In this sermon, we are going to see what are temptations in the Bible, and most importantly who is the originator of it.

In order to know about temptations in the Bible, you also have to know about What Is Freewill According To The Bible.

This sermon is a continuation of the sermon on freewill, so ensure you also read it.

In this sermon, however, we will begin by overviewing the creation of man.

Because it is from thence that temptations in the Bible originate.

We will move from there to study how Satan tempted our first parents, Adam and Eve.

And we will conclude this sermon by seeing how Satan continues to tempt human beings.

The creation of man.

God decides to make human beings in His image and likeness.

During creation, God decided to bring forth other beings, in His image and likeness:

Then God said, “let us make man in our image, according to Our likeness;

(Genesis 1:26).

This time around, these beings will not start their existence in heaven; so that what Lucifer caused to happen will not be repeated again.

Rather they will start their existence on earth, which God created as a temporary abode.

And it is very important to note that this earth is going to be a place where these new beings will have to undergo the test of respectively making use of their freewill to decide their eternal fate.

That is the fate of determining whether they make it to heaven, where the obedient beings Michael and co-reside; or hell, where the disobedient beings, Satan and co reside.

Jesus revealed this to the Sadducees:

“For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels of God in heaven.

(Mathew 22:30)

In order to be able to survive on the earth, for a temporary space of time and undergo the test; God had to clothe the humans with a source He took from the earth:

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.

(Genesis 2:7).

And once the test is done these beings have to return their clothing; i.e. the body back to the source they were taken from. Ecclesiastes 12:7

And proceed to get their results before their Creator:

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

(2 Corinthians 5:10)

And since human beings are made in God’s image and likeness:

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

(Genesis 1:27).

He also gave them the lessons of how to use their freewill in order for Him to be justified if ever they misuse it;

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “of every tree of  the garden you may freely eat; “but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

(Genesis 2:16-17).

How temptations began in the bible

How Satan tempted Adam and Eve.

The temptations of Adam and Eve can be seen in Genesis 3:1-7.

(It is worthy to note here that Adam and Eve already possessed the freewill after their creation. That is why the scripture shows us that even those who are not physically given the laws already have it written in their hearts:

(For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things contained in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thought accusing or else excusing them)

Romans 2:14-15

And they were both naked, the man and his wife and was not ashamed

Genesis 2:25

But Adam and Eve being naked and not ashamed do not mean they possessed no freewill; rather it means that they did not yet try it on evil.

This is the same thing as saying that nakedness and not being ashamed portrayed their state of innocence.

And in realizing they were naked after they sinned, means they now knew they were no longer innocent.

The meaning of naked and not ashamed.

Thus, what happens in human nature is: At birth and throughout infancy, the child remains innocent; for even if a child is doing something bad, he will not be conscious of it and as such no one must judge him.

But as the child grows up, he becomes aware of what is good and evil. And therefore begins to make a choice, either to refuse evil and choose good or vice versa. 

Isaiah’s prophecy about Jesus gives us a perfect view of what I’m trying to explain here:

“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign : Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel. ‘Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. “For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both kings. (Isaiah 7:14-26)

This idea will help us to understand that Adam and Eve were just created as our newborn babies, played about naked and not ashamed like they do. Until they become mature enough to make a choice.

And that’s when the devil came around to deceive them into choosing evil, as he himself did.

How Satan tempted Cain to kill Abel.

Now as recorded in Genesis 4:1-8, Satan afterward tried his campaign on the first offspring of humans: Cain and Abel; who were now old enough to understand what was good and evil

Now Adam knew his wife Eve, and she conceived and bore Cain, and said, “I have gotten a man from the LORD.” Then she bore again, this time his brother Abel.

But unable to succeed with Abel, the same war that took place in heaven must be repeated on earth.

Thus Satan became furious and instigated Cain to commit the first evil of murder i.e. destroying what God had created.

And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the LORD. Abel also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat. And the LORD respected Abel and his offering, and he did not respect Cain and his offering. Cain was very angry, and his countenance fell)

Even though God tried to make him discover himself and flee from Satan’s trap; Cain still went ahead to kill his brother.

Now Cain talked with His brother; and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose against Abel his brother and killed him.       

And from the above example, we can go on to prove that, the purpose of evil is to destroy the good.

But since God alone is capable of using well to reproduce what evil destroys; He gave Adam and Eve Seth as a replacement for Abel.

And Adam knew his wife again, and she bore a son and named him Seth, “for God has appointed another seed for me instead of Abel, whom Cain killed.” (Genesis 4:25).

And ever since, Satan has been carrying out this campaign; of making beings try their freewill on evil, on every descendant of Adam and Eve i.e. every human being.

How Satan tempted Jesus.

Even our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Whom Satan knew had already existed; and has the knowledge of all He has revealed to us in this sermon, was not left out of Satan’s age-long campaign.

Because on seeing that Jesus had taken human form to be able to carry out His God-sent mission of teaching and showing human beings how to rightfully use their freewill on their temporary abode – earth, he seized that opportunity to try his luck on Christ which he failed woefully as we can see in Mathew 4:1-11.

How Satan continues to tempt mankind.

Beloved, temptations in the bible help us to understand that today Satan is still on his age-long campaign of causing human beings to misuse their freewill.

Every now and then he is coming for me and you; and if we fall for him, we will have no excuse to give God on judgment day.

Because before He sent us down here, He had already written the laws in our hearts which are supposed to enable us to spot what is good and what is evil. Romans 1:18-20

Moreover, He has used His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, Who in turn is now using His disciples, from generation to generation, to reveal the tricks of Satan and his agents to us, as well as give us lessons of how we can rightfully use our freewill.

And knowing that it will be impossible for us, being only creatures, to be able to rightfully use our freewill, He offered to give us His Spirit which will help us:

“I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes, and you will keep my judgments and do them.

(Ezekiel 36:27)

Conclusion.

Understanding temptations in the bible will help you to overcome sin and temptation in your life.

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