Required reading
A treatise on Satan's temptations by Richard Gilpin (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 6 and 7 of Part 3.
My summary
This week Gilpin begins to discuss the temptation of Christ given in Matthew 4:3 'And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.'
In Chapter Six Gilpin points out the reality of the temptations and makes the following observations:
(i) that it is Satan's work and employment to tempt men;
(ii) that Satan sometimes tempts in a visible appearance, and by voice.
Then in Chapter Seven Gilpin takes a general view of the temptation and gives his next round of observations on the verse:
(iii) that it is Satan's method to be gradual in his temptations, and that he keeps his greatest temptations to the latter end;
(iv) that Satan usually treads in a beaten path, using known and experienced methods of temptation;
(v) the usual advantages that Satan takes against us is from our natural appetite, our external senses, or our passions and affections.
What grabbed me
I liked Gilpin's point that Satan's job is to tempt men then it is our job to resist: 'The use of the observation is this, If it be his business to tempt, it must be our work to resist. [1.] First, To resist is a labour. It is not an idle formality, consisting in words of defiance, or a few ridiculous crossings and sprinklings of holy water, or spitting at the name of him, as ignorant people are wont to do.'
Resisting Satan is much harder than we may think, but that is what we're called to do.
Next week's reading
Read Chapter 8 and 9 of Part 3.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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