by Jerry Robinson
Originally Posted on 3/4/2007
“For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world.” (1 John 2:16 NKJV)
In the above scripture, the apostle John states that three worldly attitudes operate in opposition to holiness: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. However, it is not merely followers of Christ that must resist these attitudes. The first woman, Eve, also encountered them in the Garden of Eden.
The snake slithered into the Garden and found Eve. The tempter began to tempt God’s perfect creation. Eve was found wanting. Note the detailed reasoning that deception had created in Eve’s mind in the Genesis account:
“When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate.” (Gen. 3:6 NASB)
Through the cravings caused by “the lust of the flesh,” Eve noticed that the tree was “good for food.”
Through her greedy longings caused by “the lust of the eyes,” Eve saw that the tree was “a delight to the eyes.”
Through her sense of self-assuredness caused by “the pride of life,” Eve discovered that the tree was “desirable to make one wise.”
This pattern of succumbing to worldly lusts is both inherent in man’s sin nature and is aggravated mercilessly by Satan. Our enemy knows and exploits our weaknesses. O, that we would know them and shield them!
Prayer Focus: “Lord, let me be transformed by Your words of life to resist the temptation to sin against you.”
