How can you tell when a tempting thought has become a sin?
I recently heard a helpful illustration that explains it.
In case you did not know, being tempted is not a sin. The Lord Jesus is an example of that. The devil tempted the Lord in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1). And yet, Jesus did not sin:
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin (Hebrews 4:15).
So, at what point do you cross the line from being tempted to sin to actually sinning?
Here’s a simple illustration.
Imagine that you’re married, and one day, while your wife is working out at the gym, a man approaches her and begins flirting with her. Did she sin when that happened? No. It’s not her fault that the man approached her.
Similarly, simply having a tempting thought does not mean you have sinned. Those thoughts will suggest themselves to you even if you don’t want them.
But what if your wife began to entertain the stranger’s advances? What if she stopped walking the treadmill and listened to what the man had to say?
That may not yet be a sin. For a temptation to hit home, you must at least understand and consider it. There’s a danger line here, but I would not yet consider it a sin.
But what would you think if your wife not only considered the stranger’s offer but began flirting back?
Then, she would be crossing a line and sinned.
And, of course, if your wife accepted the stranger’s offer, she would be committing overt sin.
Older Christian writers broke down the temptation process in this way.
1. Suggestion: The initial tempting thought or image comes to mind unbidden. It can come from outside oneself, from the memory, or from the body with its desires. No sin has occurred at this stage.
2. Conversation: Rather than dismiss the thought, you entertain it, if only briefly. Perhaps you are curious. But you disagree with it.
3. Struggle: You begin to struggle against the thought. A struggle occurs between the urge to indulge and the resistance against it.
4. Consent: This is the critical point where the will agrees to the thought or desire, even if there is no outward action. This is where the line has been crossed from temptation to sin. It begins to take root in the heart and be expressed in over behavior.
5. Captivity: This is where the mind becomes captivated or obsessed by the thought, losing the will to resist it. You repeatedly succumb to the temptation.
6. Passion: The more you choose to do the same sin, the more it becomes a habit or a rooted vice, influencing actions regularly.
You don’t have to sin (cf. Romans 6:1). No one can force you to. You always have the choice to consent to the temptation or not. And what’s more, God provides a way out of every temptation:
No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).
The decisive factor in the journey from temptation to sin is when your will agrees to the tempting thought rather than rejecting it. By understanding and recognizing this progression, you can better guard your heart and resist crossing the line. Remember, you belong to Jesus, not to whoever is tempting you away from Him (Romans 7:4).
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What do you think the "way out" is that God will provide in 1 Cor.10:13?I have read that verse many times but have never thought about what the "way out" is. Would appreciate your insight. Thanks.