In the sixth and final petition of the Lord’s prayer, Jesus teaches us to pray, “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matt. 6:13). This raises a very important question – Does God actually lead us into temptation?
God’s Sovereignty
To answer this question, we must consider what the Bible teaches us about God. Our Bible’s begin with the words, “In the beginning God” (Gen. 1:1). When we get to the book of Revelation, we see that there are a people from every tongue, tribe, and nation, singing praises to God in heaven. Have you ever stopped to ask how God can guarantee that such things will come to pass?
If all of history is moving to this appointed end, then God must be absolutely sovereign over all things. Not one drop of rain, not one leaf, not one hair from our head falls without God’s permission. If there were one maverick molecule (as R.C. Sproul used to say) on this planet that could thwart God’s plan, then neither the cross or the new heaven and new earth could be guaranteed. God could not be God, because there would be something that had a higher power and able to thwart His plan. Job 42:2 reminds us that no purpose of God’s can be thwarted.
God’s Sovereignty and Temptation
If God is sovereign over all things, then does that mean that temptation comes from God? James 1:13-14 says , “Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.” This verse teaches us that God does not tempt any person. To blame God for our temptations would be wicked and irreverent. Yet, it would also be wrong to suppose that God has nothing at all to do with the temptations that we face.
Since God is absolutely sovereign, we must understand that nothing exists or occurs apart from God’s providential control. When we are met with temptation, we should realize two very important truths: (1) It not God that is tempting me. (2) This temptation has been permitted by God as part of his plan. God has done this for His own wise purposes in order to accomplish His will.
The Example of Job
Perhaps this is most clearly seen in the book of Job. In the opening chapter of the book of Job, Satan comes before God and gives account for his goings and comings “to and fro” on the earth. Then, God permits Satan to tempt Job. Job was a “blameless and upright man.”
The point that we see with this transaction between God and Satan is that “even the Devil is the Lord’s Devil” as Martin Luther once said. There is not a cosmic power struggle going on between good and evil. God is not trying to win back His kingdom back from Satan. Even Satan is under God’s dominion and is used by God as God’s instrument to accomplish His purposes.
How to Pray the 6th Petition
Having understood God’s sovereignty and temptation, we are now ready to consider what it means to pray “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
When we pray this petition, we are rightly acknowledging that God is most wise, righteous, and just. God so orders things that sometimes we are permitted to undergo temptation for a season in order to accomplish His holy ends. As Christians, we fight the world, the flesh, and the Devil. God can permit any of these agents to be used as a means of conforming us to the image of His Son. When we pray the sixth petition, we are asking for God’s purposes to be accomplished. We are asking that God would enable us to learn the lesson that He means to teach us.
Temptation also has a way of keeping us humble and dependent upon God. As Christian’s we are not only dependent upon God for our salvation, but we are also dependent upon God’s power and help moment by moment and day by day. “He who began a good work in us will bring it to completion in the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:6).
In the 6th petition, we are asking God for help us to overcome temptation. Even as Christians, part of sanctification is that we are dying more unto sin and living unto righteousness (1 Peter 2:24). By the special help of the Holy Spirit and by Christ’s intercession for us, we are enabled more and more to gain the victory over temptation and to live a holy life that glorifies God.
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