Word of Encouragement (3/25/2021)

The petition we will deal with today is, “Lead us not into temptation....”

Some may ask why Jesus taught us to pray this prayer. James says, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one” (James 1:13). If God does not tempt anyone, why should we ask God not to lead us into temptation? Isn’t this like a child begging his loving parents everyday, “Please don't hate me”?

Interestingly, the Greek word for “temptation” can be translated also as “test/trial” (Gal. 4:14; Heb. 3:8). Whereas the Bible clearly states that God does not tempt, it also says that God did test Abraham (Gen. 22:1, LXX) as well as the Israelites in the wilderness (Deut. 8:2). Should we change this petition to say, “Lead us not into test”? God’s testing is not easy: it was not easy for Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac, as a test; it was not easy for Israel to wander through the wilderness for forty years.

But why does God test His people in the first place? He does it for our good, for our edification. Indeed, the New Testament consistently emphasizes the positive function of trial in Christian life: “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4); “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him” (James 1:12); “In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire-- may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 1:6-7). If God tests His people for their good, it would be wrong for us to pray that God would not test us.

We should not think it strange to ask God not to do something He would never do (i.e., tempting us). This is part of praying according to His will. Also, whatever theological uneasiness we feel about this petition is removed when we see it as an expression of our weakness. By it, we confess that we are vulnerable and susceptible to temptation, that we are easily led into temptation, that we are easy prey to temptation.

But this petition also points us to Jesus Christ, who, for our sake, “was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matt. 4:1). And He resisted Satan’s temptation with the Word of God. Where the first Adam failed, Jesus the Second Adam succeeded. Where Israel failed, Jesus the true Israel succeeded. And it is because of Him, “who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Heb. 4:15), we are spared from the hour of temptation. We will not be found alone in our weakness and sinfulness in the hour of temptation. Christ the righteous, Christ the impeccable and incorruptible, is our Shelter and Refuge.

In this petition, too, we are praying for Jesus as the ultimate Answer. As we pray this petition, we should cling to Him all the more. He will spare us from the final hour of temptation. And He can help us resist temptation when we look to Him for help.