QUESTION: What did the blessed Lord mean when He said to Peter, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation" (Matt. 26:411? What is entering into temptation?
ANSWERS: The Lord desires His disciples to "watch and pray," instead of which they slept and prayed not. And when the hour of temptation came they fled, and Peter, who was so confident of his own strength that he said, "Though I should die with Thee, yet will I not deny Thee," most signally failed. What brought him into the judgment hall? Why did he thus "enter into temptation"? He had not been told to do so. In verse 58, Peter followed Christ "afar off," and "went in and sat with the servants, to see the end." This was "entering into temptation." There he was at that moment, flesh unjudged and trusted in, prayer and watchfulness lacking, a moral distance between him and Christ. Temptation was entered upon and unhallowed companionship was sought. What a fit one he was at that moment to be the sport of Satan.
How often do the Lord's people fail in this way. Instead of distrusting themselves, they enter into this or that, and when the time of trial comes, there is failure and a practical denial of Christ. The flesh has been unjudged, and it leads them where the Spirit never would have led.
Thus we see many with unjudged flesh, no moral nearness to Christ and temptations of one sort or another sometimes unthinkingly entered upon. It may be an infidel publication opened and read, or an association of one kind or other taken up—unhallowed companionship sought or fallen into without divinely given moral courage to resist them. The ear is opened to a suggestion of one kind or other, which is known to be subversive to divine truth, and thus the poor, weak vessel becomes a stranded one on the shores of infidelity. Then the clear divine testimony of one who might have been a faithful, firm and devoted disciple is lost to Christ through the machinations of an ever-watchful enemy.
All these things and many more of a like nature come under the term "entering into temptation." It is the exercise of one's own will and the disregard of the will of the Lord—self trusted and wisdom from above unsought. It would be a useful question to ask ourselves with regard to everything in which we are engaged, whether of a religious nature, or business, or other occupations of life. "Am I sure that Christ has sent me here? Would He have me engaged in this association or that occupation? Would He have me read this book or take part in this or that?”
If we cannot satisfactorily answer before the Lord such questions, depend upon it, we have engaged in that which is the exercise of our own wills and thus lave "entered into temptation." We cannot count von the result if we do these things. No doubt God will take care of His own to the end, of this I am sure, but we cannot count upon Him if we "enter into temptation." We may have to learn our folly, like Peter, by a deep and shameful fall. Oh, for a more thorough and growing distrust of self!
How can we expect to be preserved from contamination if we enter into some place or companionship or occupation which the Lord would not sanction? As long as we are in the path of obedience, we can count with the utmost confidence upon the care and protection of the Lord. He charges Himself with all the rest when we are there. But the moment we get out of this path, we have left the place where lie would have us and where we can count with all confidence upon His care and love.
When walking in dependence and obedience, we will not move one step till we know His mind and will.