In this life, we will face temptation. It will come looking for us, enticing and leading us in. But God promises a way out for those who don’t want to go in.

As Christians, we sometimes fear temptation. But we fear temptation because we fear failing or falling away from Jesus. 

I love my wife, but I have never left my home fearful of failing her, worried I would be unfaithful to her. Why? Because love doesn’t act this way. Love is mindful of what will hurt and damage a relationship. But love is more mindful of what will build and strengthen that relationship. I am not perfect in loving Alissa, but the love of God in me is perfect and is perfecting me.

In our walk with Jesus, we will fail and we will fall. We are not perfect in loving Jesus, but His love in us and His love for us is perfect and is perfecting us. There’s a difference between the one who seeks a way out of temptation and falls and the one who seeks a way in and falls. 

Our love for Jesus leads us in one direction: towards Him. If we say we love Jesus but continue to walk in our old ways, the danger is that we will fall. If we say we love Jesus and because we follow him our old ways tempt us, His promise is that we can escape (1 Corinthians 10:13).

We must, then, not fear temptation or falling. But we must be vigilant and prepared for it. “Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.” (1 Cor. 10:12) Part of Paul’s warning is that we should not assume we can stand without any prior preparation. If we don’t decide beforehand to resist temptation, we won’t decide to in the moment. 

It is our responsibility to “Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted.” (Galatians 6:1) We tend to think that it is only God’s responsibility to stay vigilant over us. But, again, His promise of divine help is for those seeking for a way out, not into, temptation. It is a strength, not a weakness, to know we are not above any temptation. It is our self-awareness that leads to our Christ-awareness. 

The fuel to prepare for and resist anything that would damage my marriage is my love for my wife and her love for me. Love is proactive and seeks to strengthen and build up the “body” and “immunity system” of our marriage. The fuel to prepare for and resist any temptation that would damage my relationship with Jesus is also my love for Him and His love for me. 

But it is infinitely more His love for me. I have not resisted to the point of blood for His sake. But He did for mine. He “loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) 

His love is not only something we can aspire to. His love is also “poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:5) Temptation comes, but His love overcomes.