Temptation - Satan or Ourself?

[Carl Emerson]

The boastful pride of life is strongly associated with Satans fundamental flaw.

 

[Paul4JC]

Not at all - this is a translation issue...

The usage of the word lust in this case does not differentiate between strong desire on the one hand and sinful desire on the other.

Indeed words get frequently mistranslated and misused at times by translators. I wouldn't want their job. It's great to have online access to many translations and tools these days.

Strong's Concordance
epithumia: desire, passionate longing, lust
Original Word: ἐπιθυμία, ας, ἡ
Part of Speech: Noun, Feminine
Transliteration: epithumia
Phonetic Spelling: (ep-ee-thoo-mee'-ah)
Definition: desire, passionate longing, lust
Usage: desire, eagerness for, inordinate desire, lust.

 

[Carl Emerson]

I think those who argue for Jesus and Paul lusting are doing so because they believe lust is necessary for procreation.

I am convinced this is not correct.

I have started another thread on this topic.

 

[Paul4JC]

The boastful pride of life is strongly associated with Satans fundamental flaw.

Indeed, and we don't hear much if ever from Christian's that this is a sin we struggle with.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Indeed, and we don't hear much if ever from Christian's that this is a sin we struggle with.

That could be worthy of a fresh thread...

 

[2BeholdHisGlory]

Theres a lust after evil things

1 Cr 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

And the lusting against the Spirit and the Spirit likewise against the flesh

Galations 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Theres coveting in a bad sense and to covet earnestly good things in another.

 

[The Narrow Way]

Hello there you and welcome.

Some friendly questions here:

When do you become tempted?

How do you become tempted?

Why do all of the human race fall into temptation?

Where does temptation come from?

Who causes the temptation?

Now there is only one scripture that is known to me about all of these questions.

The answers may vary some may say Satan is the one who dragging me away to commit the desires that I do not want to do.

Here is the where the scripture is found:

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

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:

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.​

Do you agree with this scripture or disagree?

If so why?

Thank you all for your time and viewing, have a good day.

I believe that many people have a wrong understanding of the word "temptation". Most people's understanding of "temptation" is: If you don't find the "temptation" alluring or enticing, than it really wasn't a "temptation". So, when they read the verse, "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." Hebrews 4:15, the common understanding is to think that Jesus found sin alluring or enticing or tempting, just like we do.


I believe that could not be FURTHER from the truth! Let me share a little story that my show this point, and then I'll share something I read from my favorite author that helped to make it clearer to me.


25 years ago, Al and I were walking down an inner city street in Cleveland. It was not a good section of town, (Al grew up in the inner city, without a Bible, never had been to church, drugs, alcohol and all the rest, just the opposite of me....I grew up in a Christian home, in the country). Anyways, we were walking down this street, not far from where his mom lived, and a man stepped out from an old doorway, and said to us, "Want to buy some coke?" I said, "No thanks, I don't drink pop." Al knew what the man was tempting me with, but I didn't....his temptation "found no answering chord within" me. You see, we do not need to find something "tempting" in order for it to be a true "temptation".


Another example: There are two people sitting on a couch and someone offers them each a chocolate candy bar. The one on the couch hates chocolate and the other one loves chocolate. They are BOTH being "tempted"...but they RESPOND altogether different. One wants it, and one does not.


Now, here is a quote from Ellen White that shows the same thing.


"He [Satan] asked the Saviour to bow to his authority, promising that if He would do so, the kingdoms of the world would be His. He pointed Christ to his success in the world, enumerating the principalities and powers that were subject to him. He declared that what the law of Jehovah could not do, he had done.

But Jesus said, "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." This was to Christ just what the Bible declares it to be--a temptation. Before His sight the tempter held the kingdoms of the world. As Satan saw them, they possessed great external grandeur. But Christ saw them in a different aspect, just as they were--earthly dominions under the power of a tyrant. He saw humanity full of woe, suffering under the oppressive power of Satan. He saw the earth defiled by hatred, revenge, malice, lust, and murder. He saw fiends in the possession of the bodies and souls of men." (MS 33, 1911). {5BC 1083.5}


Do you see there, that Ellen White says, "This was to Christ just what the Bible declares it to be--a temptation." Yet, did you see Jesus "enticed", or "allured" by it, or did He find it in any way "tempting"? Absolutely not! On the contrary - she says, "But Christ saw them in a different aspect, just as they were--earthly dominions under the power of a tyrant. He saw humanity full of woe, suffering under the oppressive power of Satan. He saw the earth defiled by hatred, revenge, malice, lust, and murder. He saw fiends in the possession of the bodies and souls of men."


Do you see how this does not fit the common understanding of "temptation" today? Most people today would say, "Jesus wasn't tempted by Satan's temptations." But Ellen White says, "This was to Christ just what the Bible declares it to be--a temptation."


So how does that help us to understand Hebrews 4:15? Well, it is clear, the Bible says that Jesus "was in ALL points tempted" like us, right? All that means is that every kind of temptation imaginable came to Him, yet, to ALL of them, He could respond and say, Satan "findeth nothing in Me."


Otherwise, as most people understand the word "temptation"...in order for Jesus to be REALLY "tempted", He would have had to have been enticed or allured by sin in all its varied and hideous forms...Can you imagine Jesus finding lying, fornication, taking His Father's name in vain, coveting His disciples goods, contemplating murder, and everything else under the sun, can you imagine Him being allured or enticed by or "tempted" by those things??? God forbid!


Think of your own Christian experience...


Are there not things today, that you no longer find "tempting" that at one time in your life, you found very "tempting"? Do you think that Satan has quit "tempting" you on that point? No, he will never quit...it is just that you are stronger now on that point, and you see more clearly - instead of seeing it the way Satan wants you to see it (the way you used to), you see it the way Jesus saw what Satan was offering Him, and Satan find no response in your heart. That is the experience Jesus is calling us all to, on every point of temptation.


Hope this helps....Have a blessed Sabbath! Tammy

 

[2BeholdHisGlory]

I believe that many people have a wrong understanding of the word "temptation". Most people's understanding of "temptation" is: If you don't find the "temptation" alluring or enticing, than it really wasn't a "temptation". So, when they read the verse, "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." Hebrews 4:15, the common understanding is to think that Jesus found sin alluring or enticing or tempting, just like we do.


I believe that could not be FURTHER from the truth! Let me share a little story that my show this point, and then I'll share something I read from my favorite author that helped to make it clearer to me.


25 years ago, Al and I were walking down an inner city street in Cleveland. It was not a good section of town, (Al grew up in the inner city, without a Bible, never had been to church, drugs, alcohol and all the rest, just the opposite of me....I grew up in a Christian home, in the country). Anyways, we were walking down this street, not far from where his mom lived, and a man stepped out from an old doorway, and said to us, "Want to buy some coke?" I said, "No thanks, I don't drink pop." Al knew what the man was tempting me with, but I didn't....his temptation "found no answering chord within" me. You see, we do not need to find something "tempting" in order for it to be a true "temptation".


Another example: There are two people sitting on a couch and someone offers them each a chocolate candy bar. The one on the couch hates chocolate and the other one loves chocolate. They are BOTH being "tempted"...but they RESPOND altogether different. One wants it, and one does not.


Now, here is a quote from Ellen White that shows the same thing.


"He [Satan] asked the Saviour to bow to his authority, promising that if He would do so, the kingdoms of the world would be His. He pointed Christ to his success in the world, enumerating the principalities and powers that were subject to him. He declared that what the law of Jehovah could not do, he had done.

But Jesus said, "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." This was to Christ just what the Bible declares it to be--a temptation. Before His sight the tempter held the kingdoms of the world. As Satan saw them, they possessed great external grandeur. But Christ saw them in a different aspect, just as they were--earthly dominions under the power of a tyrant. He saw humanity full of woe, suffering under the oppressive power of Satan. He saw the earth defiled by hatred, revenge, malice, lust, and murder. He saw fiends in the possession of the bodies and souls of men." (MS 33, 1911). {5BC 1083.5}


Do you see there, that Ellen White says, "This was to Christ just what the Bible declares it to be--a temptation." Yet, did you see Jesus "enticed", or "allured" by it, or did He find it in any way "tempting"? Absolutely not! On the contrary - she says, "But Christ saw them in a different aspect, just as they were--earthly dominions under the power of a tyrant. He saw humanity full of woe, suffering under the oppressive power of Satan. He saw the earth defiled by hatred, revenge, malice, lust, and murder. He saw fiends in the possession of the bodies and souls of men."


Do you see how this does not fit the common understanding of "temptation" today? Most people today would say, "Jesus wasn't tempted by Satan's temptations." But Ellen White says, "This was to Christ just what the Bible declares it to be--a temptation."


So how does that help us to understand Hebrews 4:15? Well, it is clear, the Bible says that Jesus "was in ALL points tempted" like us, right? All that means is that every kind of temptation imaginable came to Him, yet, to ALL of them, He could respond and say, Satan "findeth nothing in Me."


Otherwise, as most people understand the word "temptation"...in order for Jesus to be REALLY "tempted", He would have had to have been enticed or allured by sin in all its varied and hideous forms...Can you imagine Jesus finding lying, fornication, taking His Father's name in vain, coveting His disciples goods, contemplating murder, and everything else under the sun, can you imagine Him being allured or enticed by or "tempted" by those things??? God forbid!


Think of your own Christian experience...


Are there not things today, that you no longer find "tempting" that at one time in your life, you found very "tempting"? Do you think that Satan has quit "tempting" you on that point? No, he will never quit...it is just that you are stronger now on that point, and you see more clearly - instead of seeing it the way Satan wants you to see it (the way you used to), you see it the way Jesus saw what Satan was offering Him, and Satan find no response in your heart. That is the experience Jesus is calling us all to, on every point of temptation.


Hope this helps....Have a blessed Sabbath! Tammy

I actually agree with this post, thanks for posting it.

 

[The Narrow Way]

I actually agree with this post, thanks for posting it.

Glad you found it to be a blessing! I believe we won't be safe to save, until we come to the point where, when Satan tempts us, we too, like Jesus, find NOTHING tempting about his temptation.

 

[2BeholdHisGlory]

Glad you found it to be a blessing! I believe we won't be safe to save, until we come to the point where, when Satan tempts us, we too, like Jesus, find NOTHING tempting about his temptation.

Now you lost me I often want to smack my husband but I refrain (but the feeling is there) lol

 

[2BeholdHisGlory]

Glad you found it to be a blessing! I believe we won't be safe to save, until we come to the point where, when Satan tempts us, we too, like Jesus, find NOTHING tempting about his temptation.

I should have been more specific on what you lost me on, so I highlighted it above for you there, can you better clarify that for me?

 

[AubreyM]

Hello everyone,

We have temptation from our mental, emotional, and heart thought processes.

None of it has to do with Satan, of course Satan in Greek sometimes refers to adversity,
So if your flesh is starting to come against you,

Fear, Doubt, Shame, Anger, frustration, sadness, depression.

Say for example, Damnit why doesn’t Johnny ever clean up his messes, or a co-worker doesn’t quite do as much as you, and you get angry and it becomes to the point of stress.

You’ll see that you are not handling things by the way God would desire for you to, of course your emotional or mental and heart response may be feel valid at the time, yet if it becomes stressful to handle.

This is where one needs to readjust and align themselves with God and look towards Jesus, and read scriptures and relearn by renewing their mind, and allowing God to help them, and being encouraging about talking to that co-worker to maybe work together, or maybe you and Johnny figure out something together to be able to make things work, by the spirit in prayer and thanking God.

Everything we do comes from ourselves, outside forces (other human beings) might influence you to think different, even give advice, however if you are not seeking and looking for God and at the Lord Jesus Christ you are missing out, so be cautious.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask, hope this was encouragement enough for you.

 

[The Narrow Way]

Now you lost me I often want to smack my husband but I refrain (but the feeling is there) lol

The only thing we'll be taking to Heaven is our character. We are going to get a new body when Jesus returns for us . So it is here now, that we are to build characters worthy of Heaven. It's not sometime we can do on our own but with God's help, all things are possible . The closer we come to Jesus, the more we will be like Him and see things as He sees them....

 

[2BeholdHisGlory]

Hello everyone,

We have temptation from our mental, emotional, and heart thought processes.

None of it has to do with Satan, of course Satan in Greek sometimes refers to adversity,
So if your flesh is starting to come against you,

Fear, Doubt, Shame, Anger, frustration, sadness, depression.

Say for example, Damnit why doesn’t Johnny ever clean up his messes, or a co-worker doesn’t quite do as much as you, and you get angry and it becomes to the point of stress.

You’ll see that you are not handling things by the way God would desire for you to, of course your emotional or mental and heart response may be feel valid at the time, yet if it becomes stressful to handle.

Like beat him with a rod for some better results than a time out in a safe space?

 

[AubreyM]

Yes, possibly if it has to be so in love of course 2beholdhisglory.

 

[2BeholdHisGlory]

The only thing we'll be taking to Heaven is our character. We are going to get a new body when Jesus returns for us . So it is here now, that we are to build characters worthy of Heaven. It's not sometime we can do on our own but with God's help, all things are possible . The closer we come to Jesus, the more we will be like Him and see things as He sees them....

I sure need a new body, can't wait to shed this one, thank you for clarifying that for me.

 

[Thomas White]

Hello there you and welcome.

Some friendly questions here:

When do you become tempted?

How do you become tempted?

Why do all of the human race fall into temptation?

Where does temptation come from?

Who causes the temptation?

Now there is only one scripture that is known to me about all of these questions.

The answers may vary some may say Satan is the one who dragging me away to commit the desires that I do not want to do.

Here is the where the scripture is found:

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

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:

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.​

Do you agree with this scripture or disagree?

If so why?

Thank you all for your time and viewing, have a good day.

We like to blame temptation to sin on Satan, but that's just more of our sin. We lie even to ourselves. Sure, Satan can tempt a person, but temptation is usually just from a person's desires. We can choose to overcome temptation or we can give in. I give in a lot, but I'm getting better. I didn't really get better until I admitted that I was the problem. A person can't really overcome sin until he or she realizes that the temptation and sin originates from within. We have admit we are sinners, not victims of Satan.

 

[Marumorose]

Hello there you and welcome.

Some friendly questions here:

When do you become tempted?

How do you become tempted?

Why do all of the human race fall into temptation?

Where does temptation come from?

Who causes the temptation?

Now there is only one scripture that is known to me about all of these questions.

The answers may vary some may say Satan is the one who dragging me away to commit the desires that I do not want to do.

Here is the where the scripture is found:

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

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:

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.​

Do you agree with this scripture or disagree?

If so why?

Thank you all for your time and viewing, have a good day.

Temptation is from the devil or satan. Remember Jesus Christ was tempted by satan for forty days and forty nights and he was able to overcome the temptation(Matthew 4)? We are driven by two spirits: The Holy spirit and the evil spirit. You do good, the holy spirit is in charge. You do bad, the evil spirit is dominating. God Bless You

 

[GraceBro]

Hello there you and welcome.

Some friendly questions here:

When do you become tempted?

How do you become tempted?

Why do all of the human race fall into temptation?

Where does temptation come from?

Who causes the temptation?

Now there is only one scripture that is known to me about all of these questions.

The answers may vary some may say Satan is the one who dragging me away to commit the desires that I do not want to do.

Here is the where the scripture is found:

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

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:

14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.​

Do you agree with this scripture or disagree?

If so why?

Thank you all for your time and viewing, have a good day.

I believe temptation comes when I look for love, acceptance, meaning, and purpose from the world rather than from my relationship with Jesus Christ. God created man to have these desires. However, He created us in such a way that only He, through His indwelling Holy Spirit, can satisfy those needs. Therefore, I become tempted by sin when I am not resting in the inheritance God has given to me through my faith in Jesus Christ.