The Uses of Temptation

The soul, in its journey towards perfection, passes through three distinct stages. The first is the animal stage, in which the man is content to live in the gratification of his senses, unawakened to the knowledge of sin, or of his divine inheritance, and altogether unconscious of the spiritual possibilities within himself.

On its journey toward perfection, the soul passes through three distinct stages. The first is the animal stage. In this stage, a man is content to satisfy his senses. He has not yet awakened to the knowledge of sin or his divine inheritance. He is completely unaware of his own spiritual possibilities.

The second is the dual stage, in which the mind is continually oscillating between its animal and divine tendencies, having become awakened to the consciousness of both. It is during this stage that temptation plays its part in the progress of the soul. It is a stage of continual fighting, of falling and rising, of sinning and repenting, for the man, still loving, and reluctant to leave, the gratifications in which he has so long lived, yet also aspires to the purity and excellence of the spiritual state, and he is continually mortified by an undecided choice.

The second is the dual stage. In this stage, the mind becomes aware of both its animal and divine tendencies and constantly swings between them. During this stage, temptation plays its part in the soul’s progress. It is a stage of constant struggle, of falling and rising, of sinning and repenting. The man still loves the pleasures he has enjoyed for so long and is reluctant to leave them. Yet he also aspires to the purity and excellence of the spiritual state. His inability to choose continually causes him distress.

Urged on by the divine life within him, this stage becomes at last one of deep anguish and suffering, and then the soul is ushered into the third stage, that of knowledge, in which the man rises above both sin and temptation, and enters into peace.

Driven by the divine life within him, the man eventually experiences deep anguish and suffering during this stage. Then his soul enters the third stage, that of knowledge. In this stage, he rises above both sin and temptation and enters into peace.

Temptation, like contentment in sin, is not a lasting condition, as the majority of people suppose; it is a passing phase, an experience through which the soul must pass; but as to whether a man will pass through that condition in this present life, and realise holiness and heavenly rest here and now, will depend entirely upon the strength of his intellectual and spiritual exertions, and upon the intensity and ardour with which he searches for Truth.

Temptation, like contentment in sin, is not a lasting condition, as most people suppose. It is a passing phase, an experience the soul must go through. But whether a person passes through it in this life depends entirely on the strength of their intellectual and spiritual efforts. It also depends on how intensely and eagerly they search for Truth. These efforts determine whether they attain holiness and heavenly rest here and now.

Temptation, with all its attendant torments, can be overcome here and now, but it can only be overcome by knowledge. It is a condition of darkness, or of semi-darkness. The fully enlightened soul is proof against all temptation. When a man fully understands the source, nature, and meaning of temptation, in that hour he will conquer it, and will rest from his long travail; but whilst he remains in ignorance, attention to religious observances, and much praying and reading of Scripture will fail to bring him peace.

Temptation, with all the torment that comes with it, can be overcome here and now. But it can only be overcome through knowledge. Temptation is a state of darkness or partial darkness. The fully enlightened soul is resistant to all temptation. When a man fully understands the source, nature, and meaning of temptation, he will conquer it at once. He will rest from his long struggle. But as long as he remains ignorant, religious observances, much prayer, and reading Scripture will not bring him peace.

If a man goes out to conquer an enemy, knowing nothing of his enemy's strength, tactics, or place of ambush, he will not only ignominiously fail, but will speedily fall into the hands of the enemy. He who would overcome his enemy the tempter, must discover his stronghold and place of concealment, and must also find out the unguarded gates in his own fortress where his enemy effects so easy an entrance. This necessitates continual meditation, ceaseless watchfulness, and constant and rigid introspection which lays bare, before the spiritual eyes of the tempted one, the vain and selfish motives of his soul. This is the holy warfare of the saints; it is the fight upon which every soul enters when it awakens out of its long sleep of animal indulgence.

If a man goes out to conquer an enemy without knowing the enemy’s strength, tactics, or hiding places, he will fail in disgrace. He will also quickly fall into the enemy’s hands. Anyone who wants to overcome the tempter, his enemy, must discover the enemy’s stronghold and hiding place. He must also find the unguarded gates in his own fortress, where the enemy enters so easily. This requires continual meditation, ceaseless watchfulness, and constant, rigorous self-examination. Such self-examination reveals the vain and selfish motives of his soul to his spiritual eyes. This is the holy warfare of the saints. It is the fight every soul enters when it awakens from its long sleep of animal indulgence.

Men fail to conquer, and the fight is indefinitely prolonged, because they labour, almost universally, under two delusions: first, that all temptations come from without; and second, that they are tempted because of their goodness. Whilst a man is held in bondage by these two delusions, he will make no progress; when he has shaken them off, he will pass on rapidly from victory to victory, and will taste of spiritual joy and rest.

Men fail to overcome temptation, and the struggle goes on indefinitely, because almost all of them believe two things that are not true. First, they believe that all temptations come from outside themselves. Second, they believe they are tempted because of their goodness. As long as a man is held captive by these two false beliefs, he will make no progress. But once he has cast them off, he will quickly move from victory to victory and experience spiritual joy and rest.

Two searching truths must take the place of these two delusions, and those truths are: first, that all temptation comes from within; and second, that a man is tempted because of the evil that is within him. The idea that God, a devil, evil spirits, or outward objects are the source of temptation must be dispelled.

Two searching truths must replace these two false beliefs. First, all temptation comes from within. Second, a man is tempted because of the evil within him. We must reject the idea that temptation comes from God, a devil, evil spirits, or things outside us.

The source and cause of all temptation is in the inward desire; that being purified or eliminated, outward objects and extraneous powers are utterly powerless to move the soul to sin or to temptation. The outward object is merely the occasion of the temptation, never the cause; this is in the desire of the one tempted. If the cause existed in the object, all men would be tempted alike, temptation could never be overcome, and men would be hopelessly doomed to endless torment; but seated, as it is, in his own desires, he has the remedy in his own hands, and can become victorious over all temptation by purifying those desires. A man is tempted because there are within him certain desires or states of mind which he has come to regard as unholy. These desires may lie asleep for a long time, and the man may think that he has got rid of them, when suddenly, on the presentation of an outward object, the sleeping desire wakes up and thirsts for immediate gratification; and this is the state of temptation.

The source and cause of all temptation is inward desire. When that desire is purified or eliminated, outward objects and outside powers cannot move the soul to sin or temptation. The outward object is merely the occasion of temptation, never the cause. The cause is the desire of the person tempted. If the cause lay in the object, all people would be tempted alike. Temptation could never be overcome, and people would be hopelessly doomed to endless torment. But the cause lies in each person's desires, so the remedy is in their own hands. By purifying those desires, a person can overcome all temptation. A person is tempted because they have certain desires or states of mind that they have come to regard as unholy. These desires may lie dormant for a long time, and the person may think they have got rid of them. Then an outward object suddenly appears, and the dormant desire awakens and longs for immediate satisfaction. This is the state of temptation.

The good in a man is never tempted. Goodness destroys temptation. It is the evil in a man that is aroused and tempted. The measure of a man's temptations is the exact register of his own unholiness. As a man purifies his heart, temptation ceases, for when a certain unlawful desire has been taken out of the heart, the object which formerly appealed to it can no longer do so, but becomes dead and powerless, for there is nothing left in the heart that can respond to it. The honest man cannot be tempted to steal, let the occasion be ever so opportune; the man of purified appetites cannot be tempted to gluttony and drunkenness, though the viands and wines be the most luscious; he of an enlightened understanding, whose mind is calm in the strength of inward virtue, can never be tempted to anger, irritability, or revenge, and the wiles and charms of the wanton fall upon the purified heart as empty meaningless shadows.

The good in a man is never tempted. Goodness destroys temptation. It is the evil in a man that is stirred and tempted. The extent of a man's temptations is the exact measure of his own lack of holiness. As a man purifies his heart, temptation ceases. Once a forbidden desire has been removed from his heart, the thing that once appealed to it can no longer do so. It becomes dead and powerless, because nothing remains in his heart that can respond to it. An honest man cannot be tempted to steal, however favorable the opportunity. A man who has purified his appetites cannot be tempted to overeat or get drunk, however delicious the food and wine. A man with enlightened understanding, whose mind is calm in the strength of inner virtue, can never be tempted to anger, irritability, or revenge. And the tricks and charms of a sexually unrestrained person fall on the purified heart like empty, meaningless shadows.

Temptation shows a man just where he is sinful and ignorant, and is a means of urging him on to higher altitudes of knowledge and purity. Without temptation the soul could not grow and become strong, there could be no wisdom, no real virtue; and though there would be lethargy and death, there could be no peace and no fulness of life. When temptation is understood and conquered, perfection is assured, and such perfection may become any man's who is willing to cast every selfish and impure desire by which he is possessed, into the sacrificial fire of knowledge. Let men, therefore, search diligently for Truth, realising that whilst they are subject to temptation, they have not comprehended Truth, and have much to learn.

Temptation shows a person exactly where they are sinful and ignorant. It urges them toward greater knowledge and purity. Without temptation, the soul could not grow and become strong. There could be no wisdom or real virtue. There would be lethargy and death, but no peace or fullness of life. When temptation is understood and conquered, perfection is assured. Anyone may achieve such perfection if they are willing to cast every selfish and impure desire they possess into the sacrificial fire of knowledge. Let people, therefore, search diligently for Truth. They should realize that while they are subject to temptation, they have not understood Truth and still have much to learn.

Ye who are tempted know, then, that ye are tempted of yourselves. "For every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lusts," says the Apostle James. You are tempted because you are clinging to the animal within you and are unwilling to let go; because you are living in that false mortal self which is ever devoid of all true knowledge, knowing nothing, seeking nothing, but its own immediate gratification, ignorant of every Truth, and of every divine Principle. Clinging to that self, you continually suffer the pains of three separate torments: the torment of desire, the torment of repletion, and the torment of remorse.

If you are tempted, know that your temptation comes from within yourself. As the Apostle James says, "Every person is tempted when drawn away by their own desires." You are tempted because you cling to the animal within you and are unwilling to let go. You live in your false mortal self, which has no true knowledge. It knows nothing and seeks nothing but its own immediate gratification. It is ignorant of every truth and every divine principle. By clinging to that self, you continually suffer three separate torments: desire, overindulgence, and remorse.

In that false self lies the germ of every suffering, the blight of every hope, the substance of every grief. When you are ready to give it up; when you are willing to have laid bare before you all its selfishness, impurity, and ignorance, and to confess its darkness to the uttermost, then will you enter upon the life of self-knowledge and self-mastery; you will become conscious of the God within you, of that divine nature which, seeking no gratification, abides in a region of perpetual joy and peace where suffering cannot come, and where temptation can find no foothold. Establishing yourself, day by day, more and more firmly in that inward Divinity, the time will at last come when you will be able to say with Him whom millions worship, few understand, and fewer still follow,—"The Pr-ince of this world cometh and hath nothing in me."

In that false self lies the seed of every suffering, the ruin of every hope, and the substance of every grief. When you are ready to give it up, you must be willing to see all its selfishness, impurity, and ignorance laid bare. You must also be willing to confess its darkness fully. Then you will begin a life of self-knowledge and self-mastery. You will become aware of the God within you and of your divine nature. That nature seeks no gratification. It lives in a realm of lasting joy and peace, where suffering cannot enter and temptation can find no foothold. Day by day, you will become more firmly established in that inner Divinity. At last, you will be able to speak as he did. Millions worship him, few understand him, and still fewer follow him. You will be able to say: "The Prince of this world comes and has nothing in me."