Temptation: The Hardest Test You Will Ever Take...Continued from page 2

Now notice how Jesus used His spiritual aptitude (His knowledge) to demonstrate His attitude (what kind of person He was). Every time Jesus answered Satan ? every time He took and passed one of those tests ? he did so by quoting a passage of scripture. Jesus was not depending upon His own wits to see Him through. Jesus was not borrowing wisdom from His family or friends. Jesus withstood the devil by confronting Satan with the word of God. Every time Satan said something to Jesus, Jesus responded with “Thus says the Lord.”

The phrase “Man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” comes from Deuteronomy 8:3. The phrase “Do not put the Lord your God to the test” comes from Deuteronomy 6:16. The phrase “Worship the Lord your God and serve only Him” comes from Deuteronomy 6:13. In a moment of physical weakness and exhaustion from a lack of food and water for forty days, Jesus knew the Bible well enough to quote it from memory. Jesus embodied the language of Psalms 119:11 that says, “Your word have I hidden in my heart so I will not sin against you.” This is the test that we need to pass as well, to know the Bible so well that its lessons and teachings will come rushing to our minds every time Satan tries to lead us into temptation.

I like the fact that Jesus did not have to flip through the pages of the Bible so He could read the part that he needed in that moment. He did not need to have the Bible in His hand, because He had the word of God in His head and His heart. He did not have to turn to the index or the content page and find out what page to turn to because He did not know where certain books in the Bible could be found. He had become so familiar with the scriptures and so acquainted with its contents that the word just flowed out of Him like water from a fountain. He could pass the attitude test of character largely because He could pass the aptitude test of knowledge.

One day you and I will have to pass those same tests ourselves. Let me make one point as plainly and as straightforwardly as I can: there is nothing you can do to keep yourself from being tested or tempted by Satan. In one way or another, sooner or later, all of us will have to face and attempt to pass the test of temptation ? either in the form of physical passions, or impatience that leads us to make God prove himself to us, or the possibility of being more impressed and obedient to some other person or ideology than we are to God. But when our attitude or our character is tested, it will be our aptitude or our knowledge of and faith in the word of God that will see us through and help us pass that test.

It was important for Jesus to pass these tests of attitude and aptitude. Nothing less than the power of sin was hanging in the balance. Remember that in the Garden of Eden sin crept in and took control of the human family because Adam and Eve failed both of these exams when they were tested by Satan. They failed the attitude test of character when they ate from the one tree in the Garden that God told them to avoid. They failed the aptitude test of knowledge, because it was clear from the story that they knew perfectly well what God had said. However, having the words of God ringing in their ears, those words did not have enough power to restrain their behavior.

Two portions of scripture rush to mind right now. The first is I Corinthians 15:22 that says, “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.” The sin that first gripped us like a vice came because one man failed his test. That grip was finally broken when another man came along and faced that same test but passed it with flying colors. We can live free from the power of sin and Satan. We cannot avoid being tempted, but we can avoid giving in to those temptations by the power of Christ who will equip us with the right attitude and the right aptitude.

That brings me to the second text and my last point. In Hebrews 4:15 it says, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” Every temptation you ever felt, Christ felt also. Every passion that ever burned within you burned within Him also. He knows what it is like to live with the devil on your trail, because that was His experience as well. But here is the one thing that distinguishes us from Christ: He was tempted yet did not sin. He had the power to hold out. He has the strength to stand firm. He had the knowledge to resist. He had the character to overcome the devil. And if we just turn to Him and put our faith and trust in Him, He will help us accomplish the same thing and pass the tests of attitude and aptitude. That is why the hymn writer says:

We are our heavenly father’s children,
And we all know that he loves us one and all.
Yet there are times when we find we answer
Another’s voice and call;
If we are willing, he will teach us,
His voice only to obey no matter where,
And he knows, yes he knows
Just how much we can bear.
Tho’ the load gets heavy,
You’re never left alone to bear it all.
Just ask for strength and keep on toiling,
Although the tear drops fall.
You have the joy of this assurance,
Our heavenly Father will always answer prayer;
And he knows, yes he knows
Just how much you can bear.

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Marvin A. McMickle is Senior Pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Cleveland, OH.