No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
—1 Corinthians 10:13

Often, when we read the passages of the Bible that speak of the trials and temptations of believers, all sorts of pictures come to mind. Sometimes we hear people say that temptations are the difficulties in our life: sickness, financial problems, family problems and so on. But is that what is meant when the Bible speaks of temptations? When reading the Bible, it is important to rely not on our own understanding but on the Lord and His Word.

So what are the believer’s temptations that the apostles write about in their epistles? First, let’s answer the question: Who tempts us? The Word of God says: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.” [Jas.1:13] Someone will say: “God doesn’t tempt, He tests.” As Jesus said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father“, so to understand how God tests, it is best to look at Jesus. In the Gospels the only time Jesus tested Philip was when He asked him where to buy bread to feed the people. [Jhn.6:6] The Lord tempts no one, and there is only one tempter: the devil. [Mat.4:3]

How does he tempt believers, and with what? His tactics have not changed. Just as he tempted Eve, he tempted Jesus in the wilderness, and he tempts believers in the same way today. Paul writes: “But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” [2 Cor.11:3] The Greek word for “simplicity” means singleness, oneness. That is why he goes on to say: if “he who comes preaches another Jesus… a different spirit… a different gospel.” [2 Cor.11:4] What is this different gospel? It is the one the Galatians accepted. [Gal.1:6] Instead of the Spirit of freedom and sonship, they accepted again the spirit of bondage, of the law. [Gal.4:6-9]

How did the devil tempt Eve? He pushed her to do something in order to become what she already was [like God]. How did he tempt Jesus? He wanted Jesus to do something in order to become who He already was [the Son of God]. In the same way he tempts believers today, pushing them to do something in order to become what they already are. Christians are already righteous and holy thanks to the blood of Jesus, but the tempter tempts them, pushing them to do something in order to become righteous and holy. Today he does it through religious leaders who push us to do things in order to become what we already are. This is the believer’s temptation, when he is told: “You need to do this and that, and then God will bless you.” But the truth is that God has already blessed us with every blessing in the heavenly places. [Eph.1:3] So let us continue in the faith, for it is written: “if indeed you continue in the faith [not in the works of the law], grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel [of God’s grace]…” [Col.1:23]