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Sermon #4212

Temptation and Sin

A Sermon on Temptation from Ephesians 6:10-13

Originally preached June 4, 1961

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Scripture

Ephesians 6:10-13 ESV KJV
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against …

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Sermon Description

Many Christians live burdened by a misunderstanding of what it means to be tempted by sin. They think that because they experience involuntary evil thoughts that they have sinned. In this sermon on temptation from Ephesians 6:10–13 titled “Temptation and Sin,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones uses the example of the temptations of Jesus to refute this belief. Jesus was repeatedly tempted by Satan when He was in the desert, but he never sinned. The temptation that Jesus faced was not because He wanted to sin but it came through external promptings. In the same way, Christians may have thoughts that they do not desire to have and that are not their own. Many times these thoughts are the result of Satan and his demons who tempt the children of God. As Dr. Lloyd-Jones proclaims, the only way to truly fight the devil and sin is to flee to Christ who alone has the power to overcome sin and temptation. Christ died for all who believe so that though they are still in the flesh, they will one day be free from all sin and temptation when Christ returns to finally destroy death, sin, and the devil. This great hope is the remedy against all sin and spiritual depression.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. Christians are not perfect or sinless in this life. Our old self was crucified with Christ but our body is not yet redeemed. Sin still remains in our mortal body.
  2. The devil attacks our minds and experiences. He tries to rob us of the assurance and joy of our salvation.
  3. The devil persuades us that temptation itself is sin or that Christians should not be tempted. This is false. Even Jesus was tempted in every way as we are yet without sin.
  4. Temptation only becomes sin when we accept and enjoy it. We can test if it is temptation or sin by asking if we hate it, long to be rid of it and desire to know God.
  5. We must recognize the devil's attacks and not attribute them to ourselves. The devil hides himself but hurls fiery darts at our mind.
  6. We must not feel condemned when tempted. We stand on justification by faith. Jesus was tempted like us yet without sin.
  7. We must resist the devil. Refuse to argue or reason with him. Reject all his suggestions. Have nothing to do with him.
  8. Remind ourselves of our position in Christ. We have died and been raised with Christ. The devil cannot touch us.
  9. Doubts also come from the devil. He even said to Jesus "If you are the Son of God..." We can answer like Jesus did. Our desire is to believe and know God.
  10. When the devil drives us into a corner, fall back on the fact that we want to believe. We are not at enmity with God like the carnal mind. We receive the things of the Spirit, not considering them foolish like the natural man.
  11. Thank God for the Scriptures and the Spirit which enable us to resist the devil. We overcome him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of our testimony.

Sermon Q&A

How to Distinguish Between Temptation and Sin According to Martyn Lloyd-Jones

What is one of the most common sources of trouble for Christians according to Lloyd-Jones?

According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, one of the most common sources of trouble for Christians is "the confusion between temptation and sin." He states: "Now I'm sure that all who have any pastoral experience will agree with me when I say that there is nothing, perhaps on the purely practical level, which so frequently brings God's people into trouble and into a condition of fear and of depression and a sense of frustration as this particular matter, the confusion between temptations and sins."

Why do Christians often feel condemned when they experience temptation?

Christians often feel condemned when experiencing temptation because the devil uses several deceptive arguments against them. Lloyd-Jones explains that the devil suggests: "that to be tempted at all is sin in and of itself, that the Christian is one who should not even be tempted and that the very fact that we are tempted is therefore indicative of the fact that we are perhaps not Christians at all or are generate very poor Christians." The devil also tries to convince believers that "all these thoughts and imaginations and desires are entirely our own" which proves "that our very nature is vile and polluted and evil."

Was Jesus tempted, and what does this teach us about temptation?

Yes, Jesus was tempted. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes this point strongly: "Our blessed Lord was tempted. It isn't my saying. It's the author of the epistle to the Hebrews... He was tempted in all points like as we are. They were not pretense, those temptations. They were real." He concludes that "the fact that one is tempted, therefore, does not presuppose any defect in the person. Still, lest does it presuppose any sinfulness. Our Lord was tempted. The perfect can be tempted."

When does temptation become sin according to Lloyd-Jones?

Lloyd-Jones makes a clear distinction: "A temptation only becomes sin when we accept it. When we fundle it, when we enjoy it, then it becomes sin. The suggestion itself is not sin. The temptation is not sin. The feeling of desire is not sin. But to accept it and to enjoy it and to fondle it, that is sin."

What practical tests does Lloyd-Jones suggest to help determine if thoughts are from Satan or ourselves?

Lloyd-Jones offers several practical tests:

  1. Notice when thoughts come to you unexpectedly: "Do you not find sometimes that these thoughts, imaginations and so on, come to you? Perhaps the first thing when you wake up in the morning before you've started to think actively at all... They're not yours."

  2. Do you hate these thoughts: "Can you say, quite honestly, that you hate them, that you regard them as evil, and that you regard them without our hatred."

  3. Do you long to be rid of them: "Do you long to be rid of them?"

  4. What is your ultimate desire: "Can you say quite honestly that you desire to know God, that your chief desire is to know God and to love him and to serve him?"

How should Christians resist the devil according to Lloyd-Jones?

Lloyd-Jones gives specific instructions on resisting the devil:

  1. "Draw this distinction between yourself and what's happening to you"
  2. "Refuse to feel condemned"
  3. "Never arguing with him. You never reason with him."
  4. "Have nothing to do with him"
  5. "Tell him that he's a liar"

He emphasizes: "If you take his suggestion, his thought, and begin to try to argue about it, he'll beat you. He'll beat you every time... Don't argue. Don't reason... have nothing to do with him."

What scripture promises does Lloyd-Jones reference about our ability to resist Satan?

Lloyd-Jones references two key promises about resisting Satan:

  1. James 4:7: "Submit yourselves, therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."

  2. 1 Peter 5:8-9: "Be sober, be vigilant... because your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about seeking whom he may devour. Whom resist, steadfast in the faith..."

He emphasizes that these promises are literally true: "The devil simply cannot do anything. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. He can't touch you. That is the literal teaching of the scriptures, and thank God it is literally true."

The Book of Ephesians

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.