Good morning all. I wrestle with this part of the Lord's Prayer every day. Have a safe and blessed day.
Lead Us Not
July 18, 2022 - Dr. David Jeremiah
And do not lead us into temptation.
Matthew 6:13
We’ve all heard the timeless question, “Which came first—the chicken or the egg?” Since one leads to another in a never-ending cycle, the question is hard to answer. We might ask a similar question in the spiritual realm: “Which comes first—a test or a temptation?” Asked another way, “What is the difference between a test and a temptation?”
Grammatically, there is no difference. The same Greek word can be translated either “temptation” or “test” or “trial” (as in James 1:2 and 1:13 where the same Greek word is translated differently). A trial can lead to a temptation; a temptation can become a test. And temptations and tests can become, if they are prolonged, trials. When Jesus taught His disciples to pray that God would not “lead us into temptation,” context is needed. James 1:13-15 says that God cannot be tempted, nor does He tempt anyone. So the prayer in Matthew 6:13 must be read as a prayer to be spared from circumstances—trials, tests, temptations—that might lead us to sin.
When we do find ourselves tempted, God always provides a way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). Finding that way is at the heart of our prayer.
He who avoids the temptation avoids the sin.
Anonymous
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