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The Daily Word of Righteousness
The Three Temptations of Christ
And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered. And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread. (Luke 4:1-3)
Christ was led by the Holy Spirit into a desolate area, there to be tested by the devil. Three temptations were set before Him. Christ overcame the adversary in each of the three areas of temptation. Now it is our turn. Every believer is tested in each of the three areas of temptation. Through the Word of God, the body and blood of Christ, and the help of the Holy Spirit, each of us can obtain victory in the wilderness of this life.
Man is born a sinful, lawless creature. The sin and lawlessness express themselves in man's love of the world, in the various lusts that reside in man's flesh, and in rebellion and self-will. The grace of God through Christ is sufficient to give every person perfect, complete victory over the world, over the lusts of the flesh, and over self-will.
Sometimes we hear the expression, "a second work of grace." Usually the meaning is, being saved is a first work of grace and receiving the baptism with the Holy Spirit is a second work of grace.
However, the Scriptures teach throughout, both in type and direct teaching, that there are three works of grace.
For example, there were three major divisions of the Tabernacle of the Congregation; three groups of Levitical feasts; three levels of Noah's Ark; three anointings of David; three temptations of Christ; three levels of fruitbearing; Egypt, the wilderness, and Canaan; and so forth.
The expression "in three days" or "on the third day," appears numerous times in the Scriptures.
Because there are three areas of life in which man is bound in chains the Lord God has given an abundance of grace. There are not just two works of Divine grace in the program of redemption but three. Anyone who is familiar with the Christian walk knows that the second work, the baptism with the Holy Spirit, has not brought us to the unity and maturity, the righteousness, holiness and obedience of conduct, set forth as the standard of the Word of God.
By the body and blood of Christ, the help of the Holy Spirit, and the Word of God, each of us can obtain victory over the sin and lawlessness that plague us continually.
The work of redemption in us is one whole and every part of that work comes from the one Lord Jesus Christ. But there are three areas in which Divine grace must be applied to us if we are to be "perfect and complete in all the will of God." These three areas were dealt with in the three temptations of Christ (Luke 4:1-13).
To be continued.