“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” (1 John 2:16)

We grow up “in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation” (Philippians 2:15), suffering temptations from three angles. One angle tempts us to fulfill “the lust of the flesh.” “The lust of the eyes” tempts us to desire that which is off limits. “The pride of life” tempts one “to think of himself more highly than he ought to think” (Romans 12:3). Even worse, no one has the power to deliver himself from these three angles. “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24). Jesus can deliver! He offers freedom from each angle of temptation.

Satan approached Eve and Adam from these three angles, and they fell. We inherited their sin nature since we descended from them. But Matthew 4:1-11 records how Jesus followed His Father’s will at each of the same three angles the devil presented to Him. He “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). His victories qualify Him to free us.

“But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ” (Ephesians 2:13). Those who repent of sins and trust Christ can begin living in the freedom to serve the Father instead of the flesh, to desire Him over the world’s empty substitutes for knowing Him, and to enjoy His acceptance instead of having to pridefully labor to be somebody. “But now having been set free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life” (Romans 6:22). BDT