Does God Lead Us into Temptation?
“And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Why do we have to pray that God won’t lead us into temptation?
Does God lead us into temptation?
“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;”
Therefore, why do we need to pray for something that scripture says God will not and cannot do?
When Jesus prays, “lead us not into temptation”
The word translated “temptation” is the Greek word peirasmos.
It has two different meanings:
peirasmos: a trial (test) or temptation[1]
Πειρασμός
It can mean “test” or it can mean “Temptation.”
“A test is something meant to prove one’s character, and in the process, improve it. A temptation is meant to entice a person to sin, to bring a person down in some way.”
God doesn’t tempt us.
But God does test us.
God tests us in order to grow us.
Who, then, tempts us?
Jesus teaches us to pray, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
The evil one is the satan: the accuser of the saints, the temptor, the liar, the one hell-bent on breaking everything that is beautiful; the enemy of God and all those who belong to Him—evil personified.
The evil one is the one who tempts us.
Whereas God tests us in order to grow us,
The enemy tempts us in order to destroy us.
The evil one turns tests into temptations.
The evil one is subtle, sneaky and comes to steal, kill and destroy.
Though Satan, the evil one, is a creature not equal to the Creator, though he is limited by time and space and not all-powerful, or everywhere present, his destructive designs and the work of the fallen angels in league with him, are a threat to the flourishing of every believer.
Therefore, the meaning of Jesus’ prayer is: “Father, do not let the test become a temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”
Father, what you mean for good— the testing of our faith, which produces perseverance and maturity.
“Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
— do not allow the enemy to turn for evil.
Deliver us instead.
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