What is the nature of temptation?

[billwald]

Is every offer a temptation or does it depend upon the mental/physical state and knowledge of the person receiving the offer? For example, a blind person can't be tempted by pornographic pictures.

Does there have to be a possibility of acceptance for an offer to be considered a temptation?

Must the offer be intrinsically harmful for an offer to be a temptation?

Must the offer be illegal for it to be a temptation?

 

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

BillWald: Is every offer a temptation or does it depend upon the mental/physical state and knowledge of the person receiving the offer? For example, a blind person can't be tempted by pornographic pictures.

HP: Not unless one believes the influences from the Holy Spirit are forms of temptation. The Holy Spirit via conscience influences to righteousness much in the same manner the enemy of our souls and our own selfish propensities influence us to selfishness. I would conclude that not every offer upon the will of man is a temptation, at least not to do evil.

BW: Does there have to be a possibility of acceptance for an offer to be considered a temptation?

HP: If I understand your question, I would say absolutely. It is absolutely impossible to be tempted by something the mind sees as a natural impossibility. On the other hand it is also a natural impossibility for the mind to strive to do even good if in fact it perceives it to be an impossibility.

BillWald: Must the offer be intrinsically harmful for an offer to be a temptation?

HP: If one considers temptation to be that influencing to sin yes. All sin is intrinsically harmful in some sense. In order to sin one has to understand some intrinsic value of the temptation which involves knowledge to some degree of a command (via conscience) not to do something.

BW: Must the offer be illegal for it to be a temptation?

HP: Absolutely not. Many things that are legal would be sin for me. Sin has a direct bearing on the light and knowledge of the individual as well as ones abilities. What well may be sin to me may not be to you and vise- versa.

 

[billwald]

>>BW: Does there have to be a possibility of acceptance for an offer to be considered a temptation?

>HP: If I understand your question, I would say absolutely.

OK, then must not this be considered when discussing the temptation of Jesus and Jesus' sinless nature?

Was there any possibility that Jesus would accept Satan's offer? If not, then the hypothesis that Jesus could not sin is in conflict with the verse which states that Jesus was tempted in all ways as is common to humans.

 

[Heavenly Pilgrim]

BW: Was there any possibility that Jesus would accept Satan's offer? If not, then the hypothesis that Jesus could not sin is in conflict with the verse which states that Jesus was tempted in all ways as is common to humans.

HP: You hit the nail on the head. :thumbsup: In the flesh the 'possibility' had to exist, yet we are certainly told that He never sinned.