Minister Fortson.com

I am constantly amazed by so called Bible believing Christians. Another recent discussion I had online was about the temptation of Christ. I’m not sure what denomination this person claims to be but his position was the Jesus wasn’t tempted because He didn’t give in, so lets find out if he was or not. I’ll start by defining temptation.

Temptation – something that tempts, entices, or allures.

In The Beginning…

When the serpent tempted Eve in the garden, he tempted her with something that was alluring or enticing. It wasn’t the fruit itself, but the prospect of knowing good and evil and becoming like the gods, as the serpent put it (Genesis 3). One does not have to give into temptation in order for it to be temptation. Being tempted comes before being obedient or disobedient.

The serpent had to find a convincing reason for Eve to eat the fruit because it obviously hadn’t been an issue before then. Up until the point that the serpent told Eve of the tree’s potential, it wasn’t tempting. Eve wasn’t tempted by the thought of dying. She was tempted at the thought of becoming like God.

In The Wilderness

Those that say Jesus wasn’t tempted are calling God’s Word a lie. The Bible specifically says He was tempted:

“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” – Matthew 4:1

Jesus was led into the wilderness to be tempted, not to be talked to. That was the point of the passage. He was God but He was also flesh and human desires. Jesus successfully resisted temptation which means He did not sin. Some people believe that being tempted is a sin, but its not. When you are faced with a choice then you the ability to  choose to do right or wrong.

• “Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.” – Romans 4:15
• “(For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.” – Romans 5:13

Jesus knew what God wanted, but the devil wanted Him to go about it a different way. Just look at the offers the devil made:

• Turn rocks into bread
• All the kingdoms of earth
• Jump off a mountain so angels could save Him

If the devil approached me in person and asked me to turn rocks into bread I’d laugh at him. Its not something that would be a temptation to me because I don’t have the power to turn rocks into bread. On the other hand, Jesus did, and he was hungry after His 40 day fast. This temptation had to do with His human desire for nourishment.

The next claim that the devil could give Jesus all the kingdoms of the world wasn’t disputed by Christ. As the supreme Ruler of the universe, Christ was use to being worshiped. This may tempt regular people as well, but when you go from being worshiped to hated, the temptation to return is much higher. The Bible even testifies that the devil was the god of this world:

• “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” – 2 Corinthians 4:4

The final temptation was for Jesus to show His power and prove who He was. I personally wouldn’t be tempted to jump off of a mountain in hopes of angels catching me. Again, Jesus knew God’s promises were 100% but maybe the fleshy side of Him wondered what would happen?

Lets assume this is something the writer put in from his perspective of the events. For the sake of argument lets throw it all out and tackle the subject strictly from Jesus’ words alone.

What Does Jesus Have To Say About It?

• “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” – Matthew 6:13

When Jesus was teaching the disciples how to pray, He closed by asking God to deliver them from evil. Why would He pray to resist temptation if its not possible for Him to be tempted? Why would he teach the disciples to pray to resist temptation if Christians can’t be tempted with sin after they are saved?

• “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” – Matthew 26:41

Again, He reminds them to pray for resistance to temptation. If they weren’t going to be tempted, why would they need to pray? Jesus wasn’t only tempted by the devil, He was also tempted by the Pharisees on several occassions:

• Matthew 16:1
• Matthew 19:3
• Matthew 22:18
• Matthew 22:35
• Mark 1:13
• Mark 8:11
• Mark 10:2
• Mark 12:15
• Luke 11:16
• Luke 20:23
• John 8:6

We have at least three different testimonies that Jesus Himself asked why they were tempting Him. To hold the position that He wasn’t tempted means throwing out quite a few verses. He did not give into those temptation which means He didn’t sin, but was obedient to God.

The Whole Armor Of God

A little more proof that Jesus was in a spiritual battle come from Ephesians. When the devil tempted Christ, He resisted with God’s Word, which just so happens to be one of the two weapons we have. The other weapon is prayer.

• “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:” – Ephesians 6:17
• “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” – Hebrews 4:12
• “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” – James 4:7
• “And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.” – Luke 4:13

When you study God’s Word you will begin to see that everything is connected. Each of those verses are taken from different scriptures but they were all truths that were present at the temptation of Christ. He used the word of God to resist that devil and the devil did flee from Him.

Conclusion

To drive home my point I’ll close with the words of Paul:

• “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.   Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” – Romans 4:14-16

Before I begin, let me explain the title. I’m not asking should we sin after we are saved. The answer to that question is clearly a NO. I’m addressing the question whether or not we do sin after we are saved. Some people believe we don’t. Some people believe that Romans 6 says we won’t want to sin. Some people, like myself, believe we do sin and continue to sin. This post is in response to someone that has taken the Bible way out of context, so lets look at what the Bible says about sin after being saved.

Examining Romans 6

This book was written by Paul to the church in Rome. It seems to be misunderstood by a lot of people. Paul wasn’t saying that we no longer sin or we no longer want to sin, he was saying that we shouldn’t sin.

• “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” – Romans 6:6

Notice that Paul says “we should not serve sin” but he never says that we won’t sin.

• “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.”  – Romans 6:15-16

Again, Paul asked if we should sin, meaning that we are still capable of sinning. He again states that we shouldn’t sin. As Christians, we are not to be controlled by sin, but to control our sin. When Christ was tempted in the wilderness by the devil, He used the Word of God to resist temptation.

We can resist just as Christ did by using the word of God. Just because something appeals to our flesh doesn’t mean we have to give into it. Anybody that tells you that they don’t sin is a liar, plain and simple. Anyone that makes themselves equal with Christ is full of pride, which is a sin, and pride comes before destruction (Proverbs 16:18).

Isaiah Defines Our Problem

• “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” – Isaiah 64:6

Even at our best we are still an abomination before God. That verse in Hebrew refers to a menstrual cloth. Thankfully God was also willing to work it out through the death of Christ.

• “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” – Isaiah 1:18

Did Paul Contradict Himself?

Here’s the challenge for those that believe we no longer sin or want to sin after we are saved.

• “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 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. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” – Romans 7:14-25

Those verses are a little bit hard to understand, but what they say is: Paul does what he’s not supposed to do and doesn’t do what he is supposed to do. He even says that with his mind he serves the law of God and with his flesh he serves sin. Paul uses present tense and says “serve” instead of “served” which is past tense.

Paul is indeed already saved when he makes this statement, so my challenge to those that believe we don’t sin or don’t want to sin, is to tell me what Paul’s problem was when he wrote this. He must not have gotten your memo.

Do We Sin Without Realizing It?

Someone actually told me that we sin daily but don’t realize it. I’m not perfect and I know it. I also know each and every time I sin. I know when I think a sinful thought or take a sinful action. It seems like this is just a poor attempt at escaping accountability, but that won’t work with God. We are responsible for every thought and every action. I shouldn’t need a verse to back this up, but:

• “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” – Matthew 12:36
• “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” – Romans 14:12

Closing Words

Until next post I’ll leave you with these words:

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.” – 1 John 4:1

Even before I became a Minister, I had issues with people who assumed that Preachers are supposed to act a certain way, based upon public misconception. There seems to be an expectation of perfection when it comes to people who do God’s work, as if the laws of nature no longer apply to us. People tend to forget that we are people too, and we are far from perfect, although many Preachers would like to portray their “perfect” lifestyle.

I put “perfect” in quotation marks because its just an act for the most part. Jesus was the only sinless man to walk this earth. We all have a past, and our past is what brings us to the point we are at now. Most people don’t know what a hypocrite truly is, but there are quite a few hypocrites that hold the office of Preacher. Most people tend to believe that a hypocrite is one that says for you to do one thing, while they do another. That’s not really what the word means, so lets look at it from a defined perspective and the origin of the word.

1. A person who pretends to have virtues, moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc., that he or she does not actually possess, esp. a person whose actions belie stated beliefs.
2. A person who feigns some desirable or publicly approved attitude, esp. one whose private life, opinions, or statements belie his or her public statements.

In layman’s terms, its someone who wants you to believe they live a certain way, or lead a certain lifestyle, when they really don’t. It has nothing to do with them advising you on how you should live your life, while they live theirs in a different manner.

The Greek word “hypokrites” is where we get our word hypocrite.

1. This was a term generally applied to stage actors.

Some of you already know, and some of you will find that many Preachers are stage actors. I say, keep it real. Lets assume there is a Preacher that has a drinking problem, and he warns his congregation about the troubles of alcholism. I wouldn’t call him a hypocrite, because he is warning, teaching, or advising them on something that is physically, mentally, and spiritually damaging to them.  However, if that same Preacher has a drinking problem, but says that he doesn’t even touch the bottle, he is a hypocrite and a liar.

The Bible uses the word “hypocrite” 11 times in the Old Testament and 20 times in the New Testament. In the New Testament, Jesus uses it to describe religious leaders that act for the glory of men.

1. “Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrite do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.” – Matthew 6:2
2. “Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces, that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.” – Matthew 6:16
3. “He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.” – Mark 7:6

Each time the word is used, it is used to describe someone who is trying to appear to be someone or something that they are not. In the first point, the religious leaders could give their tithes secretly to the glory of God, but they make a big scene for men to see and know what they give. They are pretending to do it for God. In the second point, they are putting on a show again, for men to take notice. And finally in the last point, they speak so that men believe that they are living for God, but in reality, their heart isn’t in it, and they are putting on a show.

I would like to encourage you to change your ways if you fall into any of the above. It not only looks bad when you get put on blast, but the Bible makes a few points about the rewards of hypocrites.

1. “So are the paths of all that forget God; and the hypocrite’s hope shall perish:” – Job 8:13
2. “He also shall be my salvation: for an hypocrite shall not come before him.” – Job 13:16
3. “For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.” – Job 15:34
4. “For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?” – Job 27:8
5. “And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” – Matthew 24:51

I would admonish you to use word “hypocrite” selectively,  sparingly, and in proper context. Unless you know what someone does behind closed doors, its best not to use the word at all.

I hope that clears up something for someone. God bless you until next time.