Topical Study, Resisting Temptation: Avoiding Temptation Part I

Now that we have looked at the Common Causes of Temptation we are going to take a closer look at how we can attempt to AVOID temptation.


The initial overview of this topical study can be found HERE.

Part I of the Common Sources of Temptation  can be found HERE. 

Part II of the Common Sources of Temptation can be found HERE. 

Part III of the Common Sources of Temptation can be found HERE. 

Part IV of the Common Sources of Temptation can be found HERE.  



Part V of the Common Sources of Temptation can be found HERE. 


You can hover your pointer over (most) any verse reference to read the corresponding verse(s).  (Scriptural cross-references are THE most important resource!)

AVOIDING TEMPTATION

 

Initial thoughts on the avoidance of temptation

• Now!  We won't always be able to avoid temptation unless we never go out of the house, never talk to another human being and never open our eyes! 
• BUT!  Avoidance SHOULD be our first line of defence.  On initial thoughts I would think of avoidance as trying to steer away from obvious points of temptation:  Certain people, situations etc. etc.  And those things that we KNOW tempt us.  Our own thorns in our side so to speak.

Be on guard so that we can are not caught unawares!

Gen 2:16-17 

• Initial Observations  -- Sometimes God will make it as easy possible for us to avoid temptation. (in theory anyway, our human weaknesses still get in the way!)  In Gen 2:16-17 God clearly lets Adam and Eve know that to eat of the tree is a bad thing!  Given all that He has given them and shown them, you would think it would make sense for them to obey His command.  (...NOTE TO SELF!!...)  And yet human curiosity and desires get the best of both Adam and Eve.  In theory, this was an easy sin to avoid.  Just don't do what God had told them not to do!  (...AGAIN, NOTE TO SELF...)   If we just obey God's commands we will avoid a GREAT DEAL of temptation!!  Ps 119:5-6  and  Ps 119:9  (I really like the way the God's Word Translation reads in these two sections of Scripture)
• Cross-references --  Gen 3:2-3  (notice that Eve has misconstrued God's command.  Just a bit but it is a caution to all of us to make sure that we understand and know God's commands and His Word the absolute best that we are able!  Using God's Word as a weapon against temptation is going to come into play when we discuss how to fight temptation.  Here it is enough to know that Adam and Even should have just avoided this temptation.  They knew it was wrong!)  Dt 30:19-20 Ro 6:23  James 1:15  Eze 3:18-20 
• The AMG Concise Bible Commentary:  Reminds us that metaphorically the tree presented Adam (and us) the choice to to submit to God or try to be independent of Him.  Growth in devotion to God involves self-denial, while maturity comes through choosing good and refusing evil.  The AMG Concise Bible Commentary further states that each victory over temptation would have helped Adam grow from a state of childlike innocence into one of adult maturity and that Adam's fellowship with God would have deepened and his understanding of God's purposes would have also increased.  (I think this is wise advice!  And true for all of us.  Very true!)
• It is amazing how MUCH we can learn about the causes of sin and how to avoid and fight sin from Adam and Eve's failure to do so!  God is giving us all the information we need.  We just need to look for it and be open and receptive to it and pay heed and apply it!  (...NOTE TO SELF!...)

Gen 4:7

• Initial Observations --   Once again, God gives us very clear information:  "...sin is crouching at the door and its desire is for you, but you must master it." Gen 4:7  Not only does God tell us to be wary and ON GUARD, He even tells us that we must master sin!  And if He has taken the time to tell us that this is what we should do...well, then it MUST be possible!  That is great news!    When we look at God's statement in Gen 4:7 we see a truly loving Father!  He is not hiding anything from Cain (or us)  God gives Cain (us) very clear instruction.  (just as He had given Adam and Eve regarding what they could and could not eat in the garden!)
• Sadly, Cain was not able to master sin. Gen 4:8    And thus we are also shown what can happen when we don't heed God's warnings and instructions about sin!
• Cross-references  --  Job 11:14-15  Ro 6:12  Ro 6:16 

Dt 4:9

• Initial Observations  --  Give Heed!!  Keep your soul diligently.  We are once again being given a stern yet wonderful warning to keep ourselves focused on the things we have seen so that  we do not forget them!  Reading a passage in the Bible once and then going on our merry way is not going to be enough!  We need to be in God's Word every day to truly combat sin and stay on the path God has made for us.  Psalm 1  Jos 1:5-9 
• Cross-references -- Psalm 1   Jos 1:5-9  Dt 11:18-21  Dt 4:23  Dt 8:11  Pr 3:1  Pr 4:23  Lk 8:18 
• It is interesting to see (which we will below) just how many times God warned the Israelites as He was giving them the Law!

Dt 4:23

• Initial Observations  --  Once again we are warned to WATCH ourselves so that we don't forget the covenant of the Lord!  It is SO easy for us to "forget" all that God has done for us and all that He has commanded us!   When we are not diligent, we then forget,  and then we sin!
• Cross-references  --  Dt 4:15  Jos 23:11  Lk 12:15  Lk 21:8  Heb 3:12   Dt 8:19  

Dt 12:30

• Initial Observations  --  BEWARE!  There are SO many instances of God lovingly telling us to be on guard,. to beware!  Temptation is out there and sometimes it is sneaky!  If we aren't on guard for it we can easily get caught up in it before we are even aware of what has happened!

Mt 26:41

• Initial Observations  --  Jesus gives us a very clear explanation of why should we be on guard.  The flesh is weak!!  And Jesus lovingly tells us how to say on guard:  "....keep watching and praying..."  It is amazing just how succinct and clear all of these verses are that deal with being on guard.
• Cross-references  --  Mk 14:38  Lk 21:36  Lk 22:40  Lk 22:46  1Co 16:13  Eph 6:18  1Pe 5:8  2Pe 2:9  (we should pray because God knows how to rescue us from temptation!)  Gal 5:16-17  Ps 39:1  Col 4:2  2Pe 3:17  
• Commentaries  --  Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary:    Henry reminds us that even in His darkest hour, with His friends unable to console Him because they were too tired, Jesus STILL shows compassion and gives them a warning!  A compassionate warning!  He is STILL teaching them about the kingdom of God even now when He is about to face His greatest trial on earth.  Amazing!  God is amazing!

Lk 21:34-36 

• Initial Observations  --  Jesus has just told a parable regarding the kingdom of God and what seems like an obvious reference to the end days or His second coming!  Lk 21:29-33      And then He follows with Lk 21:34-36  --  A warning to be on guard so that our hearts will not weighed down by worries of life or drunkenness.  Not necessarily a warning to be on guard for temptation but yet it is!  We want to be ready and clean (as we are able to be) when Jesus comes back!
• Cross-references  --  Ro 13:13  1Th 5:6-7  1Pe 4:7  Lk 12:40  Mt 24:42-44  1Th 5:2  Mt 24:39-50  Mt 13:35-37  Ecc 9:12  Mt 26:41 

Ac 20:28-31 

• Initial Observations  --  This is part of Paul's speech before the elders of Ephesus.  He states clearly that once he has left them "savage wolves" will come in (and some even on the inside) to do as much as they can to draw the people away from the church of God!  Paul tells them (and us) to be on guard for themselves and the entire flock! (thus intimating that we are responsible to help others avoid temptation when and if possible!)   Be alert!  he tells them.  The Bible cannot be any clearer on this issue.  Temptations and tempters abound!  We (I!) cannot let our guard down for an instant.  Everyday we must put on the armor of God:  Eph 6:10-18 
• Cross-references  --  1Pe 2:5  Eph 1:7  Rev 5:9  Jn 21:15-17  Lk 21:34  1Co 9:26-27  1Ti 4:16  Heb 12:15  Jer 3:15  Mic 5:4  Mt 10:16  !!  Jn 20:12  !!

1Co 16:13

• Initial Observations  --  Paul tells us to be on alert AND to stand firm in the faith!  Being on alert is something I know that I need to work on!!
• Cross-references  --  Mt 24:42 Gal 5:1  Php 4:1  1Th 3:8  (we will be more alert if we are standing firm in the faih AND if we are standing firm in the faith it will be easier to be alert!!)  2Th 2:15  Ps 21:24  Eph 6:10  Col 1:11  Mk 14:37-38  Lk 12:35-40  1Pe 5:8  !!  1Co 9:25-27  Eph 6:13-17  Jos 1:6-9  Php 4:13 
• Commentaries  --  The Wycliffe Bible Commentary:    Reminds us that every action in this verse is in the present tense, meaning that they should be practiced continually!!

Eph 4:26-27  

• Initial Observations  -  Once again a clear warning to be aware and to not give the devil an opportunity!  In these verses Paul is speaking of anger (and the sins that would lead to!)  But the overall aesthetic is the same:  The devil is waiting for an opportunity to tempt us when we have our guard down!  So we must put on the full armor of God!  Eph 6:10-17  Being human we will be off our game sometimes but if we have on God's armor then we are fine, because He is never off of His game!!
• Cross-references  --  Ps 4:4  Ps 37:8  James 1:19-20  Eph 4:31-32  Nu 20:10-13  Pr 14:29  Pr 19:11  Pr 25:23  Mt 5:22  James 4:7 

Heb 2:1

• Initial Observations  --  THIS is a different kind of warning!  It is a warning to closely guard all that we have been shown and all that we have learned regarding Jesus Christ!  Besides being on guard for various ways we might be tempted we must also pay CLOSE attention to the Word of God and what He has shown to us and made known to us!!  It can easily slip from our memory!  We must guard it and meditate on it as it is the very key to walking in faith:  Ps 1  Jos 1:5-8  AND God's Word is one very important part of the full armor of God as shown to us in Eph 6:17 
• Cross-references  --  Heb 12:25  Dt 4:9  Ps 119:9  Pr 2:1-6  Lk 8:15  2Pe 3:1 

1Jn 5:21

• Initial Observations  --  Once again, a simple but stern warning to guard ourselves!  This time we are warned to guard ourselves against idols.  Notice that John refers to his readers (and us) as little children.  I do not think this is patronizing!  It is instead a reminder of how much we (like children) need warnings, and protection from sin. 
• Cross-references  --  1Jn 2:1  1Co 10:7  1Co 10:14  1Th 1:9  Ex 20:3 
• Commentaries  --  The Bible Background Commentary:    Reminds us that idols could be "anything that leads us astray from proper worship of the one true God!" 

2Ti 1:13-14 

• Initial Observations  -- Once again Paul uses the word guard!  He tells Timothy to guard, through the Holy Spirit, that which has been entrusted to him!  This entire section of 2 Timothy is Paul telling Timothy to guard and keep afresh that which is now inside him through Jesus Christ!  Once we have accepted Jesus as our Savior and Lord and He has then placed the Holy Spirit inside of us we can't just go on spiritual vacation!!  What has been given to us is life and salvation!  We MUST guard it!  (BIG note to self!)
• Cross-references --  1Ti 6:3-4  Titus 1:9  2Ti 3:14  1Ti 1:12-15  Pr 4:4-8  Pr 4:13 Php 1:27  Heb 3:6  Heb 4:14-15  Heb 10:23  1Ti 6:20  1Co 3:16  1Co 6:19 
• Further thoughts  -  I think it is becoming obvious that a big part of being on guard against sin is not just being on the lookout for  temptations so that we can avoid them!  We must also guard and hold fast to the Word of God!  And to the Holy Spirit!  We must continually guard ourselves with armor of God!  Even if we are constantly on the lookout for temptations, but are not properly equipped to handle them, we still run a high risk of succumbing to those temptations!  (I know from experience!)
• On further inspection it seems that Paul is being specific in that he is telling to Timothy to hold fast to the exact teaching that he, Timothy, received from Paul.  So that Timothy can pass on that teaching to help bring even more believers into the Church.   Very specific!!

1Pe 5:8 

• Initial Observations  --  As we learned when looking at the various causes of temptation, the devil is always looking for ways to tempt us, and he knows what tempts us most!  So Simon Peter is telling us to be of sober spirit, and to be on guard!  If we become lax for even a second the devil WILL take his shot at us!!
• sober  --   to be watchful and/or circumspect.  Combined with vigilant (or alert in the NASB) would indicate to be clear minded!! 
• Cross-references  --  1Th 5:6-8  1Pe 1:13  1Pe 4:7  Mt 4:10  James 4:7   Titus 2:12  Lk 22:31  Eph 4:27 
• The completion of this thought in 1Pe 5:9 will be looked at later in this study when we discuss resisting temptation but it is enough to know that Simon Peter tells us to be on guard AND to resist!! 

2Pe 3:17 

• Initial Observations  --  Simon Peter has just finished warning his readers about false teachers and false doctrine!  Since he has forewarned us, it is easier for us to be on guard!  But we MUST still be on guard!  Otherwise temptation could cause us to fall away.
• Cross-references  --  2Ti 4:15  Mt 24:24-25  Mt 13:24  Mt 7:15  2Co 11:3  2Pe 1:10-11  Eph 4:14 
• Simon Peter again gives us the solution in the follow up verse:  2Pe 3:18  !!  We MUST continue to grow as Christians and in our understanding of God's commands and what He wants for us to be and do!

Thoughts and Application:

• It is remarkable how just how clear God's Word is on this subject.  He lovingly tells us so many times in His Word that we NEED to be alert and to be on guard!  Sin and temptation are always there lurking around the corner just waiting for us to let our guard down. 
• The application should be simple enough:  BE ON GUARD!!  Pray!  Meditate on God's Word! Ps 1  gives us a very clear example of how we can stay on the right path.  As does Ps 119:9-11   

Next time we will look at avoiding the wrong types of associations.

Bibliography

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