The Way of Escape
Introduction. When we speak of temptation, we all have a general idea of what it means. Essentially, it is the desire to do something wrong joined to an enticement that would allow us to do it. This is how James defines temptation: “each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed." (James 1:14). The stronger the desire and the greater the enticement, the more powerful temptation becomes.
Although we all endure temptations, their degree and intensity varies. The vast majority of temptations have very little power. We have never found the opportunity enticing and the lusts lie dormant with very little interest. This is how Jesus dealt with all His temptations. He “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb. 4:15). At every opportunity the devil presented Jesus with enticements. The first three enticements are listed by Luke as He was “being tempted for forty days by the devil.” But even after those failed, “when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.” (Lk. 4:2-13). Yet every temptation Jesus endured ended with the same outcome. He never found any of them interesting enough to engage in them.
A careful reading of all the lusts of the flesh reveals that the vast majority of them affect us about the same way they did Jesus. We see them, we know they are there, and we are aware of the enticement when it presents itself. Yet it is an easy matter to remove them because we have very little interest. But that same careful reading will reveal a handful (large or small) of lusts that have taken root deep within our hearts. These temptations are so powerful that many times we have already fallen into the enticement before we are even able to marshal our forces to fight against them.
We are responsible for every lust that has grown strong enough to bind us. Paul spoke of how his own time of innocence came to an end with the enticement to covet in Romans 7. Each of us did exactly the same thing with our own lusts. The first lustful look, the first lie, the first theft, the first ungodly thought, the first hatred, the first angry words, or the first drink were all awkward things. We did not know what we were doing. We were as clumsy at them as we were when we learned to ride a bike. Yet like everything else, practice made perfect.
Unfortunately not only does practice make perfect, practice also makes habits that are exceedingly difficult to break. Most of us were accomplished sinners when we obeyed the gospel (Eph. 2:1-5; 4:17-24). In order to move as quickly as possible from “mature sinners” to “mature Christians”, we need to find and learn “the way of escape:”
There are several important truths revealed in this passage that we need to understand. First and for many the most important is the fact that every single temptation is common to man. There is nothing extraordinary about ours. Thoughts like: “no one has ever struggled with temptations as difficult as mine” are not only wrong, but dangerous to our ability to withstand and overcome them. Many consider themselves victims with enticements far more difficult than anyone could overcome. If we succumb to such thinking, we are like the 10 spies thinking we are only grasshoppers (Num. 13:33).
The truth is “God is faithful and will not allow us to be tempted above what we are able to bear.” Regardless of how many times we have tried and failed, we must “trust in the Lord with all our heart and not lean on our own understanding.” Regardless of what our past experiences tell us, we need to trust that “God is faithful.” We can overcome this temptation and enticement! We have the resources and the ability; we only need to learn how.
We got ourselves into this mess, but God has given us what we need to remove ourselves from it. What could have been, if we never opened the door, still can be if we trust God. Through His providence, we are protected from all temptation and enticement that are beyond our capacity. God is faithful and He will never put us into a position where we have no options. There is always a way of escape. Even the most vexing and powerful of the temptations and enticements we struggle against and have fallen into so many times in the past has a way to escape.
The problem with many Christians is that they want this to be a simple door we open, escape into, and then never have the temptation again. But Jesus and the Holy Spirit speaking through the Scriptures warn us that this is not the case. THE WAY OF ESCAPE IS PAINFUL! It requires denial, a cross, and even cutting off or plucking out. “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mt. 16:24). If our “hand” or “foot” causes us “to stumble,” we, of our own freewill, must “cut it off.” God doesn’t do this for us, we have to do it ourselves. If our “eye” causes us “to stumble”, we must “pluck it out.” (Mk 9:43-28).
These passages reveal that the way of escape is a painful process of denial. If we have not yet found this way of escape, it is because we have not been willing to endure the slow process of crucifixion whereby we remain on our cross until the lust is dead. Some temptations are deeply rooted in our mind. We have done them again and again. They are part of our existence and our flesh craves them just like a drug or alcohol addiction. No one denies a drug addict or alcoholic must deny themselves. Multitudes have gone through the painful process of withdrawal and are now able to withstand the enticements. Every Christian must endure the same painful process of denial and withdrawal. These habits must be broken and the feelings of pleasure must be denied.
Some things have to be “put to death” (Col. 3:5), and they do not die easily. They also have to be “put off” (Eph. 4:19-23). The threads of habit have become a cable, binding us to sin by hundreds and even thousands of previous acts and thoughts. We will have to deny and fight these temptations with perseverance and self-control. Paul summed it up with: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20). But how did he get there and how did he maintain his purity? “I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.” (1Cor. 9:27). Is Paul the only one that had to do this? NO, we all must go through this process: “they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof.” (Gal. 5:24)
Conclusion. We must never forget this truth: “God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. (Gal. 6:7-8). This passage is true both before and after we become a Christian. The lusts we contend with and the enticements that fall into our path are like weeds and we sowed them ourselves. The way of escape can only be found in the painful process of pulling them out by the roots.
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Although we all endure temptations, their degree and intensity varies. The vast majority of temptations have very little power. We have never found the opportunity enticing and the lusts lie dormant with very little interest. This is how Jesus dealt with all His temptations. He “was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.” (Heb. 4:15). At every opportunity the devil presented Jesus with enticements. The first three enticements are listed by Luke as He was “being tempted for forty days by the devil.” But even after those failed, “when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time.” (Lk. 4:2-13). Yet every temptation Jesus endured ended with the same outcome. He never found any of them interesting enough to engage in them.
A careful reading of all the lusts of the flesh reveals that the vast majority of them affect us about the same way they did Jesus. We see them, we know they are there, and we are aware of the enticement when it presents itself. Yet it is an easy matter to remove them because we have very little interest. But that same careful reading will reveal a handful (large or small) of lusts that have taken root deep within our hearts. These temptations are so powerful that many times we have already fallen into the enticement before we are even able to marshal our forces to fight against them.
We are responsible for every lust that has grown strong enough to bind us. Paul spoke of how his own time of innocence came to an end with the enticement to covet in Romans 7. Each of us did exactly the same thing with our own lusts. The first lustful look, the first lie, the first theft, the first ungodly thought, the first hatred, the first angry words, or the first drink were all awkward things. We did not know what we were doing. We were as clumsy at them as we were when we learned to ride a bike. Yet like everything else, practice made perfect.
Unfortunately not only does practice make perfect, practice also makes habits that are exceedingly difficult to break. Most of us were accomplished sinners when we obeyed the gospel (Eph. 2:1-5; 4:17-24). In order to move as quickly as possible from “mature sinners” to “mature Christians”, we need to find and learn “the way of escape:”
- “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1Cor. 10:13).
There are several important truths revealed in this passage that we need to understand. First and for many the most important is the fact that every single temptation is common to man. There is nothing extraordinary about ours. Thoughts like: “no one has ever struggled with temptations as difficult as mine” are not only wrong, but dangerous to our ability to withstand and overcome them. Many consider themselves victims with enticements far more difficult than anyone could overcome. If we succumb to such thinking, we are like the 10 spies thinking we are only grasshoppers (Num. 13:33).
The truth is “God is faithful and will not allow us to be tempted above what we are able to bear.” Regardless of how many times we have tried and failed, we must “trust in the Lord with all our heart and not lean on our own understanding.” Regardless of what our past experiences tell us, we need to trust that “God is faithful.” We can overcome this temptation and enticement! We have the resources and the ability; we only need to learn how.
We got ourselves into this mess, but God has given us what we need to remove ourselves from it. What could have been, if we never opened the door, still can be if we trust God. Through His providence, we are protected from all temptation and enticement that are beyond our capacity. God is faithful and He will never put us into a position where we have no options. There is always a way of escape. Even the most vexing and powerful of the temptations and enticements we struggle against and have fallen into so many times in the past has a way to escape.
The problem with many Christians is that they want this to be a simple door we open, escape into, and then never have the temptation again. But Jesus and the Holy Spirit speaking through the Scriptures warn us that this is not the case. THE WAY OF ESCAPE IS PAINFUL! It requires denial, a cross, and even cutting off or plucking out. “If any man would come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mt. 16:24). If our “hand” or “foot” causes us “to stumble,” we, of our own freewill, must “cut it off.” God doesn’t do this for us, we have to do it ourselves. If our “eye” causes us “to stumble”, we must “pluck it out.” (Mk 9:43-28).
These passages reveal that the way of escape is a painful process of denial. If we have not yet found this way of escape, it is because we have not been willing to endure the slow process of crucifixion whereby we remain on our cross until the lust is dead. Some temptations are deeply rooted in our mind. We have done them again and again. They are part of our existence and our flesh craves them just like a drug or alcohol addiction. No one denies a drug addict or alcoholic must deny themselves. Multitudes have gone through the painful process of withdrawal and are now able to withstand the enticements. Every Christian must endure the same painful process of denial and withdrawal. These habits must be broken and the feelings of pleasure must be denied.
Some things have to be “put to death” (Col. 3:5), and they do not die easily. They also have to be “put off” (Eph. 4:19-23). The threads of habit have become a cable, binding us to sin by hundreds and even thousands of previous acts and thoughts. We will have to deny and fight these temptations with perseverance and self-control. Paul summed it up with: “I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal 2:20). But how did he get there and how did he maintain his purity? “I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected.” (1Cor. 9:27). Is Paul the only one that had to do this? NO, we all must go through this process: “they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof.” (Gal. 5:24)
Conclusion. We must never forget this truth: “God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. (Gal. 6:7-8). This passage is true both before and after we become a Christian. The lusts we contend with and the enticements that fall into our path are like weeds and we sowed them ourselves. The way of escape can only be found in the painful process of pulling them out by the roots.
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- Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross DAILY, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. (Luke 9:23-24)
- For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12 teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, (Titus 2:11-13)
- But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work. Flee also youthful lusts; (2Tim. 2:20-22)
- make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. (Rom. 13:14)
- Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, 7 in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them. 8 But now YOU YOURSELVES are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. (Col. 3:5-9)