There is a difference between trials and temptations. God has often tried (tested) His servants. But God never tempts anyone to sin! God proves us, i. e. He tests our faith, and this is for our good, but He never leads us to sin. (Jas. 1:13). Satan is the one responsible for temptation. For example, God placed the tree in the garden of Eden to test the loyalty of Adam and Eve, but it was Satan who tempted them to eat of it, and we know the rest of that story!

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Today, God is often charged with causing sin. Some have even argued that God created sin! People, to excuse their sin, argue “that’s the way God made us,” which is supposed to excuse every sin from homosexuality, adultery, to murder. The effort to pass on to God responsibility for humanity’s difficulties is a comfortable and common one; it is a convenient method by which man absolves himself of all moral responsibility for his actions.

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While it is true that God gave us appetites with which we were born, but they are good as He gives them. Everything that God created was good, yea, it was very good. James 1: 17 says: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the father of lights.” So, yes, our appetites are essential to our well-being. However, they are not given, for evil and sinful purposes. Only when people allow Satan to stimulate those appetites beyond their intended purpose do they fall into sin. For example, the sexual desire is good, but if allowed to cause fornication or adultery, or when allowed to become lascivious (uncontrolled desire) it becomes sin. (Matt. 5:28; Heb. 13:4). Think on these things.

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Dennis Abernathy