January 28 - Christ Suffered Through Temptation

For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. – Hebrews 2:16 (KJV)

We must not view Christ’s obedience as something made easier by His divine nature, for He stood before God as the representative of humanity. He was tempted as our substitute and surety. If Christ had possessed any special power beyond what is available to humanity, Satan would have used it against Him. Christ’s mission was to remove Satan’s dominion over humanity, and He accomplished this by coming as a man, facing temptation as a man, and rendering obedience as a man.

How profound are the words: “For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18, KJV). Although Christ was free from any taint of sin, His holy nature felt the presence of evil with an intensity we can scarcely comprehend. The purity of His character made the experience of facing sin and temptation exceedingly painful. Yet, He bore our humanity and faced the great adversary face to face, enduring the full force of Satan’s attacks. Not even for a moment did He entertain the thought of yielding to temptation.

Unlike us, Satan found no foothold in Christ’s heart. In the human heart, he often exploits sinful desires that provide a basis for his temptations to take hold. But Christ declared: “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me” (John 14:30, KJV). The storms of temptation may have raged around Him, but they could not break His union with God.

Every follower of Christ must face the same adversary who assaulted their Master. Satan, with remarkable cunning, tailors his temptations to fit each individual’s circumstances, character, and inclinations. He whispers alluring promises of worldly pleasure, wealth, and honor, repeating his deceitful offer: “All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9, KJV). To overcome, we must fix our eyes on Jesus, resist as He resisted, pray as He prayed, and endure as He endured. Only by following His example can we triumph as He triumphed.

May we draw strength from Christ’s victory over temptation, looking to Him as our perfect example and source of power. His unwavering obedience and reliance on God provide us with the path to overcome the trials we face. Let us strive daily to walk as He walked, confident in His ability to lead us to victory.