Choosing Temptations Wisely: A Line Between Allowing No Temptation and Allowing All Temptations

Abstract

“Temptation leads to sin; therefore avoid temptation.” This maxim, in whatever form it may appear, has received much more representation than the view offered herein, that temptation cannot always be avoided and sometimes leads to good things. Since temptation can be resisted, the event of being tempted is not itself sin. Since good things can come from situations that temptation also accompanies, such as stronger faith and the spreading of the gospel, putting oneself willingly into a situation in which temptation is certain is not always ill-advised. Sometimes it is quite appropriate. This thesis will not attempt to justify sinning in the name of some good cause, but it will attempt to justify knowingly and deliberately enduring temptation when the sinner expects to resist the temptation and when his intention is something God-pleasing that is, as it were, impeded by the temptation. God encourages flight from sin, but He also encourages prayer and promises help when temptations come.