I don't understand you brother, you have some offense against me
I assure you, I have nothing against you. As far as I know I have never called you a name, or said you were unsaved. That doesn't mean we
have to agree on everything. Everyone here on TJ disagrees with me on at least one point of another
I just view you as someone I disagree with on some things... certainly not everything. You make some great points from time to time.
Having said that... I don't see how you say something that is plainly the opposite of what the Bible says.
Heb 2:18; For since
He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.
Heb 4:15; For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One
who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.
It says He was tempted. Plain and simple. No interpretation needed. No speculation needed. It says what it says.
We can adjust our thinking to what the Bible says... or we can adjust the Bible to our thinking.
not only did he not do them, he wasn't even tempted in his heart. Wish I could say the same about your chastisement of me!
No "chastisement" against you is intended. I'm glad you're here.. seriously.
But what separates sin from temptation is "acting" on the temptation.
Lets take the example of the woman on a magazine cover for example. There are a couple ways to look at this.
Is it a sin that my eyes glanced a certain direction? I didn't know what was there until I looked and I saw. Can I be held accountable to something I didn't
even know was there a second ago?
Now I see it, now I recognize what it is.... Oh it's a skimpily dressed woman. Is it a sin that I recognize what it is now? How can I know what something is
until I can identify it, recognize it. How can I even know what a "good" thing is until I identify it.
Now I have two choices.... I can continue to stare at this picture... maybe I could even buy the magazine.
Or... I can simply turn my head, walk away and focus on something else. Say a little prayer for Jesus to help my thoughts as I'm turning away.
Now I partially agree with you on one point. I don't have to buy the magazine for it to be a sin. A sin can be purely in our thoughts.
(see I agree with you a lot of the time). But even then... it's just like the magazine. I can take my thoughts captive and force myself not to think
about this picture... or I can entertain these thoughts and dwell on them. I can fantasize about the woman in the picture.
It's not a sin until I actually start thinking about it. Until I actually start entertaining these thoughts and fantasies.
The temptation may be to look at the magazine. But I don't have to keep looking. Not only that, I don't have to keep these things in my mind.
I see a woman on the street... Ok, I notice she is nice looking. That isn't a sin. That doesn't mean I fantasize about having sex with her.
That split second when you think about whether to fantasize or not... that is temptation. You haven't pictured yourself having sex with her yet.
But in a second or two you will. Can you stop yourself before your thoughts carry you away to that point? Once it gets to that point. It's sin.
Jesus hadn't eaten in 40 days. Bread probably sounded good to Him. Thinking bread is good isn't a sin. Thinking you are hungry isn't a sin.
But Jesus didn't actually turn the stones into bread. He would have failed the test at that point.