Temptation is an invitation to sin. It creates the desire to sin. Temptation comes from the devil, it comes from other people and it comes from within but it never comes from God.
Temptation is trying to get a person to sin. It “sells” the idea of sin, making it look good to you. The temptation says, “you want to sin, you need to sin, it’s okay if you sin.”
Where does the temptation come from?
- From the devil– the devil wants to destroy us, leading us to sin; he tried Adam and Eve and they fell into sin
- From other people– some people invite or pressure us to do what is wrong; this is temptation
- From within– our human nature invites us to sin in the face of certain situations, because we are imperfect – James 1:14
The Bible says that temptation never comes from God . God hates sin and never invites anyone to sin ( James 1:13 ). He allows situations where we have to choose between good and evil (trials) but He never tempts us to sin. God helps us to resist temptation.
It is not a sin to be tempted. Jesus was also tempted but never sinned ( Hebrews 4:15 ). It is only a sin when we do not resist temptation. But we must not tempt another person to sin on purpose. Inviting someone else to sin is wrong.
See also: Was Jesus tempted?
How to resist temptation?
We are all tempted. It is good to avoid tempting situations but we cannot avoid everything. Therefore, the Bible shows us how to resist temptation:
- Asking God for help– we are not alone in the fight against sin; in the Our Father’s prayer, Jesus taught us to ask for God’s help so we don’t fall when we are tempted – Matthew 6:13
- With the word of God– Jesus resisted the devil quoting the Bible; it is important to know the truths of the Bible and trust them more than the arguments of temptation
- Saying “No!” – many times we don’t even try to resist! We cannot be passive; when we recognize a temptation, we need to reject it – James 4: 7
- Running away– God always gives us a way to escape temptation; sometimes (as in the case of sexual immorality) it means fleeing the situation – 1 Corinthians 10:13
See more here: how to overcome temptation?
Resisting temptation can be difficult but Jesus is on our side to help us ( Hebrews 2:18 ). We don’t always do what’s right and we fall into temptation. When that happens, we can ask God for forgiveness and learn from our mistakes. God forgives those who repent and helps those who want to change their lives.
