Who benefits from temptations?

The question is: why can’t God just remove temptations? Why should he keep something that will prevent some people from enjoying his glory? These questions have been bothering BRIGHT MHANGO and he seeks the wisdom of those in the know.

Reading the book of Job, one wonders why God allowed Job to be subjected to all he went through. God allowed his own son, Jesus, to be tempted and Jesus warned his followers that when they pray they should make sure they ask God not to lead them into temptation.

But God knows his people through and through. David attested to this in Psalms 139: 16 where he said “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.”

Why, then, does God let people get tempted when he knows the end result already since he is omniscient? Why is there temptation anyway?

Irene Luwayo, a secondary school teacher based in Blantyre, says temptations are there to teach people lessons in life.

“I think God does not tempt us, but He lets temptations come our way to teach us a number of things: to make us strong in our faith, to learn to trust in Him and to show us He is God. If I never had any problem, I would never know that He can solve them. I would also not know that his promises come to pass,” said Luwayo.

Ephraim Chiunjiza, a business administrator and Roman Catholic Church member from Lilongwe, agreed with Luwayo and declared that God does not tempt anyone.

“Our catechism describes a temptation as anything that induces us to sin. By asking God not to lead us into temptation, we pray that God should either keep us from being tempted to sin or deliver us when we are tempted. God allows temptations to come our way so that we can learn to depend on Him alone,” said Chiunjiza.

Prophet Misheck Kazonda De Silva of the Christian Gathering of All Nations defined temptation as anything that Satan brings to try to snare Christians and take them away from the lord’s presence.

“Don’t confuse temptation with trials. Trials are things God put us through so that we get uplifted,” Said De Silva.

“God never tempts us with bad things. It is a lie to say that God has tempted anybody; he only allows us to undergo tests so that our faith can be seen. For example, it was not God who tempted Job.”

As for Jesus, said De Silva, God allowed him to be tempted so that he could go on to bear mankind’s burden.

He quoted Hebrews 2 vs 18 which says “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”

De Silva also declared that temptation only comes to those who are righteous. He said for the sinful it is not temptation because if sin is their normal life.

“I was a rich businessman, a drunk and womaniser and I know what temptation is. I know how people enjoy doing sin.

“And children of God should not fear temptation because God said that there is always a door to run through, that he will never give us more than we can handle,” he said.

To deal with temptation, you need two things, according to De Silva:

“Jesus escaped temptation because he had the word in him. He kept saying it is written…if we are all filled with the word of God, it is easy to defeat temptation

“The other thing is that we should be righteous. God listens to righteous people. According to John 14 verse 13 to 14, God does what a person asks. If we pray to him during temptation, he will remove us from it.”

John 14:13

reads: “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father.”

De Silva said temptation is not something people should be afraid of because it is never too hard for the faithful as God said he will never give them more than they can handle.

1 Corinthians 10 verse 13 reads: “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.”

Added De Silva: “The reason is for us to overcome so that we can be known as sons of God, so that we get drawn closer to God. Without temptation, we cannot know who somebody is.”