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Temptation
“Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping. ... Stay awake and pray that you will not fall into temptation. ... Besides the obvious issue of whether it’s really necessary or not to repeat this information to that extent, a question is raised about the nature of temptation itself.
Temptation has long since been an integral part of the Christian philosophy. ... If there were no Tree of Knowledge for Adam and Eve to be tempted with, then there would be no concept of temptation, no sin, and no damnation. ... And if surrendering to temptation is such a wicked act, as Jesus emphatically points out in Matthew 26:40-41 (as well as its duplications), then doesn’t that make God evil? ...
While we’re on topic, perhaps I should address whether any type of temptation could be construed as a “good thing”, and the answer, friends, is “no”. John Owen’s compelling “Of Temptation…” tells us the following: “…He tempted Abraham by calling him to that duty of sacrificing his son—a thing absurd to reason, bitter to nature, and grievous to him on all accounts whatever” (Owen, John). ... The temptation of Abraham to murder his own son cannot be perceived—in any light—as a sound, rational decision. ...
However, putting the devil’s advocate (no pun intended) pretense aside, we all know that the submission to temptation is evil, but the question then is whether the act of temptation is evil. The New Advocate Catholic Encyclopedia has the following to say: “Temptation is not in itself sin.
Approximate Word count = 1274
Approximate Pages = 5.1
(250 words per page double spaced)
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