Reflection on 1Cor 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you except such

as is common to man; but God is faithful,

who will not allow you to be tempted beyond

what you are able, but with the temptation will also make

the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

This word of life is preceded by a reminder not to grumble and then the apostle’s insistence: “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” Then follows the word of life: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man…” And then a warning against idolatry: “I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread.

Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons.” Let us notice carefully the word of God that we will be remembering for two weeks: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man…” Man thinks that when a trial comes that it is beyond his strength, that he should give up and not fight, and that is a mistake. And at the same time it is a sign of our unbelief that we do not count on God and God’s help. But what does God’s Word say? “God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able…” Trial or temptation or various afflictions may come from our weakness due to the circumstances in which we find ourselves, or through particular people, or suggestive thoughts such as fear, or even the spirit of lies – the devil – may attack our thinking. But God has it all under control; we are not alone in our trial. God knows us, and if He allows a certain trial, He knows that it can be for our benefit, for our spiritual purification. It may be a suffering, a sickness, to keep us from a far greater evil, whether some misfortune or a fall into sin. Here the principle applies that we should not give way to sorrow, unbelief or murmuring, but give thanks for everything and trust in God. This requires a certain spiritual strength. And where are we to get that spiritual strength? First of all, in prayer. If we do not pray, let us not be surprised that we do not have that strength. Even just praying the Our Father, even just the last two petitions, is enough. If we abide for a while with our minds in these petitions, and if we pray truly with our hearts, as it is said, lead us not into temptation, God will keep us from temptations to which we would succumb. Surely, even if we do succumb, God can turn it into good but it then requires even greater faith and for us to humbly admit our guilt, humble ourselves, get up and be more zealous than before. For in temptation we can become addicted to a particular habit, and if we become slaves to it, our salvation is in danger. In the Eastern liturgy, we repeatedly ask God to deliver us from “all affliction, wrath, danger, and need”. In the Western liturgy, the prayer after the Our Father is, “... that we may be always free from sin and safe from all distress”.

Next, in the Lord’s Prayer, let us remember that we also ask, “… but deliver us from evil.” This means not only from the evil that would befall us, but also from the evil spirit. Those who ask in faith beforehand are protected by God’s power. But those who are proud and rely on their own strength will fall soon. Those who do not count on God and do not turn to Him in faith become the plaything of various negative spiritual influences – energies or demons.

The Word of Life continues, “… but with the temptation (God) will also make the way of escape …” So when temptation or suffering (mental or physical) comes our way, if we begin to give thanks and not complain, but turn to God in faith, God will either show us why it is so, or give us an idea of what we have been kept from, or give us a way out, for example by changing the situation, or send some people to help us, or there are other options. Sometime in the future we will see the great goodness of God that was behind this trial.

Finally it is written: “… that you may be able to bear it.”

Any sincere Christian who seeks to live with God could testify from many situations in life how true and effective these words of God are.

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