1 Corinthians 10:13

[Robert]

"No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

Q: If the Holy Spirit is so powerful, then why must God shield believers from overwhelming temptation?

Before anyone answers this, please remember that God doesn't force. You must fully submit for Him to resist temptation through you.

So apparently there are some temptations that are so overwhelming that submission becomes an onerous task for the believer!

Your thoughts,

Rob

[olger]

This is a precious promise. God is good, and He is able.

gcw

[Robert]

Here are some more thoughts:

Matt 26:39 And He [Jesus] went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt.”

Why would Jesus' will be in opposition to His Father's will?

Let's back up: "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow" [verse 38]

Jesus was tempted by our nature, which He assumed at the incarnation, to say no to His Father's will. Our love of self tempted Him to say "no" to these ungrateful sinners. But He catches Himself and says, "yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt."

40 And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? 41 “Keep watching and praying, that you may not enter into temptation;

the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

What does that mean?

[Robert]

Believers can never be tempted to the same degree as Christ. His victory over the principle of "self" goes far beyond our temptations.

We must never forget that while Christ was fully man, He was also fully God! At the incarnation Christ as God handed over the independent use His divinity to His Father. His greatest temptation therefore was to act independent of His Father's will and use His own divine power because of the outcry of our nature that He assumed at the incarnation.

In Luke 23:35-39, at least three times the devil approached Christ—once through the Roman soldiers, once through the priests, and once through the thief on the left-hand side.

Then in Matt. 27:35-46, the people also added to that temptation. The temptation was the same, “Come down from the cross and save yourself.” Can you imagine what that temptation was like? We can’t. I’m glad Desire of Ages makes that clear: “The temptation that Christ experienced can never be fully understood by men.... "

Remember that Christ was fully innocent. He hadn't committed any crimes, much less worthy of death, yet His own people...nay, His own church, were crucifying Him.

Can you even imagine the temptation to come down off the cross (a punishment He didn't deserve)? Practically everyone had abandoned Him! Even His own Father had foresaken Him! Hence the hope of His resurrection left Him. All Christ [as man] had to do was give into our flesh for 1 millisecond. All He had to do was to act independent of His Father's will.

I know what my love of self would have convinced me of...It would have said, "Look man...these people hate you, even your Father has abandoned you! Come down and save yourself. You are innocent man...you've done nothing wrong. Screw them...save yourself."

Jesus had to make a choice. He could not save Himself and His enemies at the same time. His temptation was to save/love Himself and abandon His enemies. And He did make the supreme choice: He dinied Himself! He chose to die eternally that you and I may live in His place.

It is this concept of agape that turned the world upside-down, that God not only came down for thirty-three years, but Jesus their Savior was willing to say good-bye to life forever that they may live in His place.

[Pockey]

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Robert said:Q: If the Holy Spirit is so powerful, then why must God shield believers from overwhelming temptation?

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The Holy Spirit is not the limiting factor, however man is.

[Pockey]

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Robert said:

He chose to die eternally that you and I may live in His place.

It is this concept of agape that turned the world upside-down, that God not only came down for thirty-three years, but Jesus their Savior was willing to say good-bye to life forever that they may live in His place.

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This is a bit off topic, but can you or someone please explain this to me? What do you mean by "die eternally"? Didn't Jesus know He was going to be raised again as the prophecy foretold?

[Robert]

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Sid said:

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Robert said:

Q: If the Holy Spirit is so powerful, then why must God shield believers from overwhelming temptation?

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The Holy Spirit is not the limiting factor, however man is.

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I agree 100%

[Robert]

Quote:

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Sid said:

What do you mean by "die eternally"? Didn't Jesus know He was going to be raised again as the prophecy foretold?

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I'll start a new post called, "How did Jesus die the 2nd death?"