Tuesday, June 13, 2006
From 'The works of Jonathan Edwards vol 2'
From the sermon 'Temptation and Deliverance'
'I said, that persons should avoid things that expose to sin, as far as may be; because it is possible that persons may be called to expose themselves to temptation; and when it is so, they may hope for divine strength and protection under temptation.
It may be a man's indispensable duty to undertake an office or work, attended with a great deal of temptation. Thus ordinarily a man ought not to run into temptation of being persecuted for the true religion; lest the temptation should not be too hard for him; but should avoid it, as much as may be: therefore Christ thus directs his disciples, Matthew 10:23 "When ye be persecuted in one city, flee to another." Yet, the case may be so, that a man may be called not to flee from persecution; but to run the venture so such a trial, trusting God to uphold him under it. Ministers and magistrates may be obliged to continue with their people in such circumstances; as Nehemiah says, Neh. 6:11 "Should such a man as I flee?" So the apostles. -Yea, they may be called to go into the midst of it; to those places where they cannot reasonably expect but to meet such temptations. So Paul went up to Jersualem, when he knew beforehand, that there bonds and affliction awaited him, Acts 20:23'
p. 227.
Edwards shows how we should try to avoid putting ourselves in a place that leads to temptation. But when we can not avoid it to trust God to help us.
Related Tags: Jonathan Edwards, God, sin, Christ, Ministers, persecution, affliction, temptation
'I said, that persons should avoid things that expose to sin, as far as may be; because it is possible that persons may be called to expose themselves to temptation; and when it is so, they may hope for divine strength and protection under temptation.
It may be a man's indispensable duty to undertake an office or work, attended with a great deal of temptation. Thus ordinarily a man ought not to run into temptation of being persecuted for the true religion; lest the temptation should not be too hard for him; but should avoid it, as much as may be: therefore Christ thus directs his disciples, Matthew 10:23 "When ye be persecuted in one city, flee to another." Yet, the case may be so, that a man may be called not to flee from persecution; but to run the venture so such a trial, trusting God to uphold him under it. Ministers and magistrates may be obliged to continue with their people in such circumstances; as Nehemiah says, Neh. 6:11 "Should such a man as I flee?" So the apostles. -Yea, they may be called to go into the midst of it; to those places where they cannot reasonably expect but to meet such temptations. So Paul went up to Jersualem, when he knew beforehand, that there bonds and affliction awaited him, Acts 20:23'
p. 227.
Edwards shows how we should try to avoid putting ourselves in a place that leads to temptation. But when we can not avoid it to trust God to help us.
Related Tags: Jonathan Edwards, God, sin, Christ, Ministers, persecution, affliction, temptation
