I have been profiting from Guy Hammond’s new book, intriguingly titled Tempt-Away. After a clever introduction, Guy quickly gets down to business and gives practical counsel on facing and responding to temptations. I’m not sure I can remember another book I’ve read with this purpose, but this one will help many.
While telling us that one strategy is to face the likely consequences of sin, Guy reminds us to be suspect in listening to what the father of lies is selling. If we bite, we we will certainly experience “buyer’s remorse.” And then he writes, “The only trouble is, there are no refunds and no exchanges. It is purely a buy-as-is proposition. In fact, after you have sinned, you can’t even find the seller. He has skipped town. You are just left with the broken product that didn’t deliver what was promised. Sin is not a very good deal.”
The very nature of temptation is that it offers something appealing--something that will bring gratification, pleasure, relief, or maybe a sense of importance. In the short run, the sin seems to bring what we want or need. In the long run it rots and stinks up our lives and the lives of others.
Temptation is a part of life. Jesus experienced it. You and I will likely hear its call before this day is over, or even in the next hour. But as Guy points out in his book, it not only brings an opportunity to sin, but also an opportunity be faithful. “Therefore, prepare your minds for action…” (1 Peter 1:13).
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