Author Topic: Can God Be Tempted?  (Read 2286 times)

Under Duress

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Can God Be Tempted?
« on: November 29, 2022, 07:11:44 PM »
One thing I have learned throughout the years is that  there are no contradictions in truth and many things that appear(/I] to be contradictions in the Bible,  are actually not, when read in their context, rightly divided.  I haven't found any yet.  I do address those things because I have a love for the truth and will not be dogmatic in believing a lie and every one of us have been deceived by our own hearts,  as well as false teachings. I have learned it's better to be educated than to be opinionated.  As we grow in the fulness of the knowledge of Christ and His words,  we learn the truth and escape deceptions.  On that note, Iwas just reading a thread where Anvil Hauler made an absolute statement, that was supported by scripture from James 1:13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

Which points out an apparent contradiction in what I have believed. Hebrews 4:14-16 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.


It appears that Jesus was tempted to commit sin in the same way that we are,  "in all points"

Jesus Christ is The Lord. He is Almighty God.

This is my initial thought about this,  and question: Did he vacate his status as God to become a man and then after he was resurrected into the glory that he had before, as God again?


Was that the reason that he was called "the son of man" and also "man?"

I was taught and believed that while he was upon the earth,  he was fully God and fully man. 

I confess that I have not studied out the "deity of Christ" in a long while,  so It's possible that even a commonly known scripture could dismiss my thought and question about it. 
I enjoy addressing these kinds of topics to further my understanding.

To me,  it's okay to not have all the answers,  as I journey on, I learn and the blanks get filled in,  as long as I don't harden my mind in error.  Lots of people do this and it's kind of sad to see how much people miss out in knowledge.

If anyone has any thoughts on this topic,  please do share,  especially if you have scripture references. 

Working on a mobile device to text these things in,  takes a lot more time than I thought it would,  especially when using the text options lol
It's usually futile to try to discuss facts and critical analysis with someone that is enjoying a sense of moral superiority in their ignorance

someguy85

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Re: Can God Be Tempted?
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2022, 01:24:51 PM »
I know the account is now banned, but he seems to WANT to try and trap Jesus saying he wasn't the son of God because he was tempted...which is trying to mix oil and water, they're two very different things.

First off, yes, Jesus Christ was tempted of the devil in the wilderness after 40 days of fasting...this was to prove that Jesus Christ was manifest in the flesh, and while he was still the son of God, he went through what it was like to be human, and unlike EVERY king in the bible before him, he was tempted and did not sin, testimony that he is God. Scott was correctly taught that Jesus Christ was man and God at the same time, physically he came to earth as a man, but spiritually he is the only begotten son of the Most High...what are the mechanics of that? Far beyond the capacity of understanding of my little few pounds of grey matter.

What I think he's trying to hint at though, is that because Jesus was tempted...he possibly wasn't the son of God...a dangerous claim to make especially so frivolously, also shows he's not exactly biblically literate because this line of thinking could also say that because Jesus was tempted of the religious leaders (on numerous occasions) that this somehow cancelled out his divine nature for example in Matthew 22:17: "Tell us therefore, What thinkest thou? Is it lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? {22:18} But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, [ye] hypocrites?"

What he seems to not realise is that when in Matthew, Jesus was tempted by the devil and rebuked him 4:9 "And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence: {4:10} For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee: {4:11} And in [their] hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. {4:12} And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." Which is a reference back to Deuteronomy 6:16, which basically means we should not test God...after all what is man that God should be mindful of him? It refers to challenging God on what he says (it didn't work out well for the pharasies either), because when we challenge God's word, it's like sending a sugar ant up against a battleship, there's no question about who is going to win.

I think this could serve as a good lesson to Christians too, please read your bible regularly. The more you know God's word, the less likely you are to be taken in by false doctrine and the sooner your discernment will kick in and warn you when something seems off.
Romans: {11:3} Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. {11:4} But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to [the image of] Baal.