Lead us into temptation.

 

James 1:13 indicates that God cannot tempt us.

 

But in the Lord's prayer from Jesus, he prays "lead us not into temptation." A clear indication, it seems, that since the prayer is to God that you are asking God to not lead us into temptation.

 

And Scripture indicates that the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the desert to be tempted by the devil.

 

What role than does God play in temptation?

 

Lastly, in a discussion I had on this, a point was made that God allows us to be tested but not tempted. I called them on that and asked what the difference was between being tested and being tempted?

Testing makes you stronger. Tempting makes you weaker. I believe that God allows us to be tempted by Satan and his minions, but does not himself tempt us. Also, remember that Satan is prince of this world.

Testing makes you stronger. Tempting makes you weaker. I believe that God allows us to be tempted by Satan and his minions, but does not himself tempt us. Also, remember that Satan is prince of this world.

So is the difference only whether you stay strong in your faith? Can you give an example of what you would consider a test and what would you consider a tempt?

 

For example, you have a problem lusting over women. And you are invited to attend an R rated movie with a good friend in which you know someone like a Halle Berry is going to remove all of her clothing. Is that a tempt or a test?

Tempt, Test if she was there in person removing her clothes.

Not being a student of ancient language, I often think we get a little bit too legalistic with certain translations of certain words in the scriptures.

 

I always took that part of the Lord's Prayer and tried to read the headline and not the fine print. I know the fine print (as it is translated) says "lead us not into temptation". But I think the headline is just saying "lead us away from temptation" or "help us avoid temptation".

God does not tempt anyone. He may permit us to be placed in position where, if left to our own resources, we would fail, but to lead us to evil. No. He is not the tempter. James 1:13. By not obeying the Hoy Spirit we can be exposed to temptation. Job also shows that satan is evil and is the tempter. In Genesis 22:1 Abraham was tested. And finally God causes no man to commit sin, but he does test our faith and love for him by trials. Job was tempted by his wife to curse God, but his trials were tests.

Not being a student of ancient language, I often think we get a little bit too legalistic with certain translations of certain words in the scriptures.

 

I always took that part of the Lord's Prayer and tried to read the headline and not the fine print. I know the fine print (as it is translated) says "lead us not into temptation". But I think the headline is just saying "lead us away from temptation" or "help us avoid temptation".

I can live with that BUT....(you knew there was a but coming)

how are temptations different from testing and most will quickly agree that tests make our faith stronger. Jesus returned from the desert filled with the Holy Spirit and began his public ministry. So does not temptations also make our faith stronger?

God does not tempt anyone. He may permit us to be placed in position where, if left to our own resources, we would fail, but to lead us to evil. No. He is not the tempter. James 1:13. By not obeying the Hoy Spirit we can be exposed to temptation. Job also shows that satan is evil and is the tempter. In Genesis 22:1 Abraham was tested. And finally God causes no man to commit sin, but he does test our faith and love for him by trials. Job was tempted by his wife to curse God, but his trials were tests.

Again, maybe I am making a big deal of nothing but is there a difference between tempting and testing besides an M and P?

IMO, we are tested by being left alone with a free will to make our own decisions.

 

God says, "you are going to be tempted, you are going to face trials and hardships, and you will suffer in my name". (That is the tempt)

 

And here is the fun part, He throws in "You will have to make your own decisions and you can choose your own path". (That is the test)

See post #4 again on Tempt and Test.

See post #4 again on Tempt and Test.

 

Not sure I see it that way, if she were there removing her clothes, that would also be a major tempt. (for me it would also mean a swift and suddend death because my wife would kill me)

 

How I react, that is the test.

Luke 4

The Temptation of Jesus

1Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the desert, 2where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and at the end of them he was hungry.

3The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread."

 

4Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone.'[a]"

 

5The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. 6And he said to him, "I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. 7So if you worship me, it will all be yours."

 

8Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.'"

 

9The devil led him to Jerusalem and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. "If you are the Son of God," he said, "throw yourself down from here. 10For it is written:

" 'He will command his angels concerning you

to guard you carefully;

11they will lift you up in their hands,

so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.'[c]"

 

12Jesus answered, "It says: 'Do not put the Lord your God to the test.'[d]"

 

13When the devil had finished all this tempting, he left him until an opportune time.

From what I read here, these were temptations for Christ. Is that accurate?

 

Would we describe them as tests though if similar things were happening to us?

Wat, that was kinda my meaning too. The test is when its actually happening. Ladies, you give your students a test. They may be tempted to take the test, but the test is going thru the process of it actually happening. My wife knows I tempted by Marie Osmond. I know I know, I just can't explain it. But if Marie invited me out for a date, here comes the test and I'd pass. God is asked to help with the tempation from the evil one in the Lord's Prayer. I just called a preacher that was how he sees the verse.

Two cents... probably about all its worth...

 

As far as testing... absolutely. In that case, He both does the testing himself (Abraham and Isaac) and permits us to be tested (Job). Temptation is an altogether different idea. There is definitely something to be said for Him allowing it (the serpent in the garden, Christ's 40 days in the desert before his ministry) but there is little to be said for Him placing that temptation directly before us on His own. That particular line in the Lord's Prayer could, therefore, have any number of different meanings: from a request for wisdom to avoid those situations in which we may sin, to asking for direct intercession against the wiles of the evil one.

Two cents... probably about all its worth...

 

As far as testing... absolutely. In that case, He both does the testing himself (Abraham and Isaac) and permits us to be tested (Job). Temptation is an altogether different idea. There is definitely something to be said for Him allowing it (the serpent in the garden, Christ's 40 days in the desert before his ministry) but there is little to be said for Him placing that temptation directly before us on His own. That particular line in the Lord's Prayer could, therefore, have any number of different meanings: from a request for wisdom to avoid those situations in which we may sin, to asking for direct intercession against the wiles of the evil one.

Thanks for your two cents, GS, it was greatly appreciated.

 

One interesting note on your very last sentence. NIV version of Luke does not include "deliver us from the evil one" but simply states "lead us not into temptation."