p. 11 | Temptations Necessary

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 11, 1903

Temptations Necessary

Jesus had the highest sign of approval that heaven could bestow, and then followed the temptation. In this world it is necessary that for a season we be “in heaviness through manifold temptations,” in order that the trial of our faith may be found unto praise and honor and glory. 1 Peter 1:6, 7. “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” James 1:2-4. Therefore “it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one; for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.” Heb. 2:10, 11. Jesus, having taken on him “the form of a servant,” must needs pass through all that the lowest servant has to endure. Having taken human flesh, he must bear all the infirmities of the flesh, and it was for that purpose that he came. Temptations are necessary to keep us humble, and to teach us our dependence upon God. Let the sorely tempted one remember from the experience of Christ that temptations do not prove that he is not a son of God. Remember, too, that the Spirit of God led Jesus into the wilderness of temptation. “In that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted.” Heb. 2:18. “The chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Isa. 53:5. His victory is our victory, for it was our sins that he bore. Therefore if we keep in mind his temptations, his trial and his victory, we may save ourselves much trouble. “This is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith.” 1 John 5:4, R. V. The chief temptation that Christ had to endure, the one that was twice repeated, was to doubt that he was really the Son of God. Do not make the mistake of considering this a light matter. It was a life and death struggle, and Jesus was sorely tempted to doubt the words that he had heard at his baptism, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased,” and to doubt his mission. After forty days of fasting in solitude, seemingly forsaken by both God and man, and seeing no face but those of

the ravenous beasts, doubts would very easily be suggested. But he did not yield to them. By his victory, we may repel the temptation as soon as it is presented. Remember that he “was in all points tempted like as we are” (Heb. 4:15), and that no temptations came to him but such as are common to men. But every temptation came to him that ever comes to any man. Do not forget, therefore, that no man ever has a feeling of despondency or doubt that did not oppress the Lord Jesus. Read the twenty-second psalm, and you will see something of what he passed through, and how he came out. Just as surely as he passed through the struggle a conqueror, may we also, even though we have many times been overcome by the tempter, be “more than conquerors through him that loved us.”—Present Truth.