An Essay on Temptation

When ever I think of the word temptation I equate it to a nagging problem or a minor annoyance. It doesn't really seem to be very powerful, but yet I fail and fall time and time again. It's not that I deny the existence of temptations, but yet I felt convicted that I don't really give them the proper respect.

What do I mean by respect? I was playing ultimate frisbee a few weeks ago and was involved in an intense game that went down to the wire. I figured that this one man on the opposing team wouldn't catch the frisbee if it were thrown at him, so I slacked in my defense and watched as the frisbee sailed over the field straight to my unguarded man and then was passed in the end-zone for the touchdown. I failed to respect my opponent, and paid for it in the end.

I believe that I don't treat temptation with the respect it deserves. I figure that if I won't ever get put in that situation, so I don't prepare for it. Sometimes I'm right, and temptation never materializes into any real pressing danger - and sometimes I'm not as lucky. The more invincible we think we are, the more prone we are to falling on our faces. 

Even the mighty fall. King David, a man after God's own heart, was caught in adultery. Judas Iscariot, a disciple of Christ, was torn away from his faithfulness to Christ by a greed for money. 

How do we stop it? I believe that a healthy fear and respect for our opponent is needed. Christianity today doesn't like to talk about Satan, or Hell, or even sin for that matter. It's all about the new you, the blessings God gives, and the eternal reward in Heaven someday. But you can't have good without the bad in this world.  God is good, and we are broken. 

It's taboo to talk about our struggles and be vulnerable. Jesus created us to be real people with real lives. As followers of the King we will be tempted in very real and very frightening ways. Upholding a veil of religiosity won't help anyone. We are given power over Satan and demons, but we are not to mock them. A fool disparages what he does not understand.

When you think again about temptation, be aware that it is real and out there. It's not a push over that you face, but a wicked adversary who doesn't fight fair. With Christ on our side, we have the choice for victory by being ever increasing in our godliness (see 1 Peter 1:3-11). God is on our side. We are in war. Struggle well.

-matt