan as the manifestation of something for which man is held responsible. Man is nowhere held responsible for the devil. The temptation in christian work to-day is to turn our sympathy towards human beings, put mans needs first. No, sympathy with god first, let him work as he will.
If you allow human sympathy to make you susceptible to the satanic side of things, you instantly sever yourself from the susceptibility which in all temptation ought to be turned god-wards.
Our lords words to peter, but he turned and said unto peter, get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of god, but those that be of men (Matthew 16:23) crystallise for us his authoritative view of the conclusions of mans mind, when that mind has not been formed by the holy spirit, viz. , that it is densely and satanically incapable of understanding his form of thought. Satan does not tempt to gross sins, the one thing he tempts to is putting myself as master instead of god.
Beware of removing our lord into a religious wardrobe where the cast-off haloes of the saints are kept, but remember that we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15 RV; cf. Hebrews 2:11).
How are we to face the tempter? By prayer? No. With the word of god? No. Face the tempter with Jesus Christ, and he will apply the word of god to you, and the temptation will cease. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted (Hebrews 2:18).
The moments of severest temptation are the moments of his divinest succour.
