Monday, September 15, 2014

Tempted or Tested?

 

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We are people of flesh and blood. This is why Jesus became one of us.  He died to destroy the devil, who had power over death. But he also died to rescue all of us who live each day in fear of dying.  Jesus clearly did not come to help angels, but he did come to help Abraham's descendants.  He had to be one of us, so he could serve God as our merciful and faithful high priest and sacrifice himself for the forgiveness of our sins.  And now that Jesus has suffered and was tempted, he can help anyone else who is tempted.

Hebrews 2:14-18

There is a great debate about whether Jesus was "Tempted" or "Tested."  The arguments center around the fact that Jesus had the nature of God in Him as well as a human nature. If Jesus was God in the flesh how could He be tempted?    In order to define the difference you must study hard and speculate at least some to establish that the temptations of Christ were not the same as our temptations.

My purpose here is not to enter that debate, except to say that I can trust that as my "High Priest" Jesus knows everything that I experience!  When He was a child there were those who believed that Jesus was conceived outside of marriage by means of an illegitimate human father.  During His ministry there surely were those who thought Jesus was irresponsible in not working for a living.  And when He died it was between two thieves.

I suppose the bottom line is this:  Jesus had a will that at least at times was different from the Will of the Father.  That was clearly seen when Jesus told God that He chose for God's will to be done instead of His own just before He went to the Cross.  Jesus can identify fully with me when I have a will that is different from the Will of God!  But Jesus is my example of how to deal with that in my life!  I must give up my will and embrace the Will of God! 

When you are tempted Satan wants you to think that Jesus does not understand how you feel!  So I must forget about the theological debate about whether Jesus was tempted or tested and hold on to the truth that Jesus understands everything I experience!  When I am tempted Jesus can help!

"Lord Jesus, thank You for purchasing my eternal salvation with Your Blood on the Cross.  And Jesus thank You for knowing just how I feel when I am tempted to sin!  Praise Your Holy Name forever!  Amen.

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