Chuck Smith discusses the purpose and appeal of temptation, emphasizing that God created humanity for meaningful love and fellowship, which requires the freedom of choice. He explains how temptation manifests through the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, often offering immediate fulfillment that distracts from God's path. Smith highlights the importance of using the Word of God to resist temptation, as demonstrated by Jesus, and notes that true victory also requires the power of the Holy Spirit. Ultimately, he encourages believers to choose God's way, which leads to eternal love and fulfillment.

"TEMPTATION" I. PURPOSE OF TEMPTATION. A. God created man for meaningful love and fellowship. 1. For love to be meaningful, man must be given freedom of choice. 2. For choice to be valid, something to choose. a. It should be attractive and desirable. b. Two fields - one filled-with weeds and briars, the other with beautiful roses. 1. God says, "Walk with me through the weeds for beyond the field is the most beautiful garden where we can share eternal love. I'lI go before you and make a path." 2. Satan says, Why should you follow God's path to an uncertain future when you can enjoy the beautiful roses immediately? II THE APPEAL OF TEMPTATION. A. Lust of the flesh. 1. Eve saw the fruit was "good for food." 2. Satan said, "Command this stone to be made bread." a. Remember Jesus had not eaten for 40 days and was hungry. b. Use your divine powers for your own benefit. 3. Our bodies to maintain balance create strong drives. Nothing intrinsically wrong with drive. a. How do I seek to fulfill my need? b. There are legitimate and illegitimate ways. B. Lust of the eye. 1. Eye has been called the gate to the soul. a. It is one of the gates. Man has studied the five gates to the mind. Touch, taste, smell hearing, sight. There is a sixth. 2. Eve saw the fruit was "pleasant to the eye." 3. Satan showed to him the kingdoms of the world. 4. How many evil things are planted into the mind by the eyes "Whatsoever a man soweth..." C. Pride of life. Desire to be admired or worshipped. 1. Eve saw that the fruit was desirable because it made one wise as God. 2. The idea of jumping from the pinnacle of the temple was to land unharmed below where the surprised crowd would stand in awe. D. In temptation there is that element of immediate fulfillment. 1. You don't have to take God's path to the garden. It's hard, there may be a cross. 2. This alternate course will bring you immediate fulfillment. 3. In offering to Jesus kingdoms of world. a. Showed him Caesar sitting on throne of Rome --all the glory, power. b. I put him there, I will put you there. c. Jesus had come to wrest the throne from Satan and establish God's kingdom on earth. 1. He is to sit upon the throne of David and reign as King of Kings. 2. God's path leads to the cross. 3. Satan's alternative evades the cross. III. POWER TO RESIST TEMPTATION. A. Immediately noticed that He answered each temptation with the Word of God. 1. Eve also answered with the Word a. Satan challenged God's Word. b. Now Eve must choose between Word of God and word of Satan. 2. When Satan comes to tempt you and you use the Word against him, he will challenge or twist the word, and you must choose who to believe. 3. The Word gives power to resist. "Thy Word have I hid..." B. Verse 1 another secret to victory. 1. The Word alone is not enough. 2. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit working through the Word IV. RESULT OF VICTORY OVER TEMPTATION, VERSE 14.