You knew it was wrong so you fought the temptation. You told yourself you’d never fall for it again. You tried to draw your weapon of self-control. And then you caved anyway.
And after giving in to your temptation, you felt horribly guilty and went to your Bible and read 1 Corinthians 10:13, which says:
“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.”
This verse is underlined in my Bible. It catches my eye when I flip through the pages, and every time I pause to read it again, I feel a nudge of comfort—immediately followed by a whole lot of, “Yeah, right.”
“Yeah, right. If this is true, why do I still consistently fail to resist temptation? Is there something wrong with me? Or, is Paul wrong about God in this verse?”
It was a routine sermon preached by my pastor one Sunday in February that showed what I’ve been missing all along in 1 Corinthians 10:13. Something that alters not only the message of this verse, but the outcome of the battle against temptation.
Hi, I’m Lauren Thell, author of Christian YA fiction and blogger for teens who are ready to exceed the world’s expectations.
In This Article
1 Corinthians 10:13: Something Old Becomes Something New
In the original language of the New Testament (Koine Greek), the final “you” of this verse is actually plural. Here up north, we don’t tend to distinguish between singular and plural you’s, but folks down south might understand. You would probably say the last sentence something like this:
“But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that y’all can endure it.”
Meaning, you alone may not be able to withstand temptation, but all of you together can.
That makes a huge difference in what this verse is saying. Christians are not islands. We need each other. Whatever temptation you’re struggling with—be it lust, greed, dishonesty, or an addiction—it might truly be too much for you to overcome on your own. But God makes it clear in this verse: He created us to lean on each other, encourage each other, and resist Satan as a group.
You need other Christians to help you resist temptation. See my coal analogy in Why Young Christians Absolutely Need to Go to Church.
Stepping Out Is Scary
Maybe you’re already a member of a church and have a pretty good group of close Christian friends. Sharing your struggle with sin won’t be easy, especially when you’re comparing your real life to the sanitized and polished social media lives of everyone else. But if your friends are human and Christian, you can be assured they’re each struggling with something, too. Satan considers Christians to be the gold prize, and he will do what it takes to collect as many of us as possible.
Here’s a suggestion: What if, among your group of Christian friends, you reach out and ask one or two to help you battle a particular temptation? You just might start a domino effect, where someone else who’s been struggling finally gets the courage to speak up and ask for help too. In this manner, you become each other’s accountability partners.
Christians are not islands. We need each other.
Turn to your friends, join a support group or find a mentor—an older Christian of your same gender—who can walk you through your struggle.
Just don’t try to overcome it alone.
Accountability Questions to Get You Started
Getting started is the hardest part about accountability partners. Consider making these accounability questions (those which apply to your situation) a regular part of your dialogue.
Because you’re more likely to follow through if you know someone is going to ask!
- Have you read your Bible every day this week?
- Do you have a plan for devoting time to regular prayer? Have you followed through?
- Have you had any lustful thoughts or indulged in explicit media (internet, movies, music, etc.) that would not glorify God?
- Have you spent quality time in your friend and family relationships this week?
- How are you doing with maintaining purity and holiness in your dating relationship?
- Are you giving your schoolwork, job, and/or household duties your best effort?
- Have you told any half-truths or outright lies, or indulged in dishonest gain (i.e. cheating) this week?
- How much time have you spent on social media this week?
- How are you doing with keeping your anger in check?
- Have you, for the sake of trying to fit in, given in to the temptation to join in on activites you know God would not be pleased with?
- How well have you controlled your tongue (i.e. cussing, gossip, teasing, disparaging comments about someone) this week?
I shouldn’t have to say this, but you won’t gain anything by being dishonest. Honesty is key to accountability!
You don’t have to have all the answers.
but, hey, why not?
Bring me your questions about faith, life, God, the Bible… and I’ll help you find the answers.
#ThroughFireIsaiah432: Never Alone, In Christ Alone
Christians need to lean on each other, and on Jesus. We are all members of the same body, the body of Christ. To say that your fate is not tied to your friend’s is like saying her side of the house is burning down, and the same works in reverse. When you can’t overcome a powerful source of temptation on your own, get help. And give help.
Resources for Christian Teens
- Fight When You Can’t Flee: A Battle Plan For Temptation
- How to Resist Temptation When You Can’t Escape It
- What to Do When You Struggle With Temptation
- 8 Bible Passages to Stop Sin In Its Tracks
- Not sure how to help each other? Check out How To Help Someone Overcome Temptation (article from Bond Christian).