What is the standard to measure how much temptation a person can bear? How can anyone know their temptation limitations?
Two ways:
1. God is faithful.
2. There are no uncommon temptations!
In other words, if God’s word is true, then the very promise gives the standards!
First, either the scriptures are true, or they are lies. Of course, the Bible assumes the existence of the perfectly good, perfectly powerful, and perfectly wise God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the only true God. If God does not exist, then temptation doesn’t exist, because to be tempted means being enticed to do what is evil. But without God, there is no good and evil.
Yet because God does exist, and because He is perfectly just, by the very definition of His nature, He CAN’T allow His creatures to be tempted beyond what they can resist, then punish them for yielding to an impossibly difficult temptation. God is faithful; therefore, He CAN’T allow irresistible temptation.
Second, every temptation is common, according to the same scriptures. That means everyone can imagine the worst possible temptation for them. AND EVERYONE CAN IMAGINE THE WAY OF ESCAPE, IF THEY WANT IT!
For example, take Joseph in the book of Genesis, mentioned earlier. Another man’s wife found him physically attractive and propositioned him for sex every day. “Have sex with me,” is what she said. Very direct! Now, the worst case scenario of a sexual temptation may be something like a man being drugged, handcuffed to a bed, and then “raped,” to the extent that a man can be raped.
But when and how would the temptress drug and handcuff this man? Whenever and however she planned to do it, THE TEMPTATION WOULD NOT BE UNCOMMON. The tempted man would have to be in a position to be drugged and handcuffed. Furthermore, it is highly unlikely an average woman would be able to subdue a man physically to succeed in this kind of temptation, assuming the man doesn’t WANT something like this to happen!
In other words, because every temptation is common, it can be imagined. Because God is faithful, anyone who doesn’t want to sin will have God’s protection from situations like the one described above.
The limitation of the every temptation can be known. So can the way of escape!
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