Why Temptations?


When we are tempted it is not to check God's love for us, neither is it to check our faith in God's love for us, it actually exposes the level of our love for God.

When Job was tempted it was as a result of God's boast about Job's love and devotion to God. See:

‭Job 1:8 NRSV‬
[8] The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil.” 

https://bible.com/bible/2016/job.1.8.NRSV

Satan's argument was that Job was only devoted to God because God loved Job and for this Job was put to the test and tempted sore. Job never cursed God or turned His back on God and Satan was put to shame, however other limitations that Job had in his relationship with God became evident. 

At the end of Job's ordeal, apart from the restoration of all that he lost, it became obvious to Job that he really didn't even know God at all. See:

‭Job 42:2-6 NRSV‬
[2] “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. [3] ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. [4] ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you declare to me.’ [5] I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; [6] therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”

https://bible.com/bible/2016/job.42.2.NRSV

"I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eyes sees you"... And then he repented. 

So when Jesus prayed that "keep us from temptation" it is not that temptations won't come, it is that when temptations do come we do not fall away completely when our weaknesses are revealed, rather like Job, we receive forgiveness and repent, we are restored and our love for God increases. As it is written:

Matthew 12:20
A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench, till he send forth judgment unto victory.

In other words, God's grace will not let us break nor stomp out our fire because of our weaknesses that become evident during a temptation but rather with the right attitude we should run to God, receive his forgiveness and repent, and receive our victory over these weaknesses and when we do, our love for God increases and we also are able to strengthen others in similar situations. 



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