Returning to the positive teaching of James 1:14, let us note its

bearing upon the text, `He was tempted in all points like as we are'.  It is

one thing for a congregation to stand and say, `we are all miserable

offenders', and quite another for one member to stand and publicly confess

that he is a `thief'.

In the same way it is one thing to quote the passage from Hebrews 4

which says that Christ was tempted in all points like as we are, and quite

another to be specific and say that Christ was actually tempted to steal.

What is it that causes the presence of an unprotected pound note to be a

temptation to a man?  Is it any outside temptation, or is it something

within?  It is difficult, without a feeling of irreverence, for us to bring

our Lord into this controversy: let us therefore take a step down and cite

two fellow-beings as examples.  First, the `chief of sinners', Paul, the

apostle.  Is it conceivable that, had Paul entered a synagogue and found the

place unattended, the presence of a piece of money lying uncollected would be

the slightest temptation to him?  Our answer must be `no'.  The second

example, dear reader, is yourself.  Were you to come into the Chapel of the

Opened Book and discover that the offering had not been taken charge of by

the Treasurer, would that be a temptation to you to steal?  You rightly

repudiate the thought.  Why?  Because the grace of God and the gift of the

new nature make temptation of that kind virtually impossible.

So we return to the Lord Himself.  As He had no corrupt and depraved

nature, He could never be `led away' by lust and enticed and, that being the

case, no amount of emphasis upon the words  `in all points' can ever teach

the evil and destructive doctrine we have been examining.  He, the Saviour,

could mingle with publicans and sinners and remain undefiled.  Contrary to

law, He could touch a leper and remain immune.  We might as well consider

that a sunbeam gathers contamination by shining on a rubbish heap as that,

even in the presence of the most gilded opportunity, Christ could be tempted

to sin.

It is possible that the reader's mind may have turned back to Genesis 3

and questioned how far all that we have said would apply there.  For the

moment, our answer is that the word `tempt', `temptation' and `tempter' are

never once used of the fall of man, in either the Old Testament or New, and,

therefore, believing in the inspiration of all Scripture, we must abide by

this fact and exclude the passage from our present considerations.

Turning to the other circumcision epistles we find

that Peter alone uses the word peirasmos, translated `temptation', and that

three times.

`Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye

are in heaviness through manifold temptations' (1 Pet. 1:6).

Let us note that these tempted believers are, at the same time,

`greatly rejoicing' in salvation; the temptations are `for a season' and `if

need be', and as a result they are `in heaviness', or as the word is

elsewhere translated, `grieved' (Eph. 4:30); `sorrowful' (2 Cor. 6:10).  It

sounds a contradiction to say that a believer who thus rejoiced, and who was

thus grieved, could at the same time be yielding to or tempted to actual sin.

But we have no need to interpose our own conjectures, for Peter himself goes

on to expand and explain his meaning, `that the trial of your faith, being

much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire,

might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus