Article March 22, 1999 Issue

Silencing temptation

Why give your consent to sickness or sin?

By Stanley Bass Hall

THE BIBLE'S ACCOUNTS of Jesus's temptation in the wilderness include no indication that the tempter-described as Satan-found the slightest acceptance in the Master's thought. True, the temptation to betray his God-ordained mission came to Jesus a second and a third time. But Jesus immediately and unequivocally rejected all three.

When the third temptation came in the form of a blatant invitation to break the First Commandment, Jesus responded, "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Then the devil left him, and "angels came and ministered unto him" (Matt.4:10,11).

How could the Master so readily resist temptation? Perhaps because he was consistently conscious of his own identity as the Son of God. There was no trait or quality in him to be influenced by deceitful persuasion. Jesus refused the notion that a material kingdom and temporal power could add one whit to the God-given dominion he already possessed.

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Poem
Protocol
March 22, 1999
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit