Tempted and Tried: Temptation and the Triumph of Christ

As the days go by and the months turn to years, Christians begin to long more and more for the great day of the Resurrection. Why? Because as time passes by Christians begin to hate their sin more and more. With each passing day the true believer declares with a greater burden, "I Hate my Sin!" You see, whenever we sin, we make the declaration that we value some thing more than we value God. With this reality in mind, as we grow in our Christian life and witness again and again the tenacity of sin, we grow in our desires to mortify the flesh. It has been a rare thing indeed to walk into a Christian bookstore and find a book on how to conquer the sin in our lives. It is in the midst of much writing on spiritual laws and several keys to spiritual living that Russell Moore brings us this work. This book is a gift to the church and I can testify that it will benefit you greatly. The truths Moore presents in this book have been tested and tried!Tempted and Tried, is about being victorious over temptation. The author uses the story of Jesus and his victories over the temptations in the wilderness as an example for believers to follow in their fight against temptation.The author argues that because Christians are "in" Christ, they now have the same power and tools that Jesus had in overcoming these three temptations. This is very important because I believe that over the past century or so, the doctrine of Union With Christ has been greatly ignored. The neglect of this doctrine has led to many Christians being ignorant of all that God has given them in Christ. This includes their standing before God as well as the tools God has given them to overcome sin.This book, however, is very different than the typical books that are written about combating temptation. In Tempted and Tried, Moore does not offer a simple list of different ways in which one can avoid or prevail over temptation. Instead, he informs the reader why temptation and sin are so serious and what Jesus did for us so that temptation can be conquered. Moore states, "Just as our temptation is part of a larger story, so is our exit strategy from its power. The same Spirit who led Jesus through the wilderness and empowered him to overcome the Evil One now surges through all of us who are joined by faith to Jesus. We overcome temptation the same way he did, by trusting in our father and hearing his voice" (p. 22). The author then goes on to say, "This isn't a self-help guide, promising to do for temptation what a diet manual promises to do for obesity" (p. 23). Moore does much more than simply lay out a "how-to" manual.Moore's book was very insightful. One of the great strengths of the book is the angle in which it speaks about temptation. Many books discuss temptation but I have not encountered another that takes it from the angle Moore takes. Typically the books written about temptation take a very personal tone. They usually give certain practical points that an individual can take to avoid temptation. Tempted and Tried, however, gives the reader a grand view of Jesus and shows what he has done on the behalf of believers. The author also begins each chapter with a story that illustrates the point he intends to make throughout the chapter. This approach was very helpful and allows the reader to know what to expect and to follow along more clearly.Ultimately, this book is excellent and edifying. By the conclusion of the book, the reader can expect to have a firm grasp on temptation and how to fight it. Some may criticize the book's lack of any step-by-step counsel in combating temptation. However, the book gives an even greater weapon to fight temptation. Tempted and Tried will remind Christians that victory over temptation is not primarily won by simply taking several steps to avoid it, though that can be very helpful and necessary. Victory over temptation, however, is primarily won by recognizing who believers are in the resurrected Christ and bidding farewell to their old selves who were tried, convicted, and crucified with Jesus. Christians have been resurrected with Christ and walk in the victory that Jesus won when he was tempted, tried and found perfect. Click on the picture below to be taken to Dr. Moore's own blog.More Book Reviews can be found at: [...]

Obviously, this book is about temptation. But it is not just another self-help type book with a set of actions you can take to overcome problematic temptations. Russell tells us that the gospel brings good news to those of us struggling with temptation. According Russell Moore the same Spirit that empowered Christ to overcome temptation is now in us and that "We overcome temptation the same way he did, by trusting in our Father and hearing his voice." He spends the rest of the book explaining this idea.Russell draws a distinction between "God's testing" and "Satan's tempting." Satan temps in an effort to entice us to do evil. God on the other hand, sets out to test whether our desires really conform to his desires by allowing Satan to tempt us in a certain area. Satanic power always challenges you at the point of what you want. Paul talked about the struggle of Christian life, I think Mr. Moore would conclude that we struggle constantly to conform our desires to those of God, or in other words, avoid temptation.Russell Moore says that God is not just another Pharaoh to be cast off when he is not delivering the goods. God allows you to enter periods of want so that he can feed us with something better than what we want. In this fashion God slowly disciplines us to put old appetites to death and ignite new ones.We want to find our security in something we can measure. Faith is believing that God accepts you in Christ on the basis of his Word, not on the basis of anything that you can see or measure. When our ultimate desires do not conform to God's and something threatens them, we vent against our circumstances and like the Israelites grumble against God. Our earthly life is about crucifying the flesh - our desires. We will be glorified, not here and now, but when he raises us from the dead.Russell talks about the idea of "kingdom building." We are heirs with Christ to the Kingdom of God, but instead of waiting on the resurrection we "grasp [for] the little kingdoms we want for ourselves" now on earth. We wonder about the future of our relationships, our families, our careers, our financial security, etc. and we expect God to see they all come out the way we "want." And there is the big word - want! Russell pictures Satan as peering into your life looking for what catches your attention. Satan cares about your goals as much as you do and he doesn't care how wonderful a Christian you want to be - as long as you would rather be magnified than crucified.Mr. Moore insists that the Gospel is essential to resisting temptation. We are now hidden in the identity of Christ and thus free from Satan's accusations which are his only power over us. This knowledge causes us to fly from sin. We no longer have to hide behind the fig leaves like Adam did. Finding ourselves in a period of prayerlessness is an indication that we have moved beyond temptation into a pattern of sin. Our new nature desires communion with God. We often want to cover our sin and hide from it, but it is in this darkness that evil latches onto us. Instead we should shine a light on our sin in prayer with God, come clean so to speak instead of hiding. Russell also talks about Christians shining this same light on sin in conversation with other believers. As parts of the same body we need each other. While sin attempts to isolate and shame us, the light brings us together.His conclusion, the Father knows what's best for you and he'll train your affections until you want the same thing. Life without temptation might sound good, but without the testing God allows us to go through we would never be prepared for what comes next, in the now nor in eternity.Overall, this is a great book. The more I reflect on it the more it informs my life. To truly read this book is to turn your life upside down and rethink it all. Thank you Russell Moore for taking the time to share this with us.

A true Christian MUST read this. It's a brilliant book to encourage us on your journey towards making heaven. A must read.

I read this book in the midst of a desert period in my life. I was struggling with the temptation of a relationship that was frought with confusion and complication. It helped me see the holiness of the struggle to do what I perceive is God's will versus my own. The fact that Jesus struggled in the desert for 40 days after His baptism and what that looked like scripturally, as well as application for our current times was immensely helpful. I appreciate the writers honesty about his own struggles and his understanding of how difficult desert periods can be. I think the church talks a lot about temptation but never really dives into what it means or what to do with it (other than pray). Christians need more tools to know how to live out their faith in the 21st century and I believe this book is one of those tools.

This is an excellent book