The person who is wise, whether he or she is young or old, will turn away from everything else in life, if need be, in order to more perfectly lay hold on the fullness of redemption. It is the Father's good pleasure to bring many sons through to the fullness of redemption, to the fullness of the Glory of God.

Christ asks you: "Will you be saved?"

If your answer is Yes, He will bring you through death and resurrection.

Christ asks you: "Will you follow the Holy Spirit in sanctification?"

If your answer is Yes, He will bring you a second time through death and resurrection.

Christ asks you: "Will you lose your life for My sake and the Gospel's?"

If your answer is Yes, He will bring you a third time through death and resurrection.

What are your answers to His three questions?

We have just finished a brief description of the three areas of redemption (salvation, sanctification, conquest). Now we will turn to the discussion of the three temptations of Christ and point out some of the relationships between them and the three areas of redemption.

The First Temptation 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. And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, that man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God. (Luke 4:1-4)

The three temptations of Christ, as recorded in Luke, include the three ways in which each son of God is tested. These three trials are somewhat parallel to the three deaths and resurrections of redemption (death to the world and resurrection to God's Kingdom; death to sin and resurrection to spiritual liberty; death to self-will and resurrection to fruitfulness and dominion).

Each son of God is tested concerning the issue of physical comfort and survival on the earth. This is the "bread" question.

"Do I dare forsake the world and put my faith in Jesus? Would it be better for me to make my own way in the world and take care of myself, do my own works, or should I repent, be baptized, and put my trust in Christ for my salvation and safety?

"Should I trust in my own strength and grasp the world I can see, or should I believe in Christ and hope for a world I can't see?"

Also, each son of God is tested concerning enjoying the sinful pleasures of the kingdoms of the world, as opposed to denying the flesh and spending time in prayer and in the study of the Word of God. The issue here can be stated clearly: "Will I worship Christ or Satan?"

In addition, each son of God is tested concerning steadfast obedience to the Father. "Will I obey God when he asks me to sacrifice my life in order to serve Him, or should I hold on to the right to make my own decisions concerning what I do on the earth? Should I attempt to use God or should I allow God to use me?"

To be continued.