1 Corinthians 10:13

1 Corinthians 10:13

"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it"
(1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV)


we can resist sin

This passage gives us great motivation to resist sin . . .

  1. Our temptations are not unique, but common to man, that is, adapted to human capacities. The preceding context shows ancient Israel falling to a variety of temptations. In spite of their great advantages (1 Corinthians 10:1-4), they lust after evil things, including idolatry, immoral behavior, tempting the Lord, and complaining (1 Corinthians 10:6-10). We too face temptations. We must heed the warning: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12).
  2. God does not allow us to face temptations that are too powerful to resist. Peter affirms the same truth. We must resist satan, “knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world” (1 Peter 5:9).
  3. God is faithful. He wants us to succeed; He assures us of success. The previous context (1 Corinthians 10:1-12) assures the weak, sinful Corinthians that they can do better. No one—not even satan — can force them to commit a single sin (1 Corinthians 10:13).
  4. God always gives us the way of escape from the temptation. This does not say that we escape being tempted, but that God enables us to find a way of out of it without yielding to sin.
  5. Jesus perfectly used the way of escape (Matthew 4:1-11). We can, too. As someone said: “I can defeat satan any time I want to...wanting to is the problem.”

– Rick Duggin