Welcome and thank you for taking a bible break to test your knowledge of God's word. This week's question:

The glitters of this world which can be paraded before us are a great temptation, as the Lord tells us, "Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever." (1 John 2:15-17). As the great tempter walks about on the earth (Job 1:7) seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8), Paul's concern was for the Christians at Thessalonica as he writes to them, "For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor should be in vain." (1 Thessalonians 3:5). Paul's concern was that they would stumble back into the way of the world and loose their first love of the Lord for the pleasures of this present world like Demas (2 Timothy 4:10). The temptation to acquire riches in this life shows the loss of meaning of the riches of the gospel which is free of the love of money and gives life eternal, "For we have brought nothing into the world, so we cannot take anything out of it either. And if we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith, and pierced themselves with many a pang. But flee from these things, you man of God' and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses." (1 Timothy 6:7-12).

 And so, that brings us to our question, "Does God tempt us?". We understand that God will "test" us as He did test Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his only son, and Abraham was willing to do so, for he thought to himself, "By faith, Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Issac; and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, 'In Issac your descendants shall be called.' He considered that God is able to raise men even from the dead; from which he also received him back as a type." (Hebrews 11:17-19). While temptations are morsels set before us to lure us away form the Lord as they work on our desires and pleasures, "What is the source of your quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. And you are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask with the wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God." (James 4:1-4).

We are not allowed to be tempted beyond what we are able to endure any more than anyone else that has walked this earth in times past, and along with that God provides a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). Let us remember, Jesus was tempted in all things and yet without sin (Luke 4:1-13), and He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted (Hebrews 2:18 & 4:15).

To finalize our answer, we turn to the book of James where we read, "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God.'; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren." (James 1:13-16).

So there we have the answer to our question as God does not tempt anyone, but each one can be carried away by his own lustful desires by giving in to them and that gives birth to sin, which brings forth spiritual death. Let us, "Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." (James 1:2-4).

Do we have the endurance and the fortitude to overcome the tempter during his time of tempting us? Let us be thankful that we have an advocate with the Father, our Lord Jesus who can deliver us from the tempter as we look for His way of escape. But if we do fall into sin, He will still help us through the blood He shed for us as we ask forgiveness and return to the way that mirrors His way for eternal life (James 1:23 & 1 John 2:25)!