Our Common Temptations

Our Common Temptations

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

I Corinthians 10:13

In the book of I Corinthians, the Apostle Paul deals with some of the most difficult of moral issues among those who profess faith in Christ. He does so with grace, mixed with humble forthrightness. By the tenth chapter, he is painting the picture of what the Christian life should look like, by contrasting it with the unsavory behavior of the children of Israel in the wilderness wandering. By the time he arrives at our text for today, he clarifies for us some things regarding the issue of temptation to sin. We will look at the first phrase today, ‘no temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man.’  It is important for us to consider this phrase because of our natural inclination to feel that the temptations we suffer are unique to us. How often do we feel that, ‘No one else has ever had to undergo the temptations which I endure.’ Yet, it is not so. Cast an eye over the history of the saints of God and you will find a plethora of examples of saints suffering temptations of every conceivable stripe and variety. Moreover, as we considered a few days ago, Christ was ‘tempted in all points, like as we are.’ Therein lies the key to our meditation today.  I am not unique in my temptations. Other saints have had my experience. I am not alone, by any means. Christ is utterly capable of empathizing with me in all that I face. As we spend the next few days upon this verse, let us begin by recognizing that we have common temptations. We are not alone.

Our most Holy and Wise God,
we praise You that we have such a sympathetic and understanding Savior,
Who identifies with us in all our temptations,
And Who enables us to realize that we are not alone.

 

Where the Bush is Burning
Tomm Tice