No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it. 1 Corinthians 10:13
Those of us who claim to be Christian must never justify disobeying God’s standards with excuses that we are simply humans and imperfect, or that no one can go without sinning in words, thoughts and actions. At the same time, Paul assures the Corinthians that no true followers of Christ need ever run the risk of compromising their relationship with him.
We must remember that it is not a sin to be tempted. Jesus himself was tempted. But giving in to temptation is a sin. In fact, the mistake is often made when we openly choose to ourselves in any situation where temptation clearly present or will surely come. When the choice toward temptation is made, the fall is certain. We must, also, remember that the Holy Spirit clearly affirms that God provides his children with the needed strength and opportunity to overcome every temptation they face. God gives the desire and power to resist sin. God’s faithfulness expresses itself in two way: he will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we can handle and resist with his help and for each temptation, he will provide a specific way for us to endure the temptation and overcome sin.
We, also, must remember that as followers of Christ we have all the power and ability we need to fight and win personal battles against sin and spiritual forces of evil. This power is available through God’s grace, the blood of Jesus Christ (his personal sacrifice for our sin), God’s Word, the Holy Spirit’s power dwelling within us and Christ’s intercession (his pleading our case) in heaven.
And lastly we must remember that if we give in to temptation and sin, it is not because Christ’s power and provision are inadequate; it is because we fail to rely on the Holy Spirit’s power to help us resist our own ungodly desires. God’s “divine power has given us everything we need for life and Godliness” (2 Peter 1:3); and through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, we can “live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work,…being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience” (Colossians 1:10-11). We can overcome every temptation and find a way out if we sincerely desire to please God and if we depend on his power and faithfulness.