On the Overcoming of Temptation

The reward which James foresaw for those who resist temptation was both sure and incomparably precious: “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” What complete assurance do these words carry that those who endure, that is, overcome temptation, shall be rewarded after the manner of those who love God! Is it not logical, then, to conclude that love for God, which James so closely associated with resistance to temptation, is the successful means of overcoming it?

Temptation, as the word is commonly used, relates only to the claims of evil; and surely there can be no more effective method of resisting evil than to fill consciousness with love of good, and thus become conscious only of God’s presence. Obviously, Jesus was abiding in this state of consciousness when he said, “For the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” Upon his mentality so freed from evil, temptation could make no impression; for it had nothing in common with the tempter. Here is a valuable lesson for all who are seeking to free themselves from whatever is false through laying hold of the true. Temptation, that is, the allurement of evil, finds no place in the spiritualized consciousness. Our defense, then, is to become conscious only of reality, of the presence of good.

Yielding to temptation, that is, acceptance of the proffers of evil, is the source of all mankind’s troubles, of all disappointment, hardship, and grief; for such yielding is done in the mistaken belief in evil, in materiality, as real. And if evil be once accepted as real, we lay ourselves open to various forms of attack by the greatest enemy of our peace. But we are not left comfortless — left without means of resisting and overcoming the claims of evil. Mrs. Eddy gives full assurance of this ability on page 53 of “Miscellaneous Writings”: “Not through sin or suicide, but by overcoming temptation and sin, shall we escape the weariness and wickedness of mortal existence, and gain heaven, the harmony of being.” In these words, our Leader posits in the overcoming of temptation the means whereby mortals gain heaven and harmony. The importance which she attaches to the resistance of the claims of evil cannot be denied!

Jesus’ experience in the wilderness has a cogent bearing upon the whole problem of temptation and its resistance. Confronted by the presentments of evil common to mortals, he resisted them all. Even though hungry, he yielded not to the temptation to use his spiritual understanding merely at the suggestion of evil to satisfy a material desire, even so innocent a one as hunger; neither did he fall before the tempter suggesting that should he cast himself down from the pinnacle, he could save himself from injury. Although Jesus’ understanding of divine Principle was without question sufficient to save himself from the ill effects of any untoward position into which duty had led him, yet he was far too wise to call upon God to save him when yielding to a tempter who would gladly have destroyed him.

No more did the Master accept the proffered kingdoms of the world as a reward for worship of evil. The answer made by Jesus to this tempter is conclusive and important. “It is written,” that is, divine authority declares, “Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.” Worship of God alone precludes the possibility of giving reality or power to aught unlike God, that is, to materiality in its every phase. Understanding God as the infinite and omnipotent destroys the desire to accept as real whatever does not emanate from a divine source. Then is not the answer to the query. How is temptation overcome? simply this: Determine first the source of any given presentment. If it is from God, that is, if it is good, accept it. If not, resist and cast it out as did Christ Jesus, so persistently beset by the claims of evil. This is the effective overcoming of temptation.

Mortals are not left to material means and practices alone whereby to overcome the profferings of evil. Divine aid is at hand. The Lord’s Prayer contains a petition for aid which may become most effective in commanding God’s help, especially when utilized in connection with the spiritual interpretation of the passage, given on page 17 of “Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures” by Mary Baker Eddy: “And God leadeth us not into temptation, but delivereth us from sin, disease, and death.” These words contain the complete antidote to the inclination to accept any claim whatsoever of evil as real. Temptation might be given the significance of including every enticement of material belief, as for example the use of food or clothing. But this is not the significance which it commonly carries. Only that which is evil in its seeming nature is to be classed as temptation.

Mrs. Eddy makes it clear that the temptation to accept sickness as real has no more necessity than has sin. Temptation to accept sickness as reality is to be resisted strenuously and overcome. Of this necessity our Leader writes on page 420 of Science and Health, “Instruct the sick that they are not helpless victims, for if they will only accept Truth, they can resist disease and ward it off, as positively as they can the temptation to sin.” To accept Truth as infinite is the sure remedy for overcoming all temptation. The mentality which is conscious only of good, of God and His Christ, is not susceptible to the approach of temptation. Infinite Truth excludes all unlike Truth.