1 Corinthians 10:13 There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful… Let us consider the matter by way of objections. It is objected — I. THAT MEN ARE DEPRAVED CITIZENS OF A FALLEN WORLD. The answer is that the world is redeemed. II. THAT THERE IS AN UNUSUAL, startling, compelling ELEMENT IN THEIR TEMPTATIONS. The answer is, that even temptation is tethered by law, and the special severity of it is a myth. III. THAT THE TOTAL MORAL AND SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT MUST CONSPIRE WITH THE INNER DEPRAVITY TO MAKE SIN VICTOR. The answer is that, practically, there is much in these relations of ours to sin, on the one hand, and righteousness on the other, to break the force of temptation. 1. There is the danger which attends sinning. This is one of God's ways for our escape. 2. Our memory reproduces the pain and sorrow which past sins caused us. This is another of God's ways. 3. We know that sinning is wrong, and conscience, more or less alert in all souls, makes another of God's fire-escapes. 4. Every sinner is, to some extent, conscious of coming retribution, and that mingles with his motives and makes a way of escape. 5. Nor is it a small thing that every grace and nobleness are honoured in the censoriousness of sinning men. Is it no way of escape that right-doing wears the purple of royalty? IV. THAT, though these things may be true, yet COMMON EXPERIENCE PROVES THAT MEN ARE IN A HARD CASE AS RELATED TO RIGHTEOUSNESS. Admitted. Because it is hard infinite love stoops to help us. A hard case, therefore, is not a hopeless case. Redemption has made obedience possible. Suppose you were as anxious to win righteousness as to win your way in the world? V. THAT "ANYHOW SOME MEN HAVE NOT A FAIR CHANCE," e.g., the heathen in the slums of our cities and the heathen abroad. But what does this objection mean? "The race is not fair, and though I might win, I'll not run where my fellows must fail." Beautiful self-abnegation! But will this objector apply the principle? These same people have not his chance to be rich — will he surrender his chance on that account? What good of Providence does he refuse because street Arabs have it not? And how can any of us know that others have not a fair chance for salvation? VI. THAT GENERAL EXPERIENCE CONFIRMS THE VIEW THAT THE CHANCE IS NOT FAIR. And now we study arithmetic and the saints are few while the sinners are countless legions. But is there one saint? Has one climbed the hill of virtue? Then you also may climb. That men choose to be morally lazy, rather than agonise for righteousness, may he true. But the men who escape prove to us that there is a way of escape. VII. THAT THE LAW IS RIGOROUS AND MEN VERY WEAK. Here the sinner stands by the sea and tells us it is wide, at the foot of the mountain and declares that it is high. All this is pretty enough. The rigour of the law and the far-offness of perfect character may be admitted. But that is not our practical question. When men began to sail the seas they did not hesitate to creep along the coasts, because the ocean was wide; knowing the Alps to be high, early men struggled up them and through them. The practical man has never hesitated to do what he could because there seemed to be no end to his possible labour. The practical question is not whether you can do all, but have you a margin? Are you conscious of no power to do anything that the law of right asks of you in betterment of your life? This which you can do is your fair chance for salvation. (D. H. Wheeler, D.D.) Parallel Verses KJV: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. |
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