2008
Line upon Line: 1 Corinthians 10:13
October 2008

“Line upon Line: 1 Corinthians 10:13,” New Era, Oct. 2008, 45

Line upon Line

1 Corinthians 10:13

The Apostle Paul taught us that God will help us when we are faced with temptation.

13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

Temptation

Satan tries to tempt us with those things that will draw us away from God’s Spirit. But we can use our agency to choose good over evil. If we are prayerful and obedient, Heavenly Father will help us withstand temptation. Here are some things you can do to overcome temptation and remain close to the Spirit (from True to the Faith [2004], 174–76):

  • Center your life on the Savior.

  • Pray for strength.

  • Study the scriptures daily.

  • Fill your life with goodness.

  • Avoid tempting places and situations.

  • Strive to influence others for good.

  • Never hesitate in your decisions to withstand temptation.

Common

President Thomas S. Monson

“Temptation is a part of life and will be experienced in one way or another by every traveler through mortality. However, the Apostle Paul, acknowledging this truth, gave us this assurance [1 Corinthians 10:13].

“It has been said that conscience warns us as a friend before it punishes us as a judge. The expression of one young man is a sermon in itself. When asked when he was happiest, he replied, ‘I’m happiest when I don’t have a guilty conscience.’”

President Thomas S. Monson, “Happiness—The Universal Quest,” Ensign, Oct. 1993, 2.

Faithful

Faithful—sure and true

A way to escape

There are many ways to escape temptation. For Joseph in Egypt, escape was a literal thing—he ran away (see Genesis 39:12). We may not always have to flee from temptation in this way, but we all have to overcome it somehow. Perhaps you could write in your journal about a specific experience in which Heavenly Father has helped you avoid or escape temptation.

Able to bear it

Elder Richard G. Scott

“When you have taken a determined stand for right, when you have established personal standards and made covenants to keep them, when temptations come and you act according to your standards, you will be reinforced and given strength beyond your own capacity if that is needed. Difficulty comes when you enter the battle of temptation without a fixed plan.”

Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, “Do What Is Right,” Ensign, June 1997, 53.