If you have ever read a Bible, listened
to one being read, or heard people quote Scriptures, you have probably heard
this verse or something akin to it. Most often, people will use part of it.
What they say is, “God will not allow you to be tempted more than you can
handle.” There is much more to these two verses Paul wrote than God’s benevolence
to a person. These two verses speak almost exclusively about God.
Paul wrote to the Corinthian church
in south-central Greece. The body of Christ, the church, there was experiencing
problems within it. (Note: All churches will experience difficulties,
temptations, and sin at least once.) Paul wrote to these Christians about the
factions and divisions in the church caused by people falling to temptation. He
wrote to tell them each member of the church must stand strong in their faith
in Jesus to be a unified body of Christ that serves the members and the
neighbors outside the church. A Christian’s freedom through Jesus Christ does
not mean they are free to sin. Potentially, that would cause a brother or
sister in faith to stumble because of his or her example.
To what were the temptations did the
Corinthian Christians fall? Lust and craving what they did not have and but
wanted. They were discontent with God and seeking only Him. The Corinthian
Christians allowed these things and activities they desired to be their gods.
These Christians worshiped false gods. Paul said the Corinthian believers
wanted to gratify their evil desires and live immorally. By doing this, they
caused factions and division in church and caused other believers to falter in
the growth of their faith.
Next, Paul reminded these believers about
the Israelites, God’s chosen people, and how they had a covenant with God
through Moses. Repeatedly, the Israelites broke their covenant with God and
sinned against Him. Paul helped the people recall what happened to the
Israelites when they sinned. This, hopefully, would cause reflection amongst the
Corinthian Christians and influence them to become mature followers of Christ.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians because he cared for them. He did not want them
to fall to temptation, but to stay in a growing faith-relationship with God.
With verses twelve and thirteen,
Paul explained how Christians could avoid the snare of temptation, not be
seduced to sin. In the New Living Translation of the Bible, Paul’s words in
verse twelve say, “If you think you are standing strong, be careful (take action)
not to fall.” Just when a Christian thinks he or she has conquered his or her
temptations and cannot be tempted again, watch out because one is already in front
of you. No one is outside the sphere of temptation. Paul’s word standing
comes from the Greek word meaning being steadfast in mind and faith. It
involves the mind, heart, and spirit. Indirectly, what Paul said involves
action, too. Strong faith in and from God will keep Christians from acting out their
desires that He does not approve. Paul meant, do not stop guarding yourself against
Satan’s attacks. Put on the armor of God always. No person is strong every
minute of his or her life. If that was the case, then Jesus would have had no
reason to come to earth and die sinless of a sinner’s death. He died to take
our place, so we would not have to die for the judgment of our sins. So, stand
strong in your mind and faith and be careful not to fall. Consider the
possibility of falling to temptation and being on guard, consider, and take
heed (act) to avoid sinning. Living the life of a Christian in a fallen world
is like being in a battle.
Paul continued with verse thirteen
by telling the Corinthians how to avoid falling to temptation. He began by
writing, “The temptations in your life are no different from what others
experience.” Remember, in verse twelve, Paul mentioned one must be steadfast in
faith and mind and act, so he or she does not fall to temptations. Fight temptations
with your whole being–heart, soul, mind, and strength (body). With verse thirteen,
Paul reminded them no temptations any Christian faces are different from what
other people experience. Each Corinthian Christian (and us) faced what the
other did, wallowing in pity and being the lord of their lives, or allowing God
to be the only God of their lives. None of us is beyond being tempted by Satan.
All people have sinned and fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23). Jesus came for
this reason. He paid the penalty for each person’s sins by dying a criminal’s death,
though He had not sinned. Jesus did not leave believers defenseless against temptation.
He gave His Holy Spirit upon their belief in Him. Other Christians have faced
the same temptation the Corinthians Christians faced and emerged victorious;
therefore, each believer can overcome temptations. The Corinthian Christians were
not defenseless; no one is. Take heart by remembering the people who walked through
and defeated this same temptation. Remember, the ones who went before us, like
the Israelites, who fell to temptations, reaped their reward of disciplining
and judgment from God.
Even more than recognizing we must
be strong and have faith, in both of which falter, we must recognize God and not
wallow in self-pity. Paul wrote about God in verse thirteen. He said, “God is
faithful.” In the middle of these two verses, Paul reminded the Christians of
the most important part of fighting temptations. God is unlike humans who fail
in their promises. He always keeps his promises. He abides by them. God’s
faithfulness is a fundamental part of His being. He cannot lie or fail. What God
says He will do will be done. Everything He promised in the past still holds true.
He promised He would be found if we sought Him with all our hearts (Jeremiah
29:13). God will never leave or forsake us (Deuteronomy 31:8 & Hebrews
13:5). Jesus said to His disciples He was going to prepare a place for them in
His Father’s house (John 14:2). The Bible is filled with God’s promises to His
people and to those who earnestly seek Him. God is always faithful to His
children. Faithfulness is inherently part of God. Each believer must hold on to
that truth as they battle temptation. They do not fight alone or with failing
strength. God gives faith to believe in Him, that He will lead him or her to
victory over that temptation.
The third statement Paul wrote in
verse thirteen is, “He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can
stand.” (NLT) God is faithful and God is powerful. Omnipotence is part of who
God is. Only He holds the universe in its correct alignment, so cataclysm does
not occur and destroy all life. No person is more powerful than God. When
fighting Satan’s forces as they strike out against you, a person needs superlative
power, power beyond all imagining. The word power comes from the Greek word
dunamis, from which the English word “dynamite gets its origin. Besides knowing
this, we must recognize Paul did not tell the Corinthian Christians they will
fight the temptations alone. God is with the person and will not allow
it to be greater than the person can withstand. God knows that each temptation
and trial grows a person stronger in their faith and trust in Him. He knows
when it will be more than the person can stand up against because the person’s
Christian growth has not grown that far. God also knows when a person needs to
grow more and allows stretching through trials and temptations. In this verse, remember,
God is and has the power (dunamis) to help a Christian get through temptations
and to stop it completely, so His child is not overwhelmed. Note that God’s
hand in all this. He is faithful. He has and gives His power. God controls how
long a temptation/trial will last. Defeating temptation is all about being united
with God in heart, mind, body, and soul.
The fourth and final part of verse thirteen
states Paul told the Corinthians Christians, “When you are tempted, He (God)
will show you a way out so that you can endure.” So, understand well, God won’t
let a temptation go longer than you can stand with faith in Him and His power.
He will show/give you a way out. He knows the map of the temptation and your
desires and leads you, with His light, to green pastures (Psalm 23). Paul began
this teaching and encouraging passage by telling the Christians to be careful
and make sure they are standing strong against temptations. Look, see, and
discern you face temptations and without God, you will not prevail. At the end
of verse thirteen, Paul said, “When you are tempted, God will show you the way
out and carry you away safely.”
Paul reminded the Corinthian
Christians they will still face temptations like they did when they were not
believers in Jesus. So, do not be surprised. Paul did not end with that fatalistic
thought. He said God is faithful. He is faithful to His children and His
promises. Paul continued by reminding the believers God is all-powerful. He can
defeat the temptations Satan throws at them. God knows how far a Christian has
grown spiritually and has the power to end the temptation at a specific point. The
LORD is almighty and gives the strength His people need for the
temptation/trial when they ask Him. Inherently, God is faithful, omnipotent, omniscient,
omnipresent, and almighty. He knows what each person faces at any moment in
time and desires to help him or her. Christians must do their part, too. Paul mentioned
only two things Christians must do. He said believers must be steadfast in
mind and spirit (vs. 12 a) and “be careful not to fall.” Christians
must remember He is always with them, giving them His power and strength, and
making a way for them to greener pastures (Psalm 23).
Being careful not to fall requires
action. Believers in Jesus must act on the faith and trust they have in God. They
act based on who God is, His promises, and what He has done and can do; He can
do everything. The faith and actions of Christians are not baseless. Christians’
lack of faith can cause harm to themselves and their relationships with family,
friends, God, and believers in the body of Christ. Paul addressed the
Corinthians Christians because of their sins of living like non-Christians:
visiting temple prostitutes, worshiping idols, cheating people out of money. In
essence, they made their desires into their gods and did not follow the LORD God.
Be aware when you sin, you cause disunity in the church, just as the Corinthian
church experienced. You cause other believers to stumble. And you allow yourself
to be led astray by Satan. When Christians live by God’s power against
temptation, they gain more faith, grow more like Jesus, grow closer in relationship
with God, grow stronger relationships with other people, strengthen the church
to follow God more diligently, and bring God glory 1 Corinthians 10:31b).
Where do you stand in your
relationship with God? Are you fighting temptations in your own weak strength
and power? Or are you calling on almighty God to fight with you, give you
faith, and show the way out of that situation. From this, your relationship
with Him will grow and be an example of His faithfulness to someone who watched
you conquer that temptation. Do not stop praying for strength to combat
temptations. They will confront you every day.
Whether then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to
the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31 [NABS])
God is faithful, all-powerful
(omnipotent), almighty, all-knowing (omniscient), and always-present
(omnipresent). You face and endure nothing without His knowing, His light, His
power, and His strength because He is always faithful to His promises to His
children. Going through trials and temptations can be all about God or all
about ourselves. You choose and that choice decides the outcome of the temptation.
What you choose can and will affect other believers, your neighbors, and the
church.
