Post by Lee on Jun 8, 2014 4:38:41 GMT
TEMPTATION
THERE is no conflict between the Lord's prayer ("Lead us not into temptation")
and the statement of James (1:13) "Neither tempteth He any man!'There's a difference
between the idea of God tempting man, and a man being left or led into
circumstances where temptation would operate powerfully.
God influences no man for evil by acting on him in the way suggested by the
idle man of James' supposition. A man's being drawn into evil is an affair of his
own response, as James says (1:14).
But God might leave a man in circumstances where temptation would be strong,
or He might guide him out of such circumstances. Here is where the petition of
the Lord's Prayer comes in, without interfering with James' absolute statement.
The case is illustrated by the prayer of Agur (Prov. 30:8-9)—
"Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient
for me: lest I be full and deny Thee, and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest
I be poor and steal and take the Name of my God in vain!' —February, 1893
THERE is no conflict between the Lord's prayer ("Lead us not into temptation")
and the statement of James (1:13) "Neither tempteth He any man!'There's a difference
between the idea of God tempting man, and a man being left or led into
circumstances where temptation would operate powerfully.
God influences no man for evil by acting on him in the way suggested by the
idle man of James' supposition. A man's being drawn into evil is an affair of his
own response, as James says (1:14).
But God might leave a man in circumstances where temptation would be strong,
or He might guide him out of such circumstances. Here is where the petition of
the Lord's Prayer comes in, without interfering with James' absolute statement.
The case is illustrated by the prayer of Agur (Prov. 30:8-9)—
"Give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient
for me: lest I be full and deny Thee, and say, Who is the Lord? Or lest
I be poor and steal and take the Name of my God in vain!' —February, 1893