Posts Tagged ‘temptation’
If God doesn’t tempt people with evil, then why did God command the Rechabites to drink wine?
Question: In James 1:13 God says he will not tempt anyone with evil. But compare with Jeremiah 35:2-5. If drinking wine (other than for medicinal purposes) is a sin, why did God tell the prophet to bring wine into the house of the Lord and tell the people to drink it? Thank you. Answer: Sin…
Read MoreJames on Trials
https://www.lavistachurchofchrist.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/JamesOnTrials.mp3 by Jeffrey W. Hamilton Text: James 1:1-27 I. The book of James is written to Jewish Christians who were scattered by persecution – Acts 8:1-4 A. This is one indication that James is one of the first books written B. It is that persecution that sets up the theme for the first part of the book…
Read MoreWhy would a new Christian quickly fall into sin?
Question: Good evening minister, I was saved when I was a teenager, about twenty years ago. Once I was saved, I found myself walking in darkness instead of the light. I started drinking, smoking, and doing drugs for many years. My life was a nightmare. The enemy could have killed me a long time ago,…
Read MoreI want to do right, but I am weak
Question: Hello, I am writing to you about my life. I am in my forties. I have always known that I am a complete sinner. I want to do good, but weakness gets in my way. When I was young I was introduced to pornography. Recently I walked away from it and I am trying…
Read MoreWhat do I do? A friend propositioned me
Question: One of my friends, who is also a male, has sexual desires for me. He says that he loves me a lot and this is something that will complete the cycle of love for him. He also says that he is not gay. He has never had sex with any other male, but he…
Read MoreWhat do you think about my moving in with my girlfriend and her parents if I was in a separate bedroom?
Question: Hi, I have a girlfriend who lives some distance from me. She goes to a non-denominational church and I go to a church of Christ. I’m going to try to convert her and hopefully her family too to a church of Christ. We live several hours apart, but we are super close to each…
Read MoreI know it is wrong, but I keep wanting to have sex with my boyfriend
Question: What happens if you fornicate with the person you intend on marrying? You know how secret sins are- very addictive! And you acknowledge that it is a sin and you wish to stop! I’m 21 years old. I never had sex before I came to Christ. I’d always believed in God from a young…
Read MoreI came to your site looking for information to learn to be more self-controlled
Question: I’m a member of the church of Christ, and I was doing some research to further my knowledge in Christ and to also help me be self-controlled with my fiancee, being that we are not yet married. I just wanted to say that I read some posts concerning the church in your area, and…
Read MoreDo all temptations come from Satan?
Question: Although I’ve read it several times before, I was discussing James 1:13-15 with my mother. In many of your explanations of this verse, you explain that Satan uses our own desires against us to break God’s laws. I explained to my mother that our desires lead us into temptations and that Satan tempts us…
Read MoreI’m not interested in getting married, but how do I deal with my sex drive?
Question: I am a 19-year-old college student, have never dated in my life, and am never planning to. I plan to go into the mission field once I graduate, and I have decided that it would probably be best to never marry in order to be able to focus on my ministry. However, I have…
Read MoreIs it wrong for my boyfriend to stay in my room while having financial trouble?
Question: I’m in a serious relationship. My man is having some financial and accommodation issues. My parents and I decided to assist him until he can stand on his feet. We brought him in to stay with us. We sleep in the same room, but we are not having sex. I want to know if…
Read MoreMy wife has refused to have sex with me for years and I’m weakening
Question: Hello, I feel very ashamed to even write this, but I’ve been doing Google searches and scouring the Internet for answers. I would normally just ask a pastor from church, but I have a learning disorder or mental disability and everyone just writes me off as strange or stupid. Even pastors don’t want to take the time to…
Read MoreThe urge is getting really strong. Should I marry my girlfriend because of this?
Question: Hey, I’m a brother in the church, I’m 21 and I’m a virgin. I am struggling far as thoughts, urges, etc. It’s getting harder each year to contain. Each year the urge gets stronger. I have a girlfriend, she is in the church. She is a great help to the church, and she encourages…
Read MoreHow do I teach my boy self-control and to resist temptation?
Question: Hello, here is my question: I have a young son. We take him to church and talk about the Bible with him. I don’t let him watch television, except for videos like Barney, Sesame Street, and the like. As he gets older, I know he will be influenced by his friends, media that is…
Read MoreHow can I wait three years to get married?
Question: I have been dating my boyfriend for two and a half years now. We are both Christians and both want and work toward a marriage. We believe sex belongs in a marriage and want to keep it like this until we marry. I’ve come to a point where I want to get married because…
Read MoreHow do we avoid the temptation to have sex?
Question: I am 23 years of age and a college student. I have been in a relationship for over a year now. My motive for being in the relationship is to be with my partner now and stay with her until God blesses us to marry. My problem is how do I handle my sexual…
Read MoreI question everything I do, even though there aren’t commands against it because it might not be from faith
Question: Hello again. For a while now I have been struggling with making sure I am doing things in faith as mentioned in Romans 14:23 while not trying to stress myself out and worry about it so much. What is talked about in Ecclesiastes 7:16 seems to be what I am doing. Because I know…
Read MoreHow can I change my life around?
Question: How can I change my life around? It’s like everything is falling apart for me. I pray repeatedly, but I find myself doing the same sin over again – drinking, smoking cigarettes, looking at porn, lusting, cheating, and everything else that’s worldly. I don’t want to do any of these things anymore. I just…
Read MoreWhy has God given me such a miserable life?
Question: I am 24 years old, a single female, living in a liberal yet strict family. Since the age of 2 or 3, I had been molested by my grandfather until I was in 10th grade. In midst of my 6th to 10th grade, my cousin who is older than me also started molesting me.…
Read MoreCan I live with my former homosexual partner if we don’t have sex?
Question: I was in a homosexual relationship with the love of my life. We decided that “gay sex” is indeed a sin, and that we wouldn’t do that anymore. I do honestly love her with all my heart and I know the same goes for her. We still act as a “couple” would. Finances are…
Read MoreI just can’t seem to keep away from sin
Question: Hi, I am 18 years old and I’m really struggling to be a good Christian. I want to change so much, but I just can’t. I read the Bible and pray every night, but I never put the verses into practice. I pray and ask God to help me change, for the Holy Spirit…
Read MoreShould I dump my boyfriend because he keeps pushing for sex?
Question: I’ve been dating this guy for over six months now. When we first met, he seemed very dedicated to God. I loved the way he always spoke about God and seemed to have God first over everything. We even use to fast together! We started dating, but only saw each other once a month…
Read MoreHow do I keep myself from wanting to have sex with my new boyfriend?
Question: Hi, My sister gave me this email because I am having a few problems. Actually, I have been having problems all of high school. One question I have for you is: What does being scared of God look like? How can you be scared of God? I am scared of what will happen to…
Read MoreJamaica Patois Wisdom – Temptation
by Jefferson David Tant The Jamaican Patois dialect is colorful, unique, and humorous. It is my desire to share some of the philosophy shown in this mix of colorful phrases that are witty as well as thought-provoking. I hope the readers both profit and enjoy. In my quarter-century plus of teaching there, I have come…
Read MoreCan being attracted to a coworker be dangerous when you are married?
Question: I am married but attracted to a friend of mine at work. I do not have sexual feelings for her but care for her very much. Can this be a dangerous relationship to continue? Answer: Of course, it can be dangerous. Men desire to be the knight in shining armor to rescue the damsel…
Read MoreI’m really scared of how my body responses to strong emotions
Question: Hello! Thank you for considering a biblical answer to my question! I am a 37-year-old believer in Christ since childhood, mother and wife to my believing husband for over ten years. I have a spiritual conflict that has bothered me from just before my marriage. It has become like an obsessive-compulsive fear or disorder…
Read MoreWhat is the difference between temptation and lust?
Question: Hi I was reading some of the questions that many have posted and one of them caught my attention. In it, you said that being tempted is not a sin. Many of the things we do that are wrong start in the mind, right? So when do the thoughts themselves become a sin? How…
Read MoreHow do you keep your weaknesses from distracting you?
Question: Maybe not as much now but I am sure when growing up as a Christian: How did you deal with your weaknesses distracting you? I have just really realized that my weaknesses have really been exploited to distract me from what I actually want to do and should do. In the Bible, it says…
Read MoreA Common Problem
by Steve Klein Do you tend to have problems that no one else has? If so, this article is for you. And it might surprise you to learn that I know what your problem is. Your problem is that you think your problems are unique, and your perspective is preventing you from getting the help…
Read MoreAs I grow in the Lord, I find I am struggling with my past and current sins
Question: Hello, my brother in Christ, I have been a member of the church for a number of years. I have been a faithful brother since that time and have grown tremendously over the years. As I continue to grow in the Lord, I am struggling with some things of the past, my current state,…
Read MoreDoes having a strong sexual desire mean you are more suited for marriage than being single?
Question: Does having a strong and persistent sexual desire an indication that one is more suited for marriage? Is this a sign from the Holy Spirit that it is time for marriage? What does Paul mean by some people are gifted for singlehood? Does this mean they have fewer needs, including sexual and emotional? Can…
Read MoreWhat prayer can I say to remove temptation?
Question: Hello, I have been reading your forum to try and live a better life, but I have a question to ask: My mind has been disturbing since my holidays. It’s always telling me to do sinful things, but I always fight back. I want to know what prayer to say so that my mind…
Read MoreHow do I keep temptation at bay just before my wedding?
Question: I am in need of your advice. I am in my early twenties. I grew up in a church and learned at a young age that I should wait until I got married before I had sex. When I was saved in my teens, I took a pledge that I would wait. However, when…
Read MoreWe can’t afford a wedding right now, so should we get married quietly, don’t tell anyone, and then have a wedding later when we can afford it?
Question: I am 29 and have been in a relationship with my fiancee for more than two years now. Of late, the pressure that has been mounting on me sexually is unprecedented, and we believe in God’s principles about purity. I am best described by what was mentioned in I Corinthians 7:37, behaving himself unseemly…
Read MoreIf God doesn’t tempt with evil, then why did He send Saul an evil spirit?
Question: Can you explain what the evil spirit is in I Samuel 16:14 that was from the Lord? I don’t understand what this could be in light of passages such as Romans 2:11, James 1:13, etc. Answer: “Now the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD terrorized him”…
Read MoreIf Satan is tempting one person, is everyone else safe at that moment?
Question: Is Satan omnipresent? If yes, how do we understand Job 1:6-7? If not, can we say when Satan is tempting somebody, everyone else is safe? Answer: “And the LORD said to Satan, “From where do you come?” So Satan answered the LORD and said, “From going to and fro on the earth, and from…
Read MoreThanks for the useful tool
Question: I had meant to point it out for a while now but have been very busy. In your article over The Nature of Sin, Temptation, and Lust. I believe you meant the first chapter of James, not the third for the beginning text. Otherwise, a well-orchestrated piece as usual. I cannot put into words how…
Read MoreDoes Matthew 5:28 apply to other sins?
Question: Matthew 5:28 says “But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Does this apply to other things? If I had a desire to smoke and drink, but I actually don’t do it, does it means that I had…
Read MoreDoes sinning or being tempted to sin mean you aren’t really saved?
Question: I was reading a page on your web site that said if you give in to sexual desires, even just once, Satan can more easily bring you in and cause you to go further and further into sin until he has you trapped. This is only true for those who are lost. A child of God…
Read MoreWhat is sin? Is it spiritual or physical?
Question: What is sin? Is it related to the spiritual or the physical? Answer: The simplest definition of sin is, “Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness” (I John 3:4). Sin is when you break one of God’s laws. All sins start from inside, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,…
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