Together # 51
A Together for Battle
A Together for Battle
Battle Temptation Together
copyright by Dick Wulf, 2018
Together, stand against and fight off temptations before they become sins.
Matt 6:13; Matt 26:40-41; 1 Cor 10:12-13; Gal 6:1;
1 Thess 3:5; 1 Tim 6:8-10; Heb 4:14-16
1 Thess 3:5; 1 Tim 6:8-10; Heb 4:14-16
Temptation must be faced together with our closest Christian friends and relatives. This is a “must”. Not just a “should”.
Because our society so highly values autonomy, self-actualization, and rugged individualism, we think many precious Bible promises are aimed at us individually when they are for us together. Talk about missing the mark! Most Bible promises are to the people of God together, and many are conditional upon some action by two or more Christians.
Long ago, as an elder in my church, I was shaken when the wife of a Christian school teacher left her husband for a non-Christian physician. I complained to God that the Bible promised this could not happen and quoted 1 Corinthians 10:13 to Him. But, God kept telling me to read that verse again and again.
I was soon to learn that I was reading my Bible, almost in its entirety, from an incorrect individualized viewpoint. Let’s look carefully at 1Corinthians 10:12-13, the verse that started me identifying the 65 Togethers over 30 years ago.
[12] So, if you think that you are standing firm,
be careful that you don't fall!
[13] No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.
And God is faithful;
he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.
But when you are tempted,
he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
be careful that you don't fall!
[13] No temptation has seized you except what is common to man.
And God is faithful;
he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.
But when you are tempted,
he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
For many years I thought this promise guaranteed immunity to temptation if I could just be "spiritual" enough. Although I kept making mistakes, I merely attributed this to an inadequate walk with the Lord.
However, the only singular pronouns in verse 13 refer to God. All the other pronouns are plural, giving us two possible explanations regarding the meaning.
The first possibility is that Paul was just speaking to many autonomous individuals using the plural pronouns to include them all. The meaning would then be that no temptation is stronger than any one of us individually can resist, as I had always thought. The fact that Christians fall into temptation, sometimes of the worst kind, should be proof that this passage does not mean that each one of us alone can resist all the strong temptations of the world.
The second possibility is that 1 Corinthians 10:13 is talking about Christians living together as God wants. This idea finally came to me after repeatedly quoting God’s words back to Him in protest.
I picked up the phone and called my friend Dr. Bob Palmer who was at that time vice president of Covenant Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. I asked him if the pronouns in 1 Corinthians 10:13 were singular or plural because he knew Greek. He asked for a few minutes to study the passage and would call me back in ten minutes. He called in five, rather excited at what he had to tell me. He informed me that verse 12 is in the singular while verse 13 switches to the plural, the singularity of verse 12 actually adding to the plurality of the promise in verse 13. This was astounding! This was, as we say, a huge “game changer”. How much of Christianity was misled by the loss of plurality in our understanding of Scripture?
To bring out the plural meaning more clearly, let me add clarifying amplification in parentheses to 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 as follows:
However, the only singular pronouns in verse 13 refer to God. All the other pronouns are plural, giving us two possible explanations regarding the meaning.
The first possibility is that Paul was just speaking to many autonomous individuals using the plural pronouns to include them all. The meaning would then be that no temptation is stronger than any one of us individually can resist, as I had always thought. The fact that Christians fall into temptation, sometimes of the worst kind, should be proof that this passage does not mean that each one of us alone can resist all the strong temptations of the world.
The second possibility is that 1 Corinthians 10:13 is talking about Christians living together as God wants. This idea finally came to me after repeatedly quoting God’s words back to Him in protest.
I picked up the phone and called my friend Dr. Bob Palmer who was at that time vice president of Covenant Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri. I asked him if the pronouns in 1 Corinthians 10:13 were singular or plural because he knew Greek. He asked for a few minutes to study the passage and would call me back in ten minutes. He called in five, rather excited at what he had to tell me. He informed me that verse 12 is in the singular while verse 13 switches to the plural, the singularity of verse 12 actually adding to the plurality of the promise in verse 13. This was astounding! This was, as we say, a huge “game changer”. How much of Christianity was misled by the loss of plurality in our understanding of Scripture?
To bring out the plural meaning more clearly, let me add clarifying amplification in parentheses to 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 as follows:
[12] So, if you (individual Christian) think you are standing firm
(on only your own two legs),
be careful that you (individual Christian) don't fall.
[13] No temptation has seized (all of) you
(together)
except what is common to man.
And God is faithful; he will not let you (all together,
interdependent with one another) be tempted beyond
what (all of) you (together) can bear.
But when you (separately but in fellowship together, or corporately) are tempted,
he will provide a way out so that (all of) you
(together through interdependence) can stand up under it.
(on only your own two legs),
be careful that you (individual Christian) don't fall.
[13] No temptation has seized (all of) you
(together)
except what is common to man.
And God is faithful; he will not let you (all together,
interdependent with one another) be tempted beyond
what (all of) you (together) can bear.
But when you (separately but in fellowship together, or corporately) are tempted,
he will provide a way out so that (all of) you
(together through interdependence) can stand up under it.
In verse 12, each of us as individuals are warned against having confidence in our individual walk with God. Then in verse 13 it is made clear that the promise means there is no temptation that we cannot overcome together. This new understanding of resistance to temptation means that we must pay a whole lot more attention to our walk with God together in our closest Christian relationships.
If, instead of living autonomously, we lead our lives dependent upon one another, then with the help of our brothers and sisters in Christ we can successfully resist Satan's temptations. Christians whose main concern is for God’s glorification need to understand their responsibility for how others in their Christian Inner Circles live. Then we will help them and they will help us to resist all sin, anything that will lead us astray and dishonor our Lord.
Battling temptation together will require honest transparency rather than deceitful privacy. We will need to know what is going on in one another’s lives to the extent that we can join with one another to resist sinful temptations. This is counter to what we have been taught about “minding our own business”, a very popular non-biblical value. Help to walk with God faithfully necessitates knowledge of what tempts one another. For citizens of God’s kingdom, almost everything is one another’s business because it has to do with our joint responsibility to honor and glorify God.
Temptation in itself is not sin. Yielding to temptations and walking outside of God’s path for each of us is sin.
For example, we might be tempted to have a triple-scoop of ice cream. If we are thin and healthy, if we are not telling ourselves that we deserve a triple-scoop because we are better off economically than others, and if we are not taking money from our children’s needs, then the temptation might not be to sin. But, outside of those conditions, when we stop together at an ice cream store, one of us will need to join the battle against sinful temptation, reminding one another of the health danger to weight, against pride in financial status, or that our children need school supplies.
It is Satan’s strategy to get us alone and offer things God does not want for us. (Just think how he tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden.) Satan knows a person needs help from others to resist his evil suggestions. The Apostle Peter, writing to Christians as a group, tells us to be alert together because Satan is looking for individuals to ravage. God designed Christians to be strong together, not so much alone.
If, instead of living autonomously, we lead our lives dependent upon one another, then with the help of our brothers and sisters in Christ we can successfully resist Satan's temptations. Christians whose main concern is for God’s glorification need to understand their responsibility for how others in their Christian Inner Circles live. Then we will help them and they will help us to resist all sin, anything that will lead us astray and dishonor our Lord.
Battling temptation together will require honest transparency rather than deceitful privacy. We will need to know what is going on in one another’s lives to the extent that we can join with one another to resist sinful temptations. This is counter to what we have been taught about “minding our own business”, a very popular non-biblical value. Help to walk with God faithfully necessitates knowledge of what tempts one another. For citizens of God’s kingdom, almost everything is one another’s business because it has to do with our joint responsibility to honor and glorify God.
Temptation in itself is not sin. Yielding to temptations and walking outside of God’s path for each of us is sin.
For example, we might be tempted to have a triple-scoop of ice cream. If we are thin and healthy, if we are not telling ourselves that we deserve a triple-scoop because we are better off economically than others, and if we are not taking money from our children’s needs, then the temptation might not be to sin. But, outside of those conditions, when we stop together at an ice cream store, one of us will need to join the battle against sinful temptation, reminding one another of the health danger to weight, against pride in financial status, or that our children need school supplies.
It is Satan’s strategy to get us alone and offer things God does not want for us. (Just think how he tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden.) Satan knows a person needs help from others to resist his evil suggestions. The Apostle Peter, writing to Christians as a group, tells us to be alert together because Satan is looking for individuals to ravage. God designed Christians to be strong together, not so much alone.
Be alert and of sober mind.
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8
Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion
looking for someone to devour.
1 Peter 5:8
Each of us is more likely to yield to temptation and sin if we are not woven into close Christian relationships. We can best fight off temptations and keep them from becoming sins using the more significant, honest, and frequent relationships of our Christian Inner Circles. For example, it is easier to resist coveting or buying when we go to shopping malls or stores with close Christian friends, family members or a husband or wife, as long as we take responsibility for one another.
We must determine to always battle temptation together! We must always be watching for the temptations Satan is presenting to us. We have to keep an eye on ourselves as well as watch one another’s backs. We cannot let ourselves think for a moment that our faith is so strong and we are so righteous that we cannot fall into temptation. Our sanctification is not complete. We are not carbon copies of our Savior.
Sure, we might have the big temptations beat, temptations to swear, use porn, steal and cheat, and the like. But, there are many less obvious sins encouraged by the world and our selfish natures – even by cultural aspects of contemporary Christian practice. How about thinking that prosperity is a sign of godliness, becoming smug and proud about doctrine, looking with derision upon non-believers, withholding the tithe from the storehouse, putting on a show of worship while coming to church for reasons other than worshiping God, and many other insidious temptations?
These kind of temptations and behaviors are best dealt with by those we trust. Christians who have walked daily life with us and loved us for months and years have qualified themselves to steer us away from temptations that, if pointed out by others less connected by love would generate embarrassment and denial. We can live more faithful to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit if we have given one another permission to help us turn down sinful temptations,.
We don’t want others to point out to us where we are becoming enamored with the wrong things. We are afraid of being judged. And, we are hesitant to point out danger to one another for fear of being pushed away. As a result we watch those in our Christian Inner Circles hurt themselves and stray from God’s good path. But, would we be afraid of rejection or a bad reaction and not push a friend out of the way of a speeding car? So, what is more dangerous? A speeding car or Satan? Overly polite Christianity is perilous.
It is so very dangerous for any Christian to be without close Christian friends who know their temptations. Perhaps we have known of Christians who have seriously hurt those who trusted them to be more godly. These tragedies point to the truth that strength against temptations does not come just from Bible knowledge or Christian reputation. (Remember King David and Samson!) Defeating temptation requires trusting, truthful, and transparent relationships with those who care about us the most.
“Too-alone people” can be identified in church fellowships. Church leadership must do more to draw these people together into powerful, biblically obedient friendships. It might be difficult to help these relationships become and stay transparent and non-judgmental. But, isn’t that what making disciples entails? Jesus did not focus on individual disciples because He knew the strength in His new church would be in faith together.
Perhaps we know Christians at work or in our neighborhood who are not significantly connected to other Christians. We need to teach them how dangerous it is to live independently and autonomously. Then we need to help them develop a plan to make close relationships with Christians and show them the Togethers and how necessary such friendships are. If our own Christian Inner Circles are too large and becoming less personal, then we need to introduce them to other Christians who take biblical responsibilities seriously. If we can’t do that, perhaps we will need to visit their church leadership with them to make the need for friends known.
Together in Christian friendships, families and marriages we can brainstorm the schemes of Satan (2 Cor 2:11), the methods the evil one is likely to use against us for each scheme, which of us might be targeted, and how together each person can be protected. In such groups there are probably those not attracted to each of the temptations, and they should be used as strong resources for resistance.
For the sake of God’s glory, lets help everyone win victories over whatever temptations plague them.
Opportunity to Become More and More Like Jesus Christ
We must determine to always battle temptation together! We must always be watching for the temptations Satan is presenting to us. We have to keep an eye on ourselves as well as watch one another’s backs. We cannot let ourselves think for a moment that our faith is so strong and we are so righteous that we cannot fall into temptation. Our sanctification is not complete. We are not carbon copies of our Savior.
Sure, we might have the big temptations beat, temptations to swear, use porn, steal and cheat, and the like. But, there are many less obvious sins encouraged by the world and our selfish natures – even by cultural aspects of contemporary Christian practice. How about thinking that prosperity is a sign of godliness, becoming smug and proud about doctrine, looking with derision upon non-believers, withholding the tithe from the storehouse, putting on a show of worship while coming to church for reasons other than worshiping God, and many other insidious temptations?
These kind of temptations and behaviors are best dealt with by those we trust. Christians who have walked daily life with us and loved us for months and years have qualified themselves to steer us away from temptations that, if pointed out by others less connected by love would generate embarrassment and denial. We can live more faithful to God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit if we have given one another permission to help us turn down sinful temptations,.
We don’t want others to point out to us where we are becoming enamored with the wrong things. We are afraid of being judged. And, we are hesitant to point out danger to one another for fear of being pushed away. As a result we watch those in our Christian Inner Circles hurt themselves and stray from God’s good path. But, would we be afraid of rejection or a bad reaction and not push a friend out of the way of a speeding car? So, what is more dangerous? A speeding car or Satan? Overly polite Christianity is perilous.
It is so very dangerous for any Christian to be without close Christian friends who know their temptations. Perhaps we have known of Christians who have seriously hurt those who trusted them to be more godly. These tragedies point to the truth that strength against temptations does not come just from Bible knowledge or Christian reputation. (Remember King David and Samson!) Defeating temptation requires trusting, truthful, and transparent relationships with those who care about us the most.
“Too-alone people” can be identified in church fellowships. Church leadership must do more to draw these people together into powerful, biblically obedient friendships. It might be difficult to help these relationships become and stay transparent and non-judgmental. But, isn’t that what making disciples entails? Jesus did not focus on individual disciples because He knew the strength in His new church would be in faith together.
Perhaps we know Christians at work or in our neighborhood who are not significantly connected to other Christians. We need to teach them how dangerous it is to live independently and autonomously. Then we need to help them develop a plan to make close relationships with Christians and show them the Togethers and how necessary such friendships are. If our own Christian Inner Circles are too large and becoming less personal, then we need to introduce them to other Christians who take biblical responsibilities seriously. If we can’t do that, perhaps we will need to visit their church leadership with them to make the need for friends known.
Together in Christian friendships, families and marriages we can brainstorm the schemes of Satan (2 Cor 2:11), the methods the evil one is likely to use against us for each scheme, which of us might be targeted, and how together each person can be protected. In such groups there are probably those not attracted to each of the temptations, and they should be used as strong resources for resistance.
For the sake of God’s glory, lets help everyone win victories over whatever temptations plague them.
Opportunity to Become More and More Like Jesus Christ
Bob, Mike, Alicia, Dawn and Sharon meet for coffee often in a cafeteria at their secular university. These five friends decided that they want to help one another be more like Jesus and not be attracted to wrong ways of thinking and activities that could tear down their faith. They recognize that they are living in a culture that considers many forbidden things as perfectly okay. And more than anything, they know that they can easily date and fall in love with men and women who are not dedicated to Christ.
They designated Wednesday afternoon after classes to ask each other what had come up during the past seven days that is too tempting. Then they help one another sort out the good temptations from those that lead to sin. Together through prayer, Bible study, and other applicable Togethers they keep one another from doing anything that they decide Jesus would not do. |
Jesus did not sin although he was tempted the same as we are.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses,
but we have one who has been tempted in every way,
just as we are—yet he did not sin.
Hebrews 4:15
but we have one who has been tempted in every way,
just as we are—yet he did not sin.
Hebrews 4:15
Jesus did not face temptation alone. Jesus did not sin when tempted by Satan in the wilderness because he was led there and helped by the Holy Spirit. We can safely say that Jesus always had the help of the Father and the Holy Spirit. We are to face temptation in the same way, not alone, but with help from God and one another.
Every time we face and defeat temptation, we avoid sin and are like Jesus. Unlike Jesus, we are sinners and need help from one another. Therefore, if we resist temptation with one another’s help, we are like Jesus who received help from the Father and the Holy Spirit and did not sin.
“Me and God” seems right, but is not. Adam alone with God was not enough only because God did not want it that way. God wanted Adam and Eve to help one another. It is still the same – God does not want us to just depend solely on Him, but also on one another. Since God usually helps us though one another, we are depending on Him when we live our faith together. When we do not help one another, we are not depending on God, even though we may think we are.
Here is a secret to facing temptation together. Collectively we can bring the correct Scriptures to mind when tempted to do wrong. We must give our closest Christian friends, our Christian family members, and our Christian spouses permission to speak up with Scripture to be considered when we face decisions in the course of our lives. Jesus resisted the frontal assault by Satan in the wilderness by knowing and reciting Scripture. Jesus knew the Bible well. Even when Satan quoted and misrepresented Scripture, our Lord knew God’s heart well enough to refute the evil one.
Our Christian Inner Circles are our safety nets. Circus acrobats have a net underneath so that if they fall, they are not hurt. In much the same way, Christian friends and Christian family members need to protect us from harm.
One way Christian families can practice battling temptation together is to analyze television and online advertisements. When an advertisement on a kid’s program stretches the truth about the quality or outcome of purchasing the advertised product, all family members can apply the light of Scripture. When happiness is implied in owning some toy or some fun-shaped cereal, families can expose the way Satan attracts us to detours on the path of life, eventually getting us to move away from our faith.
Responsible Christian parents usually watch the decisions their kids are making to provide guidance, often removing temptations. If they can bring their children into the action, then they will truly implement this Together to Battle Temptation by one another’s side. Kids can help one another, but powerful obedience is when children also learn how to help their parents avoid temptations.
A great way to do this is to have a couple of family meetings every so often with the purpose of identifying specific temptations each member is facing. Probably everyone is facing the temptation to buy something too expensive. Kids may be facing the temptation to have fun rather than do their homework, do anything but their chores, and be selfish. Parents may be facing the temptation to watch too much television or use their computers and tablets much more than is necessary. They may be facing the temptation to put off home and car maintenance and a number of adult chores. After the family identifies temptations, they can decide how to help one another avoid giving in to the temptations.
Friends at work can help one another fight the temptation for mediocre job performance. Friends on a fishing trip can help one another avoid the temptation to envy another’s string of fish. Friends at a café having lunch can help one another fight off temptations to eat or spend excessively.
And, husbands and wives can help with the resistence to temptation to speak unnecessarily negative of relatives, complain too much about job responsibilities and working conditions and even attraction to others that might threaten the marriage.
Let’s work together with those Christians close to us to watch each other’s lives and spot hidden or blatant temptations. Then we can expose them to the light of Scripture and God’s nature. Let’s help one another be like Jesus who received help and did not sin.
Opportunity to Worship God
Every time we face and defeat temptation, we avoid sin and are like Jesus. Unlike Jesus, we are sinners and need help from one another. Therefore, if we resist temptation with one another’s help, we are like Jesus who received help from the Father and the Holy Spirit and did not sin.
“Me and God” seems right, but is not. Adam alone with God was not enough only because God did not want it that way. God wanted Adam and Eve to help one another. It is still the same – God does not want us to just depend solely on Him, but also on one another. Since God usually helps us though one another, we are depending on Him when we live our faith together. When we do not help one another, we are not depending on God, even though we may think we are.
Here is a secret to facing temptation together. Collectively we can bring the correct Scriptures to mind when tempted to do wrong. We must give our closest Christian friends, our Christian family members, and our Christian spouses permission to speak up with Scripture to be considered when we face decisions in the course of our lives. Jesus resisted the frontal assault by Satan in the wilderness by knowing and reciting Scripture. Jesus knew the Bible well. Even when Satan quoted and misrepresented Scripture, our Lord knew God’s heart well enough to refute the evil one.
Our Christian Inner Circles are our safety nets. Circus acrobats have a net underneath so that if they fall, they are not hurt. In much the same way, Christian friends and Christian family members need to protect us from harm.
One way Christian families can practice battling temptation together is to analyze television and online advertisements. When an advertisement on a kid’s program stretches the truth about the quality or outcome of purchasing the advertised product, all family members can apply the light of Scripture. When happiness is implied in owning some toy or some fun-shaped cereal, families can expose the way Satan attracts us to detours on the path of life, eventually getting us to move away from our faith.
Responsible Christian parents usually watch the decisions their kids are making to provide guidance, often removing temptations. If they can bring their children into the action, then they will truly implement this Together to Battle Temptation by one another’s side. Kids can help one another, but powerful obedience is when children also learn how to help their parents avoid temptations.
A great way to do this is to have a couple of family meetings every so often with the purpose of identifying specific temptations each member is facing. Probably everyone is facing the temptation to buy something too expensive. Kids may be facing the temptation to have fun rather than do their homework, do anything but their chores, and be selfish. Parents may be facing the temptation to watch too much television or use their computers and tablets much more than is necessary. They may be facing the temptation to put off home and car maintenance and a number of adult chores. After the family identifies temptations, they can decide how to help one another avoid giving in to the temptations.
Friends at work can help one another fight the temptation for mediocre job performance. Friends on a fishing trip can help one another avoid the temptation to envy another’s string of fish. Friends at a café having lunch can help one another fight off temptations to eat or spend excessively.
And, husbands and wives can help with the resistence to temptation to speak unnecessarily negative of relatives, complain too much about job responsibilities and working conditions and even attraction to others that might threaten the marriage.
Let’s work together with those Christians close to us to watch each other’s lives and spot hidden or blatant temptations. Then we can expose them to the light of Scripture and God’s nature. Let’s help one another be like Jesus who received help and did not sin.
Opportunity to Worship God
Greg and Elizabeth love to bring more and more worship of God into their marriage. Unfortunately, they are a bit challenged in the musical area. They do the best they can, but they are always on the lookout for some form of worship they can do better.
Then Greg and Elizabeth realized that anytime they could help one another not think about things in an ungodly way, they would be helping one another as God helps. They put a lot of thought into this and resist temptatons together by remembering what God says in the Bible. Every time they help each other not yield to sinful temptation, they worship. |
God does not sin. While two personalities of our one God, the Father and the Spirit, are not tempted to sin, Jesus, the third Person of the Trinity, was tempted when he took on human form. He always resisted. Therefore, it is an act of worship every time we do not sin in the face of temptation. Whenever we help one another defeat temptations and not sin, we reflect back to God his own refusal to sin, as well as His helping us not to sin.
Since God helps His people not to sin, often through the help of other believers, it is an act of worship every time we help another Christian not sin when tempted. Again, we reflect back to God his own character, which is the essence of worship.
Temptation is a common occurrence, it is “common to man”. We live in a fallen world that offers us many things that are not what God wants for us. Our old self can desire them, and our new self can work on completing our salvation by resisting those temptations.
Since God helps His people not to sin, often through the help of other believers, it is an act of worship every time we help another Christian not sin when tempted. Again, we reflect back to God his own character, which is the essence of worship.
Temptation is a common occurrence, it is “common to man”. We live in a fallen world that offers us many things that are not what God wants for us. Our old self can desire them, and our new self can work on completing our salvation by resisting those temptations.
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.”
For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
but each person is tempted
when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;
and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
James 1:13-15
For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
but each person is tempted
when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.
Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin;
and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
James 1:13-15
Note that God does not tempt anyone to sin. Here is another way we can worship God. We can be like Him and not tempt others to sin, whether or not they are Christians. We might be surprised at how often we do tempt others to sin. Sometimes when we encourage someone to do something just to be supportive, we are actually “looking the other way” as they do something wrong. This is not battling temptation together.
We must be careful not to communicate that another Christian’s waywardness is not too serious and God will understand. Every time a Christian divorces without biblical justification, others watch and more divorces can follow. Especially when the Christian who divorces a spouse appears to be a better Christian, some others are likely to give up on an unsatisfying relationship and go on to divorce.
Too many of us have seen pastors or church leaders walk out of marriages and into wrong sexual alliances, abandoning their spouses and children. This tempts others to divorce and is the opposite of worship. If it were made more clear that persons in church leadership must make their temptations known to other leaders and their closest Christian friends and spouses, so very much pain could be prevented and God’s honor protected. Many pastors would resist the temptation to divorce if they realized they would be tempting toward divorce many of the marriages they have preached to and for which they have prayed.
We must recognize that there are many assignments from God that will require us to face and defeat temptations. This is precisely why we must face temptation together. We are not to try difficult things for God alone. Others need to be with us so we can get through temptations and live lives that offer praise to God.
We ask in the Lord’s Prayer that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. When praying this, we should be volunteering to do His will. On the way to doing whatever thing God wants from us, we will surely meet temptation, not because He creates it, but because Satan opposes God. The devil does not want us to do the will of God and will offer deviant ways of thinking and doing. However, in the Bible God will have taught us how to think and act, as well as what to value and what not to value. And, He will have given us each other to teach and remind us of these things. God will have given us everything we need to bypass temptation and do what He wants us to do. Helping one another resist temptation and keep on doing God’s will is definitely living worship.
Resisting temptation is as easy as having the mind of God as acquired from His own words recorded in the Bible. Note that it is we together who have the mind of Jesus.
We must be careful not to communicate that another Christian’s waywardness is not too serious and God will understand. Every time a Christian divorces without biblical justification, others watch and more divorces can follow. Especially when the Christian who divorces a spouse appears to be a better Christian, some others are likely to give up on an unsatisfying relationship and go on to divorce.
Too many of us have seen pastors or church leaders walk out of marriages and into wrong sexual alliances, abandoning their spouses and children. This tempts others to divorce and is the opposite of worship. If it were made more clear that persons in church leadership must make their temptations known to other leaders and their closest Christian friends and spouses, so very much pain could be prevented and God’s honor protected. Many pastors would resist the temptation to divorce if they realized they would be tempting toward divorce many of the marriages they have preached to and for which they have prayed.
We must recognize that there are many assignments from God that will require us to face and defeat temptations. This is precisely why we must face temptation together. We are not to try difficult things for God alone. Others need to be with us so we can get through temptations and live lives that offer praise to God.
We ask in the Lord’s Prayer that God’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven. When praying this, we should be volunteering to do His will. On the way to doing whatever thing God wants from us, we will surely meet temptation, not because He creates it, but because Satan opposes God. The devil does not want us to do the will of God and will offer deviant ways of thinking and doing. However, in the Bible God will have taught us how to think and act, as well as what to value and what not to value. And, He will have given us each other to teach and remind us of these things. God will have given us everything we need to bypass temptation and do what He wants us to do. Helping one another resist temptation and keep on doing God’s will is definitely living worship.
Resisting temptation is as easy as having the mind of God as acquired from His own words recorded in the Bible. Note that it is we together who have the mind of Jesus.
But we have the mind of Christ.
1 Cor 2:16b
1 Cor 2:16b
Remembering Genesis 2:18 can release us from our bondage to self-sufficiency and enable us to help one another battle temptations. Adam was with the All-Sufficient God when the Almighty declared:
The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone.
I will make a helper suitable for him.”
Genesis 2:18
I will make a helper suitable for him.”
Genesis 2:18
Obviously, God wanted it to be that we would need each other’s help. Therefore, if the best way to resist temptation is to have the mind of God about things, we need help from those Christians closest to us. They can and should help us learn the will of God through application of Scripture. They should help us remember what we have learned. They should help us want to live for God and not for ourselves. This is the way we battle temptation together.
We have many opportunities to worship because of temptations. Every temptation, even though it does not come from God, is an opportunity to worship both for the Christian being tempted and the Christian or Christians helping the one to resist temptation. Let’s make sure we turn temptations into worship rather than sin.
How Used in Battle to Defeat Evil and Satan
We have many opportunities to worship because of temptations. Every temptation, even though it does not come from God, is an opportunity to worship both for the Christian being tempted and the Christian or Christians helping the one to resist temptation. Let’s make sure we turn temptations into worship rather than sin.
How Used in Battle to Defeat Evil and Satan
Terry shared with his small group that he was addicted to pornography. It took much courage to do this, but his wife threatened to leave him if he did not stop. Through tears, his wife Gloria told the group how humiliating it had been for her. Terry and Gloria's small group knew they had to fight this temptation together. They began by praying to battle this temptation with Terry. They warned and admonished. Then they found out where Terry bought porn and went there with him and asked the owner not to sell to him. When the owner refused to help, the small group began to plan negative publicity for the x-rated bookstore.
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Not resisting temptation that first time in the Garden of Eden cursed us all to a future of having to resist temptation continually this side of heaven. Adam and Eve forgot to help one another and Satan dealt his biggest blow to the human race. Fortunately for those of us who believe, Jesus came from heaven to release us from the bondage of sin, the old self, and eternal death. Hallelujah!
Wouldn’t it be nice if upon belief in Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross the old self just vanished? And nothing would tempt us? Why didn’t God do that?
Because God wants to be loved back. Because He wants to be worshiped. Take away the old self and temptation vanishes. That would be great for us, but not for God. But, it is not all about us, is it? It’s about God who wants his people to love Him more than just sentimentally. Temptation presents that opportunity.
Wouldn’t it be nice if upon belief in Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross the old self just vanished? And nothing would tempt us? Why didn’t God do that?
Because God wants to be loved back. Because He wants to be worshiped. Take away the old self and temptation vanishes. That would be great for us, but not for God. But, it is not all about us, is it? It’s about God who wants his people to love Him more than just sentimentally. Temptation presents that opportunity.
One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating.
Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him,
“Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this:
‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind
and with all your strength.’
Mark 12:28-30
Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him,
“Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”
“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this:
‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind
and with all your strength.’
Mark 12:28-30
Clearly, easy love is not what God wants. Life is tough. It has continual temptations to sin through the devil’s introduction of sin into the human race. And, so, not giving in to sin by resisting temptation together is part of our fight of faith to glorify God.
Fight the good fight of the faith.
Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called . . . .
1 Tim 6:12
Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called . . . .
1 Tim 6:12
The effort of fighting and resisting temptation makes our love for God grow and our spirits move further into our eternal relationship with God. Temptations from Satan open up opportunities to love God with more than easy words and actions.
This should not be as foreign to us as it seems. In our own cherished relationships, we want more than effortless love. Easy love between husbands and wives is hardly love at all. Biblical love is self-denial for the other’s good. Spouses want more than heart-felt love, they want attention when it is not convenient, help bringing in the groceries during football games, equal division of chores, etc. We want friends to show they care for us by going out of their way at times to do things we want to do even if they do not really want to, by talking about uncomfortable subjects, and by helping us out when we move or our car breaks down. Children want and need love that goes beyond just keeping them alive with food and shelter. And parents want obedience in addition to their kids’ love.
To wake us up to the great danger in facing temptation alone, all we have to do is consider the disaster of King David’s great sin. How could David, who so desired to live for God, commit adultery followed by deception and murder? The answer is that David was alone when he saw Bathsheba from his rooftop. There was no one close enough to stop him. Even when he gave explicit orders to Joab, the commander of his army, to make sure Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, was killed in battle, Joab did not live for God and protect his king. The result was that David broke God’s heart and was not allowed to do what he dreamed of doing for God – build God’s temple.
This tragic incident from history screams at us to tell one another of those temptations to sin that assault us. It also barks the order to protect one another from temptations, invited to intercede or not!
Do we still plan to fight temptation alone? Do we still want to proudly deny that we are capable of the worst kinds of sins? If King David could be seduced in spite of his great love for God, you and I better know that we could be also. And, we better build an inner circle of Christians from whom we do not keep secret the things that tempt us.
It is very difficult these days for Christians to not be tempted continuously. Our culture emphasizes the “politically correct” which is frequently opposed to the “biblically correct”. The need to be accepted by others too often leads to tolerance of sin and accepting, even agreeing, that some of it is okay.
Can we Christians together overcome the need for acceptance by others so that we can be unpopular when we resist what the world says is acceptable and God does not? Perhaps we can learn from those slaves of yesteryear who established their own society to counter the rejection of white people. They had each other to hold to the belief that they were acceptable, to love each other when persecution came, and to believe in God whom they knew valued them. If we are to help one another battle temptation, we will need to deepen our own relationships to bring us the security in God and one another that will enable us to live easily as a minority people in our nations.
Together we are stronger than Satan. So, the devil has to use temptations, hoping that we will submit to them and be sidetracked from doing whatever God wants us to do, either individually or as a team. Temptations therefore are the devil’s strategies to interrupt our obedient march against evil.
Christians need to practice battling temptation together so they go into the war against evil in the most sinful of places. Christian teams with the ability to resist temptations are needed for waging war in places and situations we naturally avoid because they are too dangerous for us alone. Realizing temptation must be battled together, we go out with at least one other Christian, battle evil, and bring much glory to God.
Suppose one of our alcoholic brothers comes to the Lord and his typical hangout has been a particular bar where he has many friends. Usually we tell him to avoid that bar, but that if he runs into any of his bar buddies he should tell them about Jesus and His offer of salvation and heaven. In a year’s time, he might meet a few of his past bar friends on the street or elsewhere. But, what if one or two of us who are in no way attempted to drink excessively, if to drink at all, go with him to the bar for him to say “goodbye” to all of his friends and explain his new life in Christ? It would be extremely dangerous for him to go to the bar alone with its temptation to drink and the attractiveness of its familiar non-Christian culture. But, going with one or more of us can neutralize the temptation and take the gospel into the bar.
Or suppose one of our Christian girlfriends gets caught up in office polities and gossip. We would have to get involved in some way. We would warn her of the temptations to sin that her employment offers and help her think differently about how she relates to others there. Then, we would have to keep her accountable by frequently asking her how she is handling the difficult culture of her employment.
We should be going together to hundreds of sinful places! To name but a few of the many places, we are needed on the sidewalks outside of abortion clinics, at streets where prostitution enslaves girls and women, where drugs are made available to school children, in homes where poverty and illness and disability make life overwhelming, in schools tutoring kids whose families give inadequate support to the learning process, with refugees to help them get life’s necessities, and the list could go on for pages. Just think of the battle against evil we could wage if even 50% of Christian friendships and Christian families took on one such ministry a few hours a week out of the many hours they take for recreation?
Battling temptations together must be central to our war against Satan wherever he has strongholds. Let’s keep one another from yielding to temptation and being taken away from the battles against the devil and the evil he has brought into the world.
How in the Sinful Environment this Together Prepares Us for Heaven
This should not be as foreign to us as it seems. In our own cherished relationships, we want more than effortless love. Easy love between husbands and wives is hardly love at all. Biblical love is self-denial for the other’s good. Spouses want more than heart-felt love, they want attention when it is not convenient, help bringing in the groceries during football games, equal division of chores, etc. We want friends to show they care for us by going out of their way at times to do things we want to do even if they do not really want to, by talking about uncomfortable subjects, and by helping us out when we move or our car breaks down. Children want and need love that goes beyond just keeping them alive with food and shelter. And parents want obedience in addition to their kids’ love.
To wake us up to the great danger in facing temptation alone, all we have to do is consider the disaster of King David’s great sin. How could David, who so desired to live for God, commit adultery followed by deception and murder? The answer is that David was alone when he saw Bathsheba from his rooftop. There was no one close enough to stop him. Even when he gave explicit orders to Joab, the commander of his army, to make sure Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, was killed in battle, Joab did not live for God and protect his king. The result was that David broke God’s heart and was not allowed to do what he dreamed of doing for God – build God’s temple.
This tragic incident from history screams at us to tell one another of those temptations to sin that assault us. It also barks the order to protect one another from temptations, invited to intercede or not!
Do we still plan to fight temptation alone? Do we still want to proudly deny that we are capable of the worst kinds of sins? If King David could be seduced in spite of his great love for God, you and I better know that we could be also. And, we better build an inner circle of Christians from whom we do not keep secret the things that tempt us.
It is very difficult these days for Christians to not be tempted continuously. Our culture emphasizes the “politically correct” which is frequently opposed to the “biblically correct”. The need to be accepted by others too often leads to tolerance of sin and accepting, even agreeing, that some of it is okay.
Can we Christians together overcome the need for acceptance by others so that we can be unpopular when we resist what the world says is acceptable and God does not? Perhaps we can learn from those slaves of yesteryear who established their own society to counter the rejection of white people. They had each other to hold to the belief that they were acceptable, to love each other when persecution came, and to believe in God whom they knew valued them. If we are to help one another battle temptation, we will need to deepen our own relationships to bring us the security in God and one another that will enable us to live easily as a minority people in our nations.
Together we are stronger than Satan. So, the devil has to use temptations, hoping that we will submit to them and be sidetracked from doing whatever God wants us to do, either individually or as a team. Temptations therefore are the devil’s strategies to interrupt our obedient march against evil.
Christians need to practice battling temptation together so they go into the war against evil in the most sinful of places. Christian teams with the ability to resist temptations are needed for waging war in places and situations we naturally avoid because they are too dangerous for us alone. Realizing temptation must be battled together, we go out with at least one other Christian, battle evil, and bring much glory to God.
Suppose one of our alcoholic brothers comes to the Lord and his typical hangout has been a particular bar where he has many friends. Usually we tell him to avoid that bar, but that if he runs into any of his bar buddies he should tell them about Jesus and His offer of salvation and heaven. In a year’s time, he might meet a few of his past bar friends on the street or elsewhere. But, what if one or two of us who are in no way attempted to drink excessively, if to drink at all, go with him to the bar for him to say “goodbye” to all of his friends and explain his new life in Christ? It would be extremely dangerous for him to go to the bar alone with its temptation to drink and the attractiveness of its familiar non-Christian culture. But, going with one or more of us can neutralize the temptation and take the gospel into the bar.
Or suppose one of our Christian girlfriends gets caught up in office polities and gossip. We would have to get involved in some way. We would warn her of the temptations to sin that her employment offers and help her think differently about how she relates to others there. Then, we would have to keep her accountable by frequently asking her how she is handling the difficult culture of her employment.
We should be going together to hundreds of sinful places! To name but a few of the many places, we are needed on the sidewalks outside of abortion clinics, at streets where prostitution enslaves girls and women, where drugs are made available to school children, in homes where poverty and illness and disability make life overwhelming, in schools tutoring kids whose families give inadequate support to the learning process, with refugees to help them get life’s necessities, and the list could go on for pages. Just think of the battle against evil we could wage if even 50% of Christian friendships and Christian families took on one such ministry a few hours a week out of the many hours they take for recreation?
Battling temptations together must be central to our war against Satan wherever he has strongholds. Let’s keep one another from yielding to temptation and being taken away from the battles against the devil and the evil he has brought into the world.
How in the Sinful Environment this Together Prepares Us for Heaven
Jesus looked down from his throne at the right hand of God the Father. He was enjoying the Witherspoon family who lived in London. They were constantly helping one another resist the temptations of English society. And, they were doing it to be a blessing to God by honoring His way of living.
The Witherspoon family has had for a long time the purpose of helping one another enjoy life and be all that they could be for God. As the kids got older and older, they understood this family purpose at deeper levels of understanding. The phrase in the Lord’s Prayer, “thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven” was a standard for their behavior as individuals and as a family. Jesus smiled because He could see that when the Witherspoons came to heaven, they would have the level of love for God required for so many eternal experiences and privileges. |
In heaven there will be no temptation to do evil and disappoint God. Satan will not be there. Our old selves will have been stripped away by death. There will no longer be the need to battle temptation. However, keeping from sin by battling temptation together before death will give us more faithful spirits to give God whatever He asks. This more committed spirit will be taken into account when God hands out rewards as places of service in heaven.
Battling temptation in order to do right must be done out of love for God. Love for what He has already given us should make us exceedingly grateful so that we will want to give back to God whatever He asks of us. Satan, on the other hand, wants us to disgrace God. The devil can accomplish this if we battle temptation for any other reason than to stay pure for God’s glory.
Since this life is, among other things, a proving ground for heaven, we are showing God how much we can live for Him. In His heaven, it only makes sense that assignments will match the level of commitment to live for Him we have shown earlier before death. Rewards in heaven will be assignments of blessed service that match our spirits at the level they have attained in various aspects of godliness.
The question, “Do we want to help one another defeat temptation?” is the same question as, “Do we want to glorify God?” Of course, we do! That is why we have been re-recreated in Christ.
Therefore, with God’s glory in mind as our highest consideration, two things are necessary. (1) We ourselves should live as best we can for His glory, and this means that we must let other Christians we trust help us battle temptations. (2) Conversely, we must throw ourselves into helping other Christians successfully battle their temptations so that their lives glorify God.
When we passively watch a friend, family member, or spouse succumb to temptation and sin, we contribute to dishonoring God. We have wanted to believe that it is not our fault, but the Bible implies otherwise.
Battling temptation in order to do right must be done out of love for God. Love for what He has already given us should make us exceedingly grateful so that we will want to give back to God whatever He asks of us. Satan, on the other hand, wants us to disgrace God. The devil can accomplish this if we battle temptation for any other reason than to stay pure for God’s glory.
Since this life is, among other things, a proving ground for heaven, we are showing God how much we can live for Him. In His heaven, it only makes sense that assignments will match the level of commitment to live for Him we have shown earlier before death. Rewards in heaven will be assignments of blessed service that match our spirits at the level they have attained in various aspects of godliness.
The question, “Do we want to help one another defeat temptation?” is the same question as, “Do we want to glorify God?” Of course, we do! That is why we have been re-recreated in Christ.
Therefore, with God’s glory in mind as our highest consideration, two things are necessary. (1) We ourselves should live as best we can for His glory, and this means that we must let other Christians we trust help us battle temptations. (2) Conversely, we must throw ourselves into helping other Christians successfully battle their temptations so that their lives glorify God.
When we passively watch a friend, family member, or spouse succumb to temptation and sin, we contribute to dishonoring God. We have wanted to believe that it is not our fault, but the Bible implies otherwise.
But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet
to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life,
that person’s life will be taken because of their sin,
but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.
Ezekiel 33:6
to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life,
that person’s life will be taken because of their sin,
but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.
Ezekiel 33:6
We are all “watchmen on the wall” when it comes to battling any Christian’s temptation, but especially those believers with whom we are in closest relationship. We are to be watching out for their welfare that they not dishonor God and reap negative consequences. But, we are primarily watching out for God to assure He is glorified in the behavior of all of us. For the church to responsibly guard God’s honor and help every Christian love God enough to esteem Him with righteous character and obedience, we must do all we can to make certain that all Christians have an inner circle of “watchmen” friends, families, and spouses.
Surely we can put ourselves in God’s place enough to realize that He is not going to put Christians in places of service in heaven who have not loved Him enough to care about helping those in their Christian inner circles battle temptation so they can live for God. In the least, a warning can be given. At most, we can prevent them from sinning when they are going to fall into temptation. We battle temptation together to qualify one another for heavenly assignments.
Let’s keep in mind that Aaron did not get to go into the Promised Land because he did not keep Moses from striking the rock with his rod by either warning Moses not to do it, or diving in front of the rod so that it would not strike the rock. Moses was supposed to speak to the rock this time. (See Numbers 20:6-12.) This shows that service for God, now and in heaven, depends on obedience – both being helped to resist temptation and helping others to resist it.
By battling temptation together, let’s prepare ourselves for important assignments in heaven that will require strong love for God and concern for His honor and glory.
How this Together Can Make it Really Good in Heaven
Surely we can put ourselves in God’s place enough to realize that He is not going to put Christians in places of service in heaven who have not loved Him enough to care about helping those in their Christian inner circles battle temptation so they can live for God. In the least, a warning can be given. At most, we can prevent them from sinning when they are going to fall into temptation. We battle temptation together to qualify one another for heavenly assignments.
Let’s keep in mind that Aaron did not get to go into the Promised Land because he did not keep Moses from striking the rock with his rod by either warning Moses not to do it, or diving in front of the rod so that it would not strike the rock. Moses was supposed to speak to the rock this time. (See Numbers 20:6-12.) This shows that service for God, now and in heaven, depends on obedience – both being helped to resist temptation and helping others to resist it.
By battling temptation together, let’s prepare ourselves for important assignments in heaven that will require strong love for God and concern for His honor and glory.
How this Together Can Make it Really Good in Heaven
Owen is invited often to the outskirts of the Great White Throne. So is Sharon. As husband and wife they almost always watched each other’s lives closely and helped one another resist the temptations of the sinful culture of their pre-death existence.
Milton and Olivia, Owen and Sharon’s Christian neighbors from before death, don’t often get invited so close to God’s actual presence here in heaven. They ignored Owen and Sharon’s help to resist many temptations, dismissing their biblical counsel and criticizing their “overly Christian” lifestyle. They are totally happy in heaven. They just don’t comprehend what they’re missing. They did not work out their salvation to the necessary level of sanctification for greater privileges in heaven. Their new selves in Christ did not leave enough of their old self behind before death snuck up on them. You see, it is not only on earth that the amount of love for God determines the level of closeness to Him. |
Although we can be completely content sweeping the streets of heaven, would we not like to be qualified for something more responsible and more enjoyable? If we build houses before death and love doing so, wouldn’t we rather be building fantastic houses in heaven? But, if we gave in to the temptation to accumulate wealth building houses without concern for what God wanted us to do with that income, do we think that God will find us qualified to build the fancier homes in His heaven? Will there not be those with better-developed motives in their spirits for such construction projects who will bring God more glory?
Overcoming temptation is critical to maximizing opportunities in heaven. Perhaps too many Christians think that once they get into heaven, they will have all the opportunities of more faithful believers, those who actually lived for God and successfully battled temptation before death came.
Many enjoyments will be experienced in heaven by anyone with the ticket to get into events, namely trust in Jesus’ substitutionary death for them. This is just like today anyone can enjoy a theater production, provided they can get in. But, there will be different levels of experience in that play, dependent upon how they have prepared to experience it. Have they read the book on which the play is based? Have they studied acting to know the little details of stage skills? Do they know well the owner of the theater or the director of the play? It will be similar in heaven. Eternal life will be glorious for all, without disappointment, but with different capacities for participation and joy.
Because God rewards obedience, it seems logical that heaven will be a different experience for each of us. Each of us will have been obedient in different ways at different levels of love for God. None of us know how this will play out, but an allegory might get us thinking. Remember, this is an allegory, but still based on the logic that the more we live for God, the more from Him do we enjoy now and will later in heaven.
Imagine that it is the degree of love for God shown now in how we live that will qualify us for privileges in heaven. And, imagine that it is distance from to God’s throne that determines what enjoyments are available to each of us – that God only allows his heavenly citizens to come as close to Him as their love for Him deserves. In this scenario, there are ten-acre carnivals 100 miles out from God’s throne, but hundred-acre amusement parks at 25 miles out. In this scenario, what about the Christian who did not think he or she needed help from other Christians to ward off temptations and thus committed unnecessary sins, perhaps under-valuing living for God’s glory and overemphasizing God’s forgiveness? Grace will pay for the sins, but not overlook levels of faith and commitment. Coming to heaven, he or she would not be permitted nor want to live closer than 100 miles out from God’s throne. He or she would be completely happy, yet might never be able to travel to within 25 miles and play in that much larger amusement park.
If this allegory presents a logical, yet purely fanciful picture, then isn’t overcoming temptation so valuable that we would want those closest to us in the faith to help us resist temptation and live for God as much as possible?
Opportunity for a Closer Relationship with God through Eternity
Overcoming temptation is critical to maximizing opportunities in heaven. Perhaps too many Christians think that once they get into heaven, they will have all the opportunities of more faithful believers, those who actually lived for God and successfully battled temptation before death came.
Many enjoyments will be experienced in heaven by anyone with the ticket to get into events, namely trust in Jesus’ substitutionary death for them. This is just like today anyone can enjoy a theater production, provided they can get in. But, there will be different levels of experience in that play, dependent upon how they have prepared to experience it. Have they read the book on which the play is based? Have they studied acting to know the little details of stage skills? Do they know well the owner of the theater or the director of the play? It will be similar in heaven. Eternal life will be glorious for all, without disappointment, but with different capacities for participation and joy.
Because God rewards obedience, it seems logical that heaven will be a different experience for each of us. Each of us will have been obedient in different ways at different levels of love for God. None of us know how this will play out, but an allegory might get us thinking. Remember, this is an allegory, but still based on the logic that the more we live for God, the more from Him do we enjoy now and will later in heaven.
Imagine that it is the degree of love for God shown now in how we live that will qualify us for privileges in heaven. And, imagine that it is distance from to God’s throne that determines what enjoyments are available to each of us – that God only allows his heavenly citizens to come as close to Him as their love for Him deserves. In this scenario, there are ten-acre carnivals 100 miles out from God’s throne, but hundred-acre amusement parks at 25 miles out. In this scenario, what about the Christian who did not think he or she needed help from other Christians to ward off temptations and thus committed unnecessary sins, perhaps under-valuing living for God’s glory and overemphasizing God’s forgiveness? Grace will pay for the sins, but not overlook levels of faith and commitment. Coming to heaven, he or she would not be permitted nor want to live closer than 100 miles out from God’s throne. He or she would be completely happy, yet might never be able to travel to within 25 miles and play in that much larger amusement park.
If this allegory presents a logical, yet purely fanciful picture, then isn’t overcoming temptation so valuable that we would want those closest to us in the faith to help us resist temptation and live for God as much as possible?
Opportunity for a Closer Relationship with God through Eternity
In heaven Jesus often visits those who faced and did not give in to great temptations. He knows that they have more understanding of what He went through to be sinless and able to die in their place. He shares a special closeness with those who did not give in to strong temptations. And he gives a pat on the back and a “Thanks!” to those who helped them resist those temptations.
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Surely we can see that God will have a closer relationship with those who loved Him so much that they lived for Him and fought hard to not yield to thoughts and actions that would take away from His glory.
When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar
the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God
and the testimony they had maintained.
They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true,
until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”
Then each of them was given a white robe,
and they were told to wait a little longer,
until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,
were killed just as they had been.
Revelation 6:9-11
the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God
and the testimony they had maintained.
They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true,
until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”
Then each of them was given a white robe,
and they were told to wait a little longer,
until the full number of their fellow servants, their brothers and sisters,
were killed just as they had been.
Revelation 6:9-11
This passage seems to indicate that Christian martyrs are treated special. Hopefully that brings joy to our hearts. They deserve it. It would seem that they will have a bit of a closer relationship to God than will we. And they will likely have some special privileges, along with those white robes.
This is logical. Think of the one daughter who moves her family to where her failing mother lives or brings that aging mother to live with her. This allows other siblings to maintain their lifestyle. So, if that daughter who sacrificed greater is a little more loved by the mother, doesn’t it make sense?
Getting help from one another to battle temptations of autonomy is self-denial for God’s sake. We will draw closer to God if we go to a Christian friend, family member or spouse when temptations enter our minds.
Let’s help one another have the closest relationship with that God we can. Let’s help each other not be tempted by focusing on the things of God. Let’s help one another until those things not of Him have no attraction. We all need some in our Christian Inner Circles to whom we can openly admit our temptations to receive their help to resist temptations and strengthen our spirits.
Praise & Prayer Regarding this Together
Dear Father God who has never had to battle temptation and Dear Jesus who totally battled temptation successfully in order to represent us in your death, I and those in my Christian Inner Circle will need Your help to grow our spirits to battle temptations together so that we can keep dedicated to You. Help us to yield to the work of the Holy Spirit for all of us to give You more glory in the way we help one another avoid those things and decisions that take us away from living for You and in Your way.
Please help us all to become more like Jesus and avoid sinning by facing temptation and defeating it. See to it that I and those in my Christian Inner Circle are wise enough to tell one another of things that tempt us so that together we can recognize temptations to go against Your will for our lives. We want to have victory over temptations as did our Lord and Savior.
May our lives worship You more because we honor You so much that we do not yield to temptations to sin and bring dishonor upon Your Name. Help us to not be so tolerant of the smaller temptations of those in our Christian Inner Circles that we do not insert ourselves to battle these seemingly less-harmful temptations.
Make us strong in Your power to defeat the devil by loving You so deeply that we can easily deny his temptations. Following the example of our Lord when facing the temptations of Satan in the wilderness, help us to remember relevant Scriptures to tell one another in battling temptation together.
Help us to see that the evil one will often begin with seemingly acceptable temptations and that we really do need one another’s help to sort out Satan’s scheme with each tempting desire he places before us. Make us so capable of automatically seeing temptations that are not in accord with Your will and Who You are that we do not need to avoid the evil places and people who need us there to represent You and Your holiness in order to attempt to deliver them from the devil.
Help us all to prepare for heaven by facing temptation together, thereby, allowing the Holy Spirit to work within all of us to produce purity and dedication to God to glorify You as well as for better lives for ourselves in heaven.
This is logical. Think of the one daughter who moves her family to where her failing mother lives or brings that aging mother to live with her. This allows other siblings to maintain their lifestyle. So, if that daughter who sacrificed greater is a little more loved by the mother, doesn’t it make sense?
Getting help from one another to battle temptations of autonomy is self-denial for God’s sake. We will draw closer to God if we go to a Christian friend, family member or spouse when temptations enter our minds.
Let’s help one another have the closest relationship with that God we can. Let’s help each other not be tempted by focusing on the things of God. Let’s help one another until those things not of Him have no attraction. We all need some in our Christian Inner Circles to whom we can openly admit our temptations to receive their help to resist temptations and strengthen our spirits.
Praise & Prayer Regarding this Together
Dear Father God who has never had to battle temptation and Dear Jesus who totally battled temptation successfully in order to represent us in your death, I and those in my Christian Inner Circle will need Your help to grow our spirits to battle temptations together so that we can keep dedicated to You. Help us to yield to the work of the Holy Spirit for all of us to give You more glory in the way we help one another avoid those things and decisions that take us away from living for You and in Your way.
Please help us all to become more like Jesus and avoid sinning by facing temptation and defeating it. See to it that I and those in my Christian Inner Circle are wise enough to tell one another of things that tempt us so that together we can recognize temptations to go against Your will for our lives. We want to have victory over temptations as did our Lord and Savior.
May our lives worship You more because we honor You so much that we do not yield to temptations to sin and bring dishonor upon Your Name. Help us to not be so tolerant of the smaller temptations of those in our Christian Inner Circles that we do not insert ourselves to battle these seemingly less-harmful temptations.
Make us strong in Your power to defeat the devil by loving You so deeply that we can easily deny his temptations. Following the example of our Lord when facing the temptations of Satan in the wilderness, help us to remember relevant Scriptures to tell one another in battling temptation together.
Help us to see that the evil one will often begin with seemingly acceptable temptations and that we really do need one another’s help to sort out Satan’s scheme with each tempting desire he places before us. Make us so capable of automatically seeing temptations that are not in accord with Your will and Who You are that we do not need to avoid the evil places and people who need us there to represent You and Your holiness in order to attempt to deliver them from the devil.
Help us all to prepare for heaven by facing temptation together, thereby, allowing the Holy Spirit to work within all of us to produce purity and dedication to God to glorify You as well as for better lives for ourselves in heaven.
Ever increasing practice of the Togethers of Scripture will (1) create in you the loving essence of Jesus, (2) give Jesus the kind of love He requested, (3) provide you with the most significant spiritual lifestyle which is attainable only through Christian community, (4) offer significant worship to God by reflecting his own character back to him through your behavior, and (5) bring God’s kingdom to earth as asked for in the Lord’s Prayer. And for heaven, such growing obedience to Scripture now will later (6) qualify you for a more responsible place of service as reward in heaven, and, (7) most important of all, give you greater empathy with God for a closer relationship with Him for all of eternity.