Lead Us Not Into Temptation

Lead Us Not Into Temptation

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one….

Matthew 6:13

We arrive in our consideration at what is a rather difficult phrase to understand. It is difficult because we understand the character of God and that He does not induce us to sin. How are we to understand this phrase since it seems to be a direct appeal to God not to ‘lead’ us into temptation to sin? If it did not refer to such a circumstance, the second part, which refers to ‘the evil one,’ would not make sense. The answer to this lies elsewhere in Scripture. In I Cor 10:13 we read, ‘There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.’ This helps us understand the request which Christ teaches us to make in the Lord’s prayer. By praying, ‘Lead us not into temptation,’ we are asking God to do what is in accordance with His Holy Character. We are, in essence, asking Him to not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able and to provide the way of escape to which I Corinthians 10:13 refers. We see an illustration of this in the book of Job where God set definite limits upon what He allowed Satan to do to induce Job to sin. We are praying that God would set those same limits upon Satan in regard to us. We need such preservation. Our own natural depravity and the luring of Satan will overwhelm us if God does not preserve us. Hence we pray, ‘Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’

Our most Kind and Gracious God,
we praise You that You have, thus far, upheld us.
We rejoice that by Your Spirit,
You shall continue to preserve us unto Your Heavenly Kingdom.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning