The Three Targets of Temptation

In the prior blog, about being poor in spirit, I mentioned the three areas in which the serpent tempted Eve--the flesh, the eyes, the self. I John 2:16 says it: "For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of the Father but is of the world." (Italics added.)

When I read this passage once again a few months ago, it hit me: Is that all there is? Is'nt there something else? And, I sensed a crying sound in my spirit. The world has nothing else? How can it be so? I think, now, that its because all those things that don't count will be burned up!

A brother, now deceased, some years ago was eagerly looking for the Lord's return and speculated that after the rapture, believers would return and reclaim the properties and so forth that they had built while living on earth previously. I hardly thought so, for the Scriptures do not indicate that at all, so far as I have discovered. Physical things will not be for reclaiming.

As for the targets of temptation, they are the consistent tools of Satan's trade. If we find ourselves walking in the flesh instead of in the Spirit, we only need to check which one of those three areas is our problem, or perhaps it's all three! If two Christians are at each other in mental--or physical--fisticuffs, which area is the problem? Likely, it's pride of life, or self.

Jim Downing, of The Navigators, used to show the pattern this way:

L U C I F E R
--P R I D E--
----S I N----

Notice that the "I" is in the middle all the way through, top to bottom, or bottom to top is more like it, for sin can be traced to Lucifer, who revels in it.

Knowing this is all there is in this world, can we surmise that the driving force behind all the motivations of the world are found in these three areas? What drives the porno industry: Lust of the flesh. What drives the fashions industry? Lust of the eyse--combined with lust of the flesh. What drives political ambition? The desire for power, mostly, which is pride of life.

We Christians, then, are right in the middle of this, and we also have our own flesh to deal with. But, we do have the Spirit of Christ dwelling within us--the mystery of the ages, the hope of glory, says Colossians 1:27. Our guard must always be up, lest we begin to walk in the flesh and not in the Spirit--that is, trying to live righteously in our own strength and not in Christ's power, by faith. For instance, where is the line drawn when love turns into lust? And Jeremiah has a word for us on this: "The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?" Jeremiah 17:9.

Are Christians, then, to have no ambition and drive for accomplishment? It looks like this: Since we belong to Christ--He bought and paid for us--we have to do our things for Jesus' sake, not for ourselves. Colossians 3:23--"And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men." That does remain a large order for us, being in the world, too. Who is it that we put first?

But God! That is the lead-off statement which holds so much hope for the struggling believer! Look at Philippians 2:13--"For it is God who works in you, both to will and to do for His good pleasure!" (I added the exclamation point.)

Finally, Romans 6:14--"For sin shall NOT have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace!" (My capitals and exclamation mark, again.)

Gene