Trials and Temptations

Acts 5:41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.

There are two incidents in Chapter 5 which is of a failure and the other, a success. In the first one, people had trouble giving up their property. In the second, they had given up everything and counted suffering as joy. We should not consider Ananias and Sapphira as deadly sinners whereas Peter and John were saints. But rather the incident became fatal in case of Ananias and the second one gave life to them. The difference between these incidents is that one is a trial and another is a temptation.

Bible clearly wants us to handle these two differently. Mathew 6:13 says “Lead us not into temptation” which is one very important demand Jesus wants us to ask God. But in James 1:2-3, we are asked to rejoice during trials. It is important that we know how to handle both these differently.

Temptations and Trials have different motives. Temptations are organized so that one should fail and die. They are brought by the devil. This is why in Acts 5:3, we read Satan had filled him and gave him some greed so that he could lie to the Holy Spirit directly. Jesus wants us to clearly not go through this process where there are many chances that we could fail. In Mathew 26:41 at the garden of Gethsamane, Jesus advises his disciples not to sleep but to keep watching and pray or they would fall into temptation. Once they are into temptation, it become even harder for men to endure and survive. Temptations are not in God’s plans. All we should do is take Jesus’ advise of being watchful. 

Satan is very cunning and plans vigorously for every single person to fail. The art of being watchful is to expect temptation at any moment.  Ananias and Sapphira are among the first Christians but after selling their property and while holding the money in their hands, Satan could easily deceive them. In their minds they should have thought that they are contributing a huge amount to the Church and God’s kingdom and would have felt like saints. In that least expected moment Satan could crawl in, tempt and make them fail. In Daniel 11:22, we can read that this victory over temptation belong to those who know God.

Trials are given so that we are conforming to the likeness of God according to Romans 12:2. In Mathew 5:10-12, Jesus clearly explains that those who are persecuted for righteousness own the kingdom of God.  According to Romans 14:17, the kingdom of God is not food and drink but of righteousness and so, peace and so, joy in the Holy Spirit.  If righteousness is the core of heaven, God clearly wants us to hold righteousness even though we are persecuted. This means, if given an opportunity to stand up for God and lose the earth and its belongings, we are blessed. This is trials where God sees the goodness or usefulness in us.

In Acts 5:19, we can clearly see that the angel had brought the apostles out of the prison but not to some safety. We are not called to be safe and idle in Christendom. The deliverance there was just a sign so that Gamaliel’s speech would become effective. We have to understand that it is God’s will that we are tested and persecuted for Righteousness.  1 Peter 1:6-9 says that it is required for us to suffer.

So, the apostles considered this persecution as honor. If God sets you trials in your life for molding, it is because God considers you worthy for a greater plan in His kingdom and losing such an opportunity is foolishness. As in 1 Peter 4:12-13, this suffering for righteousness is a share from that of Christ. We become partakers of a heavenly plan that God is executing in this world by being ourselves to be persecuted. As in James 1:12, the destiny is a crown like Jesus has. We share in the glory by sharing in the labor.

In Revelation 3:10,11 the church in Philadelphia has given the comfort of escaping the last trial because of its endurance. But God still warns that this crown can be lost and so, we have to watch and hold the crown fast. The perfect example of this is Jesus. As in Hebrews 4:15,16 He was tempted (not tested) but still endured and if we could come close to this throne of grace which does not expect us to be tempted in the beginning and when in need, we can get grace as a help. This one victory of our Lord, gives us a way (I am the way) towards glory.

Amen.