The following "Question" was asked by a member of the congregation at Grace Community Church in Panorama City, California, and "Answered" by their pastor, John MacArthur Jr. It was transcribed from the tape, GC 70-1, titled "Bible Questions and Answers."  A copy of the tape can be obtained by writing, Word of Grace, P.O. Box 4000, Panorama City, CA 91412 or by dialing toll free 1-800-55-GRACE.  Copyright John MacArthur Jr., All Rights Reserved.

Question

How do you know when you are being "tempted" by Satan or "tested" by God?

Answer

How do you know when you are being "tempted" by Satan and "tested" by God? And the answer is that they are one in the same. If you fail, Satan succeeded in tempting you, if you pass, God gets the victory for seeing you through the test--in a sense.

Now, there are some things that are not a test by God at all, but are purely a temptation--it depends on where you are--it is hard to define that. The word "temptation" and the word "testing" are the same word--"peirasmos" (Greek), same word, no difference. It depends on how you respond. For example, if something comes on the TV that is evil-- it will either demonstrate my strength or demonstrate my weakness--true? So, it is either a test by which God is able to show me my strength, or it is a temptation by which Satan shows me my weakness. It depends on what I do with it.

That's an over simplification, in a sense, but you understand what I am driving at? The "trying of your faith works patience, and patience wants to have its perfect work," James 1. So the Lord is going to bring trial, trial, trail. Now, none of those trials is a direct solicitation to evil. A direct solicitation to evil is not included in those, and that is why in James 1, it says, "God tempts no man."

The Lord will bring trials into your life, which if you fail those trials will turn into temptations, but the Lord will never bring a direct solicitation to evil. So, having said what I said initially, when trials come into your life, if you fail them, they turn out to be temptations in which Satan was victorious. If you pass them, they turn out to be victories, in which God was trying and strengthening you, but a direct solicitation to do evil is always from the enemy and never from God.