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Bible Encyclopedias
Tempt; Temptation
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia
"Why comes temptation but for man to meet
And master and make crouch beneath his foot,
And so be pedestaled in triumph?"
Holiness in its best estate is possible only under conditions which make it necessary to meet, resist and triumph over temptation. Thus, Jesus Himself became our Great High Priest in that, being tempted in all points like as we are, He never once yielded, but fought and triumphed (Hebrews 4:15 ).
One must not deceive one's self, however, in thinking that, because by the grace of God one may have profit of virtue through temptation as an instrument, all temptation is equally innocent and virtuous. It is noticeable in the case of Jesus that His temptation was under the direction of the Spirit (Mark 1:12 ); He Himself did not seek it, nor did He fear it. Temptations encountered in this way, the way of duty, the way of the Spirit, alone constitute the true challenge of saintship (James 1:12 ); but it is the mark of an ignoble nature to be perpetually the center of vicious fancies and tempers which are not of God but of the devil (James 1:13-15 ). One may not escape entirely such buffetings of faith, but by any sound nature they are easily disposed of. Not so easily disposed of are the trials (temptations) to faith through adversity, affliction, trouble (Luke 22:28; Acts 20:19; James 1:2; 1 Peter 1:6 ); and yet there is no lack of evidence to the consoling fact that God does not suffer His own to be tempted above what they are able to bear (1 Corinthians 10:13 ) and that for every crisis His grace will be sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:8 , 2 Corinthians 12:9 ).
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Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. Entry for 'Tempt; Temptation'. International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. https://www.studylight.org/​encyclopedias/​eng/​isb/​t/tempt-temptation.html. 1915.