The Model Prayer – 7

Peirasmos (temptation) is basically a neutral word in the Greek, having no necessary connotation either of good or evil, as compared to our English temptation, which refers to inducement to evil.

The root meaning has to do with a testing or proving, and from that meaning are derived the related meanings of trial and temptation.

Temptation knows no limits. It respects no title. It plays no favorites.

It ignores all human obstacles, cares nothing about the time of day or night, and camouflages itself in any situation, prepared to pounce at any moment.

Temptation has many faces—stealing, lying, gossiping, cheating, envying, striving for popularity, vying for power—the list seems endless.

Lead us not into temptation.

We are asking God for a heart desire and inclination that cause a believer to want to avoid the danger and trouble sin creates.

John MacArthur: It is the expression of the redeemed soul that so despises and fears sin that it wants to escape all prospects of falling into it, choosing to avoid rather than having to defeat temptation.

This petition is another plea for God to provide what we in ourselves do not have. It is an appeal to God to place a watch over our eyes, our ears, our mouths, our feet, and our hands—that in whatever we see, hear, or say, and in any place we go and in anything we do, He will protect us from sin.

Augustine: “We are conscious of our own weakness, and desire to enjoy the protection of God, that we may remain impregnable against all the assaults of Satan.”

No man can be reckoned a Christian, who does not acknowledge himself to be a sinner; and in the same manner, we conclude from this petition, that we have no strength for living a holy life, except so far as we obtain it from God.

Whoever implores the assistance of God to overcome temptations, acknowledges that, unless God deliver him, he will be constantly falling.

James 1:13–18 (NIV84)

13When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;

14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.

15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

16Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers.

17Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

18He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

God cannot be tempted by sin, since He is absolutely and unchangeably perfect (Matt 5:48; Heb. 6:18), nor can He tempt anyone else to sin.

When we sinful human beings are tempted, it is because we allow ourselves to be drawn away by our own lustful desires. The source of temptation comes from within, not from without. It comes from sinful man, not from a sinless God.

V. 13, Is tempting me = πειράζω peirazō = to entice to improper behavior, tempt.

God’s holiness and goodness will not allow His leading anyone into a place or experience in which they would purposely be induced to commit sin.

He is dragged away = ἐξέλκω exelkō 1x = to drag away, with connotation of initial reluctance, drag away.

ek, “out of,” and helko, “to draw away, or lure forth;” being “drawn away” by lust. As in hunting or fishing the game is lured from its haunt, so man’s lust allures him from the safety of his self-restraint.

Each one. Every human being is tempted; there are no exceptions.

The present tense emphasizes the continuing, repeated, and inescapable reality of the process, which occurs when a person is carried away and enticed by his own lust.

Enticed = δελεάζω deleazō 3x (2 Pe. 2:14, 18) = to lure or entice someone to sin.

to be or become lured, enticed, or entrapped with or as if with bait.

We succumb to temptation when our own lust draws us toward evil things that are appealing to our fleshly desires.

Lust has long been associated almost exclusively with illicit sexual desire, the Greek term epithumia that it translates refers to a deep, strong desire or longing of any kind, good or bad.

1 John 2:15–17 (LSB)

15Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

James 4:4 (NIV84)

4 You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.

16For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.

17And the world is passing away, and also its lusts, but the one who does the will of God abides forever.

World = κόσμος kosmos = the ordered system of which Satan is the head, his fallen angels and demons are his emissaries, and the unsaved of the human race are his subjects, together with those purposes, pursuits, pleasures, practices, and places where God is not wanted.

Much in this world-system is religious, cultured, refined, and intellectual. But it is anti-God and anti-Christ.

The world is not a reference to the physical, material world but the invisible spiritual system of evil dominated by Satan and all that it offers in opposition to God, His Word, and His people.

Richard Chenevix Trench (1807-1886): “All that floating mass of thoughts, opinions, maxims, speculations, hopes, impulses, aims, aspirations, at any time current in the world, which it may be impossible to seize and accurately define, but which constitutes a most real and effective power, being the moral, or immoral atmosphere which at every moment of our lives we inhale, again inevitably to exhale.”

This is the world-system to which John refers.

Love = ἀγαπάω agapaō = to have a great affection or care for or loyalty towards.

to have high esteem for or satisfaction with something; take pleasure in.

to love, value, esteem, feel or manifest generous concern for, be faithful towards; to delight in, to set store upon.

Love not the world. DO NOT “prefer,” in the sense of, “to like better than the things of God.”

“Stop loving the world with a love called out of your hearts because of its preciousness.”

The values of human societies should not define believers. Instead, they should be shaped by Jesus’ values. John is in favoring of love, but acquiescing to evil is not love. The believer’s passion should not be for what culture offers but for what God desires.

Stop loving the world with a love that should only be reserved for God.

The love of the Father is not in him. (Marvin Vincent): “This means more than that he does not love God: rather, that the love of God does not dwell in him as the ruling principle of his life.”

James 1:2-4 (NIV84)

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds,

3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Consider it = ἡγέομαι hēgeomai = To think to be such and such, to esteem as something.

to consider (reckon): to deem or reckon to be.

lead, guide, rule; consider, think, regard; the deliberate choosing of a godly attitude, contrary to one’s natural inclination.

Pure = πᾶς pas = a degree of totality or completeness—‘complete, completely, totally, totality.’

Joy = χαρά chara = the experience of gladness.

a state of joy and gladness—‘joy, gladness, great happiness.’

Trials = πειρασμός peirasmos = an attempt to learn the nature or character of something, test, trial.

A state of trial in which God brings His people through adversity and affliction in order to encourage and prove their faith and confidence in Him.

This word is different than the one used in James 1:13 (to entice to improper behavior or to entice to sin).

Trials here are the afflictions that come upon us from outside.

They are unlooked for and come unexpectedly.

They are not the kind that we bring on ourselves by our own sinful choices or actions.

When God is the agent, peirasmós is for the purpose of proving someone, never for the purpose of causing him to fall.

If it is the devil who tempts, then it is for the purpose of causing one to fall.

Think, reckon, consider, regard the experience of various trials to be complete and total joy and gladness.

Martin Luther: Consider all sorts of, every kind of, all conceivable trials “a matter truly happy in all respects.”

Trials are distressing, and it would be unrealistic to say otherwise.

But there is a joy that is independent of circumstances which may be found by remembering God’s sovereignty and purposes.

James 1:3 (NIV84)

3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

The reason one can consider the prospect of facing trials with joy is that God uses trials to produce endurance.

God develops endurance in believers through trials because endurance leads to a mature and complete faith that lacks nothing.

Trials are therefore necessary because believers are not yet fully sanctified (cf. Heb 12:8).

Perseverance = ὑπομονή hypomonē = a patient frame of mind, patience.

Endurance (nasb, hcsb, nlt)

Patience (nkjv, kjv, asv)

Perseverance (niv, lsb)

Steadfastness (esv, rsv)

Fortitude (neb)

Strength to endure (reb)

The capacity to hold out or bear up in the face of difficulty, patience, endurance, fortitude, steadfastness, perseverance.

To persevere, remain under. A bearing up under, patience, endurance as to things or circumstances.

This is in contrast to makrothumía (3115), long–suffering or endurance toward people.

Hupomonḗ is associated with hope (1 Thess. 1:3) and refers to that quality of character which does not allow one to surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial.

James 1:4 (NIV84)

4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

you may be = εἰμί eimi = to have the quality of being.

it is possible, proper used in Heb. 9:5.

Same word used in the “I am” Sayings: egō eimi, where eimi = am vs. being only a possibility.

The passage indicates that maturity and completeness is gained through the testing of your faith, rather than it being a mere possibility.

Mature = τέλειος teleios = brought to completion; fully accomplished, fully developed; that you may keep yourself “unspotted from the world;” pertaining to meeting the highest standard; of things, perfect.

Perfect (esv, nkjv nasb95, lsb, nlt, kjv)

Mature (niv84, hcsb leb niv nrsv, csv)

A balanced character (neb)

Complete (nrsvue)

Sound (reb)

Complete = ὁλόκληρος holoklēros 2x = whole, having all its parts, sound, perfect, complete in every part; in NT the whole, 1 Thess. 5:23; morally, perfect, faultless, blameless;

Whole, having all its parts, sound, perfect. That which retains all that was initially allotted to it and wanting nothing for its wholeness.

It expresses the perfection of man before the fall.

The holóklēros is one who has persevered or, having once suffered loss, has now regained completeness.

In the holóklēros no grace which a Christian man should possess is deficient.

Complete (niv, esv, nkjv, nasb, hcsb, lsb, nlt)

Entire (kjv, asv)

Whole (Eastern Orthodox/Greek, nrsvue)

Throughout (reb)

The proper tendency of trials is to work patience in our souls. (That is its purpose.)

At first indeed they operate to the production of impatience or to the eliciting of those evil dispositions which lurk in our hearts.

Till we have had our pride in some measure subdued, we know not how to bear the unkindness which we meet with: we fret under it, and rage even as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: but…

When we discover our weakness,

we are ashamed of it, and

humble ourselves before God on account of it, and

implore grace from him to support us, and thus

gradually become instructed by the discipline, and

are at last “strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully 12 giving thanks to the Father,” (Colossians 1:11-12) who has wrought in us that very change of heart and life which has exposed us to the enmity of the ungodly world.

Romans 5:1–5 (NIV84)

1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

2through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;

4perseverance, character; and character, hope.

5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

The testing of your faith often comes in the form of suffering.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV84)

13No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Temptation = πειρασμός peirasmos = An attempt to make one do something wrong, temptation, enticement to sin.

Temptation is the same word used in Matthew 6:13, “to endeavor or attempt to cause someone to sin.”

An examination with the express purpose of producing (or proving) a fault in the examinee.

Has seized = λαμβάνω lambanō = to seize (affect); to take effect on someone.

To take into one’s possession, take, acquire.

To take hold of something or someone, with or without force—‘to take hold of, to grasp, to grab.’

There is no such thing as a superhuman or supernatural temptation. Temptations are human experiences.

“No temptation has seized you except:” Only the temptations common to man has the potential to affect you.

Common to man. Temptations are never unique experiences to us. We can never have a temptation that has not been experienced by millions of other people. Circumstances differ but basic temptations do not.

Way out = ἔκβασις ekbasis 2x = a way out, egress; hence, result, issue, Heb. 13:7; means of clearance or successful endurance, 1 Cor. 10:13.

Way out of some difficulty, a way out, end.

A means by which one may escape from some danger or difficulty—‘a means of escape, a way of escape.’

Proverbs 4:14–15 (NIV84)

14Do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of evil men.

15Avoid it, do not travel on it; turn from it and go on your way.

Often we know beforehand whether a certain set of circumstances is likely to lead to sin. Therefore, the obvious way to avoid sin is to avoid those circumstances.

Often the escape is to stay away from the place or the people where temptation lurks.

Proverbs 7:6–9, 21-23 (NIV84)

6At the window of my house I looked out through the lattice.

7I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who lacked judgment.

8He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house

9at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.

21With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk.

22All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose

23till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.

His passion blinded him to the reality of the deadly consequences.

Proverbs 2:12–19 (NIV84)

12Wisdom will save you from the ways of wicked men, from men whose words are perverse,

13who leave the straight paths to walk in dark ways,

14who delight in doing wrong and rejoice in the perverseness of evil,

15whose paths are crooked and who are devious in their ways.

16It will save you also from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words,

17who has left the partner of her youth and ignored the covenant she made before God.

18For her house leads down to death and her paths to the spirits of the dead.

19None who go to her return or attain the paths of life.

1 Timothy 6:9–10 (NIV84)

9People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.

10For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

People who want to get rich. They are those who long to have a lot of money but don’t have it.

These “would be rich folks” who want to be rich whether God wants them to or not.

Their hearts are set on the world.

They feel it is coming to them, and have it they must.

They ask nobody about it, even God.

They want gain without godliness.

1 Corinthians 15:33 (NIV84)

33Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

Charles H. Spurgeon: So, you who wish to have an exemplary character before God and before men, remember that, if ill company does not burn you to your hurt, it is sure to blacken you by damaging your reputation.

Oswald Chambers: When you meet a man or woman who puts Jesus Christ first, knit that one to your soul.

2 Timothy 2:22 (NIV84)

22Flee the evil desires of youth, and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, along with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Selah.

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