Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-09-03
The Two Great TemptatiOns-A Lay
Sermon by EvangeIine.

The Bible is full OF instances OF
the temptation OF me but the most
notable are those of the two Adams.
q Cor Nv. 45) Adam in the garden
OF Paradise and Adam (Christ) in
the wilderness, Matt Al.
Note how willy and subtle is Satan
in approaching these two men. He
knows that both of them are perfect.
for both are the express image of
God. See Gen. 1926 and 2nd Cor. a.
Yet, notwithstanding this knowledge
he has the daring assurance and i'm
pudence TO essay TO tempt them. In
either case he directs his assault
against what ne considers their most
vulnerable parts One he assails
through the love OF his wife and the
other through his stomach. his (sup-
posed vanity and ambition. See Gen.
Ill., 6:l2. Matt. ~. 2:1O.
Whom Eve had yielded TO the
TEN ptatiOn Of Satan and eaten Of the
forbidden fruit. she proGered 10 to
Adam. Now, this was the hour of
his temptation. And a sore tempta-
ton it was. From a casual reading
OF the history. one does not appre-
bend the severity OF the ordeal which
our common father was here called
upon 10 pass through. He might have
refused 20 accept the fruit and par
take of his wife's sin. He could have
done SO. Perhaps you. reader. think
that YOU would have done so. You
could, but would you have done so?
Had Adam refused TO accept Ewes
offer. God was able and no doubt
would have formed. for him another
wife ten times more beautiful and
loveable chan the first. But. Adam
had seen and known Eve and his
very soul was welded to her This
first woman was perfect I'm every
respect Beautiful beyond compari-
son. We some times see women even
pm this degenerate day SO beautiful
that We stand amazed. What. then
must 10 have been for Adam to CON
template the irretrievable loss OF
such a wife as Eve must have been
Here is Adams own description of
Eve when she first appea ed 20 him
ass portrayed in Millions Paradise
Lost.
Grace was i'm an her steps. heaven
iu her eve.
I'm every gesture dignity and love-"
With this conception. therefore. OF
this. the fist and most beautiful
woman that ever lived he made up
his mind. live or die forever. 30 Join
his destiny with hers and thus they
fen together from that first and bless
ed estate in which God created them.
and world of sin and sorrow is the
result
Little need Doe said about the sec
ond great temptation OF the second
Adam as 10 is fully described in Matt.
~. $50.
IL We consider seriously the nature
of the temptation Of Jesus Christ Ira
the wilderness We viii soon find that
chat OF Adam is not TO De compared
go DO. Recall the fact that Jesus Christ
was man as well as Cod See Heb.
~. / %. Think of man who had not
tasted food for forty days being of
fered q repast simply by giving a
command that one commodity Dee
changed into another. Again think OF
a man being requested to confirm his
reputation for certain power hy
doing a thing hc knows fun well
that he has the power 90 do, And.
lastly. conceive of man being shown
all the riuEdoms of the world. hav-
ing them an offered 20 him for sim
ply falling down and worshipping the
one who makes the offer, Think
what blood and treasure have been
expended by the AleNauders the
Caesars, and the \apolcous 90 give
one kingdom and you viii realize
what this last temptation must have
been 60 Christ. Yet He came out from
them an unscathed. and the result is
world OF sin and sorrow redeemed.
For ass in Adam AN died SO in Jesus
Christ. the second Adam. AN are
made alive. 20 che glory of God.
Amen.