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Edward D. Andrews — **EDWARD D. ANDREWS** (AS in Criminal Justice, BS in Religion, MA in Biblical Studies, and MDiv in Theology) is CEO and President of Christian Publishing House. He has authored over 120 books. Andrews is the Chief Translator of the Updated American Standard Version (UASV).

FACEBOOK COMMENT

“Satan is irrelevant and has been since the resurrection. If I’m tempted, God is tempting me for a reason. … Didn’t Satan first need permission from God to tempt Job? Does he not need the same permission to tempt me? So if I am being tempted, I can reasonably draw the conclusion that God allowed that temptation for a reason.”—John Smith.

Response to Facebook Comment

No, the conclusion is mistaken. The account in Job is a real historical narrative, but it is not the pattern for every circumstance.

The Bible states that God does not tempt anyone. James 1:13 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.” This verse makes it clear that God is not the source of temptation and that He is not responsible for people’s sinful actions or desires. Temptation comes from our own sinful nature and the influence of the devil, not from God.

However, James 1:2-4 says that God allows trials and tests in our life to refine and strengthen our faith. But it’s not the same as tempting. So, the Bible teaches that God does not tempt us to sin, but allows us to be tested and refined through trials and difficulties.

PRESCRIBED OR DESCRIBED: The account in Job is a description of a historical narrative, not a prescription for everything thereafter. In addition, remember God’s foreknowledge is of every detail yet to come, so God knew Satan’s intentions for Job before Satan ever came to heaven before God to offer the challenge.

Second, you have to consider every Bible verse in the context of the circumstance and in the context of the whole Bible. If someone has a belief about Job and then they are given three Bible verses that CONTRADICT and UNDERMINES their belief about Job. Then, their interpretation of Job is wrong because the Bible does not contract itself, ever.

SATAN IS LIKE A LION SEEKING TO DEVOUR US
1 Peter 5:8 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

GOD TEMPTS NO ONE
James 1:13-15 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
¹³Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted[9] with evil,[10] and he [God] himself tempts no one. ¹⁴But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own desire.[11] ¹⁵Then the desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

JAMES 1:13 BDC: IF GOD DOESN’T TEMPT ANYONE, THEN WHY DID HE TEMPT ABRAHAM?

DECEIVER OF WHOLE EARTH
Revelation 12:9 Updated American Standard Version (UASV)
⁹And the great dragon was thrown down, the serpent of old who is called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole inhabited earth; he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him.

God does not put a hedge up about us to protect us from Satan’s world. Jesus and the NT authors said over and over that we were going to suffer persecution. Not because God is tempting us but because of Adam’s rebellion and sin entering the world.

ALL imperfect humans are mentally bent toward evil. (Gen. 6:5; 8:21). ALL imperfect human hearts are treacherous. (Jer. 17:9) ALL imperfect human’s natural desire is to do bad. (Rom. 7:21).

Generally speaking, 95% of the bad things that happen to us are the result of Adamic sin, that is, human imperfection, human weakness, our sinful nature. (Rom. 5:12) About 5% are the result of Satan and the demons. 0 [zero]% are the result of God tempting us.

We do not have guardian angels but we have angels that guard us to an extent. God has allowed sin and evil in this world for humans to learn an object lesson that man cannot walk on his own, he was designed to be under God’s sovereignty. So, even God’s people are subject to sin and evil. However, Satan and his millions of demons could easily destroy all of God’s people in an instant. They are that powerful. We will remember that 185,000 Assyrian warriors were destroyed by one angel in one night. (2 Kings 19:35) So, the angels of God, including the archangel Michael and Gabriel are restraining Satan and the demons from outright killing us. However, the angels of God are not protecting us from human imperfection, sin, disease, old age, death, and the evil of Satan’s world, nor Satan and the demon’s influence. While Christians are just as susceptible to these things, we have a very good, accurate knowledge of God’s Word and applying it in a balanced manner will enable us to avoid much that unbelievers will suffer through. God does not tempt people but rather allows people to be tempted by their own desire.