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.

 

:thumb:

 

I know it may be just oversiplification, but I always think of it like this:

 

The temptation is your desire for whatever it is that is tempting you.

The test is the point when you have to make a choice. Which way will you choose, that is the test.

 

For me, most of the time the temptation is Pizza Hut, but that is another story. lol

Semantics IMO, thankfully, he says in 1Cor10:13 "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

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?

 

I think God can lead us to the temptation. He just isn't the one that does the actual tempting. Does that make sense?

 

The Spirit led Jesus to the wilderness, but the Devil is the one that tempted Him.

 

That's my take on it.

Semantics IMO, thankfully, he says in 1Cor10:13 "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

That is the Scripture that we came to towards the end of our discussion this morning.

I guess my take on testing and tempting is that we are tempted to sin and we are tested to see if we will follow God's will for us.

 

It may be that a test is a choice between good and best. Are we going to choose what is best for us or what is just good.

So, are you all saying that tempting leads to a test?

Would you say that fail on the test is when temptation turns to sin?

 

I first wanted to say yes, but after thinking about it I'm not sure about that. Because our very nature is sinful and we all fall short and sin daily. So it is expected. God knows we are going to sin.

 

If we seek his forgiveness and truly repent, then I still think we pass the test. But if we (as Christians) fail to acknowledge that and fail to repent and seek forgiveness, then maybe that is the only way we really fail the test.

 

Of course that is the Big Test. Maybe everything else is just quizzes.

Okay BGP is messing with my mind again. My post is after Watusi's response to my post that occured before his post where he answered my post.

So, are you all saying that tempting leads to a test?

Not sure I totally agree with the separation of Tempt vs. Test,,,,but for argument sake, I'll answer with this....Assuming you are tempted, regardless of whom you believe is responsible for the temptation, there must be a conscious decision made with regards to how you handle it. If you consider that a test and you pass or fail as a result (also semantics IMO) and again for arguments sake,,I'll agree that you must make a decision with regards to the temptation (,,,and again,,,He'll provide a way out) We are still our own free moral agents and faced with decisions on how to act/react to it.

 

 

Hope that's clear as mud!

Not sure I totally agree with the separation of Tempt vs. Test,,,,but for argument sake, I'll answer with this....Assuming you are tempted, regardless of whom you believe is responsible for the temptation, there must be a conscious decision made with regards to how you handle it. If you consider that a test and you pass or fail as a result (also semantics IMO) and again for arguments sake,,I'll agree that you must make a decision with regards to the temptation (,,,and again,,,He'll provide a way out) We are still our own free moral agents and faced with decisions on how to act/react to it.

 

 

Hope that's clear as mud!

Up to my Bible Study this morning, I never consider any tie-in between tests and temptations. And as we studied this Scripture, it gave me something to consider. I have appreciated you all helping me consider this Scripture.

 

Would you say that fail on the test is when temptation turns to sin?

is it possible that the devil tempts us to sin and that our faith is tested when things happen to us that were not in our plans, but in God's plan.

 

For example - My father died when I was 5 (1972) I would think that tested the faith of my mother and the rest of my family. They could choose to trust God to help them get through the test, or they could lose faith. Not saying that God took the life of my father, but that event TESTED the faith of Christians.

 

Temptation on the other hand is when something "beautiful" is placed before us that if we partake of will harm us.

is it possible that the devil tempts us to sin and that our faith is tested when things happen to us that were not in our plans, but in God's plan.

 

For example - My father died when I was 5 (1972) I would think that tested the faith of my mother and the rest of my family. They could choose to trust God to help them get through the test, or they could lose faith. Not saying that God took the life of my father, but that event TESTED the faith of Christians.

 

Temptation on the other hand is when something "beautiful" is placed before us that if we partake of will harm us.

 

I think I pretty much agree with what you say here. I haven't given it a great deal of thought, but I think that's about right.

 

Let me take it one step further, Adam and Eve were tempted in the garden by satan, not God. It was something that they knew was wrong and did it anyway. It's kind of like stealing or whatever.

 

But being tested, I think, would be like you said. It's something to see how our strong our faith is in a time of tribulation.

I think I pretty much agree with what you say here. I haven't given it a great deal of thought, but I think that's about right.

 

Let me take it one step further, Adam and Eve were tempted in the garden by satan, not God. It was something that they knew was wrong and did it anyway. It's kind of like stealing or whatever.

 

But being tested, I think, would be like you said. It's something to see how our strong our faith is in a time of tribulation.

I think the bolded is a very dangerous mindset. The reason I say this is that I think more people fall away during great times than they do during tribulation. It seems people run in droves alot of times during tribulation. Remember how the churches were packed after 9/11?

 

But in good times, we get a little cocky and think of how good WE are doing. I got that new promotion at work and look at all of the money I am now making. MY team won the tournament and I am such a good coach. MY kids are doing great, etc, etc. We seem to easily take the great things in our life to heart as great accomplishments of OURS. And Satan has wormed his way, right into our life.

I think the bolded is a very dangerous mindset. The reason I say this is that I think more people fall away during great times than they do during tribulation. It seems people run in droves alot of times during tribulation. Remember how the churches were packed after 9/11?

 

But in good times, we get a little cocky and think of how good WE are doing. I got that new promotion at work and look at all of the money I am now making. MY team won the tournament and I am such a good coach. MY kids are doing great, etc, etc. We seem to easily take the great things in our life to heart as great accomplishments of OURS. And Satan has wormed his way, right into our life.

 

Yep. My bad. Take out "time of tribulation." It sees how our faith is at any point in time, good or bad.