Manslick Road church of Christ » All In a Verse
“No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13 ).
The temptation to sin is life’s greatest challenge. This text reminds us of three important facts about it.
First, “no temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man.” It is natural to think we are facing something alone or for the first time ever. Teenagers are certain mom and dad “just don’t understand.” How often does someone who is struggling say, “You don’t know what I am going through.” The danger in such thinking is despair, the assumption that no help is available, and especially, that Bible solutions to one’s problems will not work.
In the preceding verses, Paul reminded the Corinthians that they were facing the same old temptations that came Israel’s way 1,500 years earlier. Circumstances may change, but Satan’s tactics do not. You can learn much by studying how Bible characters dealt with temptation. There is consolation in knowing others have been where you are. Remember, too, that Jesus was tempted in all points as we are, yet without sin (Heb. 4:15 ).
Second, “God . . . will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able.” God does not tempt us Himself (Jas. 1:13-16 ), but He does allow Satan to do so. What God does is maintain control over the situation so that it does not get out of hand, a fact aptly illustrated in the story of Job (Job 1-2). There may be times when it seems as though you are facing too big a challenge, but rest assured you are not. As Matthew Henry worded it, “Either our trials will be proportioned to our strength, or strength will be supplied in proportion to our temptations.” We can be victorious!
One implication of this fact is worth emphasizing: I am responsible for my sin. If temptation is not greater than I can bear, sin is my choice. I did not have to do it.
Third, “. . . but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” What is the way of escape? Here are a few. Begin with avoidance when possible: “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Stay out of circumstances in which Satan’s appeals are stronger. Associate with those who will be a positive, rather than a negative, influence. Jesus stored up Scripture in His heart and used it to combat temptation (Mt. 4:4, 7, 10; cf. Ps. 119:11 ). Prayer is another escape route. Sometimes you may need to do as Joseph did and literally run away from a situation (Gen. 39:12 ). God promises the way of escape; it is up to us to use it.
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one of us may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10 ).
Jesus has numerous roles in God’s plan: teacher, model, savior, lawgiver, king, high priest, head of the church, advocate, intercessor, etc. He is also our judge. Jesus is uniquely qualified for this task: He is both God and man, He was tempted in all things as we are yet without sin, and He showed both His love for us and dedication to the Father’s will in giving Himself on our behalf.
This text reminds us of several important characteristics of the judgment.
It is universal. All will appear before Christ for judgment. No one is exempt. Even if you die before it occurs, you will still be there. “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds” (Rev. 20:13 ). Jesus’ own resurrection is the guarantee of ours and the judgment to follow (Acts 17:31 ).
It is personal. Each one will be judged according to what he has done. You will not be held accountable for another’s misbehavior. Some say we are guilty before God because of what Adam did or because of what our parents did, but the Bible teaches otherwise (see Ezek. 18). You answer for your choices in life. Others may influence you to do wrong, and they will have to answer for that, yet that does not eliminate your responsibility for your conduct. This also means that no one else can do right for you. You will not pass the judgment because your parents or your spouse or your children are godly. Righteousness cannot be borrowed.
It is behavioral. We will be judged according to what we have done. The Bible emphasizes that we are justified by faith in Christ (Rom. 5:1 ), not on the basis of our own goodness. Yet it also reminds us that faith without works is dead (Jas. 2:26 ), that Christ is the source of salvation to those who obey Him (Heb. 5:9 ). “Lord, Lord” will be an empty cry on that day (Mt. 7:21 ). What we claimed to be or intended to do will count for nothing. In Matthew 25:31-46 , Jesus’ depicted the judgment as a shepherd separating sheep and goats. Interestingly, the goats in that picture are not those who were grossly immoral in life; they are those who failed to do right.
It is final. Jesus said that the Father has given Him all judgment (Jn. 5:22 ). That being the case, there can be no appeal of His decision. There is no higher court to which one could turn. The verdict is for eternity.
The verse following our text says, “Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men. . .” Are you persuaded to follow Christ now?
“. . . abhor what is evil; cling to what is good” (Rom. 12:9 ).
This short verse (actually it is just the second part of the verse) would be a fine one to commit to memory. It states or implies at least three vital points.
First, there is such a thing as good and evil. People used to understand that. We used to know that one is supposed to keep his word, that greed is a bad thing, that marriage is for life, and that homosexuality is perversion.
Now, several generations have grown up listening to denominational preachers say it does not matter what you believe, thereby undermining Bible authority; we have heard libertarians rationalize any and every kind of conduct; our courts rule on the basis of what judges think the law ought to be instead of what it is; and we have grown accustomed to comedians making daily fodder of sin of every kind. Is it any wonder people are confused?
Come to think of it, this is nothing new. Long ago Isaiah wrote, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; . . . who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight” (Is. 5:20-21 ).
Second, it is both possible and necessary to discern good and evil. Personal preferences and moral relativism leave us adrift. There is a fixed standard. It is God. He is right or righteous. “A God of faithfulness and without injustice, righteous and upright is He” (Dt. 32:4 ). His word, His self-revelation, is the yardstick by which all conduct is measured. It is the standard by which we shall be judged (Jn. 12:48 ).
Discerning right and wrong begins with the “thou shalt/thou shalt not” passages. We must also take into account principles of conduct, such as maintaining a clear conscience (Rom. 14:22-23 ), not putting other things before God (Mt. 6:33 ), leaving off questionable things that would lessen our influence for good (Mt. 5:16 ), etc. Paul often prayed that Christians would grow in this area of distinguishing conduct (Ph. 1:9-11; Col. 1:9-12 ).
Third, we must act in keeping with the quality of any given behavior. If a thing is good we are to cling to it. The original verb in our text is from the Greek noun for glue; be glued to it. On the other hand, if conduct is bad, we are to abhor it. Abhor is from the Latin word for horror, which literally means to shudder. We should shudder at the very idea of some kinds of behavior [misbehavior].
Simply put, this text tells us to use God’s word and draw the line between good and evil. Once that line is drawn, do not see how close to it you can get without stepping over; stay as far away from evil and as close to God as you can.
“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful” (Heb. 10:23 ).
Hope relates to the future. It is the ability to reach forward with our minds and latch on to something good. That future good thing, in turn, richly enhances the present. Hope is one of our great blessings in Christ. It cheers and sustains. This verse identifies three essentials of the Christian’s hope.
A Fixed Hope
Earthly hopes often waver. At different stages a little boy hopes to be a fireman or a ballplayer or the president or something else. Success comes when we lock in on something and work toward it.
Christians have one grand hope: to be with the Lord. “One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord” (Ps. 27:4 ). Our one hope (Eph. 4:4 ) is heaven (1 Pet. 1:3-4 ). Let us hold to it without wavering. Do not be distracted by earthly things. They disappoint and will not last.
A Grounded Hope
Do you want to go to heaven? Of course you do. Do you expect to go there? If so, what is the basis of your expectation? Too many people rely on little more than a feeling they have about it or the fact that they live a good moral life. Perhaps some preacher told you that you are going to heaven. Ask yourself, how does he know?
The only valid basis of expectation is the promise of God. Paul wrote of “the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago, but at the proper time manifested, even His word . . .” (Ti. 1:2-3 ). God’s word on a thing ends all doubt. Those who comply with the conditions He sets forth—faith in Christ, repentance, baptism into Christ, faithfulness to Him, etc.—can have every confidence about their heavenly home. On the other hand, those who do not comply have God’s word on a far different eternal destiny (2 Th. 1:7-9 ).
A Held Hope
Our text exhorts us to “hold fast” the confession of our hope; literally, be glued to it. Satan wants you to let go. What can you do to you maintain your grip? Think about God and heaven. (Assembling with other Christians to sing and pray helps here [v. 25]). Fill your life with spiritual things, giving the devil no place (Eph. 4:27 ). Mostly, you must remember God who promised. You may not always understand the circumstances between here and there, but remember that God neither requires what we cannot do nor offers what we cannot obtain.
Interestingly, when we take hold of hope, hope takes hold of us. It is an anchor for the soul (Heb. 6:19 ), mooring us throughout life’s ebbs and flows.