A Primer on Temptation, Part 3 Today's Three-minute Bible Study Print, Study and Apply Title: A Primer on Temptation, Part 3------------------------------------- Date: 6/3/2002 Keyword: "temptation" Welcome to eXXit, the web site designed to help you stand strong in the face of sexual temptation. Passage: Genesis 3:1-7* 1. Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" 2. And the woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; 3. but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, lest you die.'" 4. And the serpent said to the woman, "You surely shall not die! 5. "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6. When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. 7. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings. Questions 1. After Eve misquoted God (verses 2-3), the serpent responded. Was his response in verse 4 true or false?   2. Was the serpent’s response to Eve’s misquote of God’s Word true or false in verse 5?   Practical help The enemy (in the form of a serpent), used two tactics in one brief moment to derail Eve from obedience to God. He tried the frontal attack, directly contradicting God’s word, and he used the equally effective "half-truth" method. Was the serpent lying when he contradicted God’s explicit word? Yes. The woman and the man would surely die if they ate of the forbidden fruit. But a direct attack weakened her resistance. Was the serpent telling the truth when he said that if Eve ate the fruit of the tree in the center of the garden she would be like God, knowing good and evil? Well, sort of... She would gain that experiential knowledge, but at what a price! Like a child who burns herself on an open flame and then lies in a hospital room for agonizing weeks before dying learns that stoves are hot, Eve would learn the difference between good and evil if she ate the forbidden fruit. The serpent made the gain in knowledge look like benefit, when it was actually a deficit. Watch out for sources that blatantly tell you that porn is OK, even good for you. Such sources contradict the clear word of God with regard to lust, with regard to coveting, with regard to sexual purity, and with regard to love. Don’t buy the message that porn is good, and don’t let the fact that some are touting that message weaken your defenses. And don’t fall for the half truth that the knowledge you gain from viewing porn is somehow a benefit. It will only result in days (or years?) of a troubled conscience, images that won’t leave your brain, and a seemingly insatiable thirst for more of that garbage. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Don’t fall where Eve fell. Be aware of the tactics of the hater of your soul. eXXit homepage Index of three-minute studies Copyright 2002 by eXXit *"Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission." ---