Satan’s Schema – Part 3

Jesus is tempted three times in Matthew 4. The second temptation goes something like this: “Throw yourself off this building so that they angels can catch you.”

Is Satan board and looking for some entertainment, or is something else going on here?

Underneath the surface, Satan is trying to get Jesus to TEST God the Father. In other words Satan is saying: “God is a good God. Therefore, he will protect and defend you at all times no matter what you do.” This sounds very “Christian” but it doesn’t take into account the sinful actions that God doesn’t want you to take. Satan is trying to get us to test God by acting imprudently and then expecting him to show up.

Some examples of TESTING God might look like:

• A couple who goes on handling their finances foolishly because they think that God will probably come through for them in the end and send them a big check through a family member of friend. They are testing God to see if he will cover for their foolishness.
• A college student who goes on having a sexual relationship with their boyfriend/girlfriend thinking that God will just forget about their actions someday and allow them to start over when they get married.
• A person who goes on living the Christian life by themselves, rather than getting involved in a spiritual community. They are testing God to see if he’ll actually grow them spiritually without any help from others.
• A person who buys more things than he can afford because he was told by his preacher that God wants to bless those who love Him.
  

All of these examples are of people who are living in sin and are believing Satan's lie that God blesses those who disobey Him.

If we are testing God, we are desiring to be in control of our spiritual lives. Satan is trying to get us to reject the authority of our loving Father and replace it with a doubtful skepticism.