Dial Daily Bread: Is Temptation Sin?

Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"

Let us pose a profound question that troubles millions: IS TEMPTATION SIN? Jesus said: "Whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" (Matt. 5:28). The usual understanding is that if you're tempted to break the seventh commandment, you've already done it. You'll have to ask God for forgiveness. And if you ask forgiveness for ONE sin, you might just as well ask Him for forgiveness for TWO sins and go ahead and do it, since you're already guilty. Maybe you can get a bargain rate on quantity sins. And there's another inevitable step to take almost immediately: it doesn't take you long to realize that no amount of divine grace will make you un-temptable, or beyond the capability of being tempted. It's ingrained within your very nature to be tempted.

Now, back again to our question: Is temptation sin? How many temptations does it take to equal one sin?

If the answer to our first question is YES, then it follows that the entire plan of salvation must go down the drain because human beings will be tempted to sin as long as they live until either death or translation at the coming of Christ finally delivers them from the capability or possibility of being tempted. There is no such thing as "holy flesh" in this mortal life. If temptation is already sin, then there is no hope of overcoming sin (which is salvation from sin).

But if the answer to our question is NO, if temptation is not of itself sin, if you can be tempted and yet say NO! as Jesus did, then there is hope. Of course, you're helpless to say NO! unless the Savior gives you the grace to say it; but the Good News is that He "took" or "assumed" our sinful nature in order to be "in all points tempted like as we are," and yet not sin (Heb. 2:14-18; 4:15, 16).

Christ WAS tempted, but He never sinned. So you and I can be tempted, and yet not sin! True or false? Everything depends on the right answer.

Copyright © 2009 by Robert J. Wieland.
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