The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-02-08
copyright. 1905, by Joseph O. B0w-iT57-sS-.JT

tCopyriSht, lyO6. by Joseph b. BoWies.J
Scripture Lesson: Matthew 4.1-11.
Golden Text. STn all points tempt
ed like as we ore. yet without sin"
Already in our study Of the life OF
Christ, we have seen Him in His re.
lation to man and earth. (His birth
Matt. u; and in His relation to Coo
and Heaven tHis baptism, Matt 81. Ii
this lesson we see Christ in His rela
ton to Satan and the world Of evil
Immediately after the Heavenly testi
mony at Jordan we find the Messiah
driven by the Spirit into the wilder.
ness" The language of the text lead,
us to believe firmly that
Temptation Is No Accident.
1t is a part of Gods plan for oui
development. It was an item in Gods
programme for Christ it is also IL
the programme of every man. Tempta
tion Is inevitable. The unspotted holi
ness of Christ did not exempt Hin
from the fiercest assaults of the devil.
nor can any goodness of ours make NJ
proof against the fiery darts of the
evil one. Life itself is a great tempta
tion. To exist, to be, Is to be in the
hands of the tempter. No man car
speak in bated breath about sneakint
into Heaven without any temptation
No man has ever done that. Searci
the Scriptures. study biography. ant
see. | must be tried, tempted, assaied
thrown down. browbeaten. wounded
stamped upon. Jesus Christ can be o.
absolutely no service to the man who
Is not undergoing testing and trial.
Temptation Is Compliment.
II Is good for us to know that we ar,
worth being tempted. How proud Goo
was OF Job because the devil fount
something in Him worth contestin.
for. Boys do not break into orchards
where there is no fruit. So long as
men are willing to rest satisfied with
the grosser things Of life and do moi
aspire towards a higher and better life
Satan Is not bothering himself much
about them. II you are not being
tempted, then begin to worry. II you
are passing through fiery testings
thank God and take courage. Metal tc
be pure must pass through the cru
chile.
Temptation Is Not Sin.
This distinction must be carefulI,
borne In mind. Temptation becomes
sin only when harbored and INDUCED
in. The old saying, I'VE cannot pre-
vent the birds flying over our heads
but we can prevent them building nests
In our hair" is fttingly applicable
with regard to temptation. cannot
prevent wrong thoughts, for instance
coming into my mind. but can refuse
to allow them to lie on my tongue as q
sweet morsel. 1t is the indulgence OF
temptation which becomes sin.
Could Jesus Christ Have Sinnedp
Was Christ's temptation a real tenn.
tation? Could He really have sinned :;
Of course 1t was. OF course He could.
Otherwise, where would be the comfort
for us in this storyY Christ was
tempted in all points like we are:'
He suffered in being tempted; and
that very fact makes his "able to sue.
cor those who are tempted" Satan
is not foolish enough to waste ammu.
milton on q man when there is no DOS
sibility OF the mans surrender. his
satanic majesty Is far too wise for
that.
Men Need Not Sin.
IT, % is no imperative for our yield.
IL to temptation. We can overcome
Just as Christ overcame. In fact, this
wilderness conflict with the evil one
was for the purpose OF revealing to us
not only the nature Of the powers of
darkness, but also the secret of vic
tory over all lue hosts of wickedness.
Satan may place us on a pinnacle
OF temptation, but he cannot cast us
down. We must cast ourselves down
We have the deciding vote in the mat.
ter What makes sin awful is the fact
that as we look back over our wrong
doing we are forced to make the ad.
mission that not one of these acts OF
sin was necessary.
How Christ overcame Temptation.
One noticeable thing about the an
swers OF Christ to the appeals OF satan
Is that they were written answers
They we're not the result of any dsz.
zling originality, any superior powers
OF mind and intellect TO which we hu.
man beings lay no claim. Christ over.
came not because He possessed a read.
Ter wilt than ours. nor because ne was
endowed with a moral courage and
force unique and impossible to man.
kind. Nor did these answers come to
Christ on the spur of the moment
answers that had never been used be.
fore and never could be again. The
ansWe.- @ Christ rest on quotations
they are flasa.6 '"7m the Divine Word.
they are answers mat had been given
before. They were shafts that had
gone quivering from many a previous
bow. In His conflict with Satan Christ
used the Sword of the Spirit, which is
the Word of God"
How We May Overcome.
If we would overcome temptation let
us follow Christ's example. Let US NOT
try to be original, but be willing 10
quote from the same Divine treasury;
don armor from the same armory. Da,
vid had used the same weapons, for he
said; "Thy word have hid in my
heart that | might not sin against
Thee" We should read, study. know
and use Gods Word in order that we
may be successful in our conflict with
the powers of darkness.