Tempted in all points like as we are

The apostle Paul told the Philippians, “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:3-8). Jesus left His home in heaven to become a man, a human just as you and I. As such, He felt all the pain and humiliation of His barbaric treatment in the same way as we would if we were mocked, beaten and crucified. But, another malady of man that He experienced is that of temptation.

The writer of the book of Hebrews stated, “Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted” (Heb. 2:17-18). The point is well made here that “in all things” He was like unto we, the created, that it could never be said, “He has never experienced what we go through”. A bit later in the book, he writes, “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” (Heb. 4:14-15). Indeed, Jesus Christ suffered temptation, “in all points” as do we.

With Jesus, as with all of us, it is not God that did the tempting. James wrote, “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: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lusts, and enticed” (James 1:13-14). Lust is a product of Satan through the normal physical desires of man. John enumerated three areas into which all temptation can be placed. He said, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (I John 2:15-16). These three areas of temptation cover all the temptations man will ever fall prey to.

In the garden of Eden, when Adam and Eve ushed sin into the world, we can see the avenues of temptation that Satan imposed upon Eve. The scriptures say, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also into her husband with her; and he did eat” (Gen. 3:6). The lust of the flesh (good for food), the lust of the eyes (pleasant to the eyes) and the pride of life (desired to make one wise) constituted the broad scope of Eve’s temptation. Eve fell for it; she sinned.

After Jesus’ baptism, He was, “led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil” (Matt. 4:1). A careful look at the arsenal of temptations that Satan used against Him reveal these same three avenues of temptation. He was tempted by food for the hunger He no doubt felt (lust of the flesh). He was tempted with the glorious kingdoms of man (the lust of the eyes) and He was tempted with having angels to care for him (the pride of life). The big difference between the temptations of Jesus and those of Eve and we today, is not in the temptations themselves, but in the outcome. He was tempted, “yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15).

We, each and every one, will face the same temptations as did both Eve and Jesus. The specifics change, but those same three avenues cover them all. The things that will prove tempting to one person may well be no temptation at all to another, but we all face some. Paul wrote, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (I Cor. 10:13). James wrote, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience” (Jam. 1:2-3).