Encore Post: “Lead us not into temptation” is the one petition in the Lord’s Prayer that puzzles some Christians. God loves us, so why would he set us up to be tempted? That instinct is very good. The Book of James explains: “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” (James 1:13-15)
Part of the problem is the word “temptation” has changed since it was first used in the Middle Ages in the English version of the Lord’s Prayer. To tempt means to test someone to see what they will do. In modern English, we think of it to mean to lure someone into doing evil. The other problem is that, as we’ve seen with the other parts of this prayer, that we forget that God already does this. He already makes his name holy, his kingdom already comes to us and will come to us, his will already is done on earth and in heaven, he already gives us daily bread and forgives us. So, of course, he already does not lead us into temptation, but delivers us from evil. We pray so that he will guard us and strengthen us when our enemies tempt us to sin. They are the unholy trinity — the World, the Devil and our flesh — our sinful desires. Many Christians make the sign of the cross when they pray this petition, reminding them that because of the death of Jesus on the cross, God promises to do this — and does.
God allows testing of our faith because it strengthens us. We often do not know why God tests us in particular, but it has the effect of taking away from us anything we might trust other than God and his promises. Yet even though God will let these things challenge us, he promises to give us the strength to withstand it. (1 Corinthians 10:13) We remember that Jesus was tempted in every way that we are, except he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15) So, we pray that we withstand temptation and remain faithful until the day we are with him forever.
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Thank you for this blog. I read it frequently (trying to make it daily) but never thank you. Wanted you to know on this Easter Monday: your efforts are appreciated.
Thanks! It’s what we produce it for.
It’s only Wed., of Judica Week in 2024, but TY all over again for sharing this. Our pastor, as he brought the Holy Communion to the bedside of my spouse in a ‘rehab hospital’ gently and kindly reminded her (and us both) of how our corrupt & befouled flesh (our sinful ‘old Adam’) not merely resists the working of the Holy Spirit–but rebels against and attacks that holy action.
TY also for the reminder that it’s the assigned job of the Adversary, the Satan, God’s appointed “Prosecuting Attorney General” to do as much as possible to lead us into temptation = “to lure someone into doing evil.” It’s God who invented and permits “sting” operations and procedures to see what we will do, just as our upright and proper legal institutions (the 3rd division of governance permitted in the constitution) do so yet today. Just as the demonic is sent to hell on judgment day for seeking and pursuing THE FALL of those tested, so we citizens are righteously dismayed when any prosecutor seeks and pursues those who FAIL a test invented to see what a natural born sinner will do. Thanks be to Christ our Savior God in human flesh and blood who lives within us by the gift of the Holy Spirit we baptized folk sometimes recognize the guile and tricky as demonic and are enabled to resist it/him/them!