Temptation : Why Can't I Say No?نموونە

CHRIST SETS US FREE

God always had a plan of redemption which was to set us free from this trap once and for all. He sent His son Jesus who did not fall for the tree of temptation, rather he took all our sins on a tree on which he was crucified so that we could know freedom. The cross sets us free from the penalty and the power of sin. This is why Jesus’ resurrection is so pivotal to our faith. Just as sin could not control Jesus, so it is powerless to control those who’ve placed their faith in Him.

What did Jesus die to set us free from? He died to set us free from old sinful habits, unrenewed thought patterns, a broken identity, and the requirement to live under the law.

We know that our old nature was crucified on the cross along with Jesus. We were made alive and new in Jesus and our old self was not raised to life. We are Born again – a new creation in Christ. The old is gone! Yet we find this struggle in our hearts. We need to realize that while we are new creations and our desires are changing, we still need to deal with sinful habits. Many believe that once we are saved, freedom from sinful habits should be automatic as if a magic wand is waved over our heads. That is why we get disillusioned when we find those old habits are still around and they have not magically disappeared. As Christ-followers we now go through a process of renewal or sanctification.

What we know by faith we must act upon. As new creations, we are called to live by the Spirit that Christ has put in our hearts. We do not have to fight on our own. We still live in a world that is not redeemed. James tells us to count it as joy when we are faced with trials and temptations of many kinds. We also do not struggle against just our flesh but also against principalities and powers. Satan still has some power, and He uses it to torment us.

We need to distinguish between temptation and sinful habits that we form because of giving in to temptation repeatedly. James shows us that there is a pattern of temptation that Satan uses against us repeatedly. Then he shows us the defenses that the gospel gives us against temptation.

REFLECTIONS

Have you ever blamed God for the temptations you face?

How have you dealt with temptations in the past?