Q. 65. What do we pray for in the sixth petition of the Lord’s Prayer, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”?

We pray that God would either keep us from being tempted or support and deliver us when we are tempted.

Genesis 39:12; Daniel 1:8; 3:16–18; Psalm 1:1; 19:13; 119:133; 141:4; Proverbs 5:8; 6:27–29; 7:7–9, 25; Matthew 26:41; Luke 22:31–32; 1 Corinthians 10:13; 2 Corinthians 12:7–8; Galatians 5:16–17; 2 Thessalonians 3:3; Hebrews 2:18; James 1:13–15; 1 Peter 5:8; 2 Peter 2:9; Jude 1:24–25.

  • WSC 106

Keep us. “Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26:41). We should seek God’s wisdom to avoid tempting situations. For example, Proverbs teaches that the best way for a young man to overcome an adulterous woman is to stay as far away from her as possible (Proverbs 5:8). Jesus said, “If your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell” (Matthew 5:30).

Support. The ability to bear temptations comes from God’s grace, which we receive by asking for it (Chrysostom, Homilies on 1 Corinthians 24.1). “By ourselves we are too weak to hold our own even for a moment. And our sworn enemies—the devil, the world, and our own flesh—never stop attacking us. And so, Lord, uphold us and make us strong with the strength of your Holy Spirit, so that we may not go down to defeat in this spiritual struggle, but may firmly resist our enemies until we finally win the complete victory” (Heidelberg Catechism 127).

Deliver. “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). The “way of escape” from temptation is usually through the ordained means of grace: going to prayer, reading or memorizing Scripture, listening to the preaching or teaching of God’s Word, seeking accountability and support from the church, and sharing in the Lord’s Supper (Q. 54). Christians must support one another in the fight against sin.

When we are tempted. Even Jesus was tempted (Matthew 4:1). When we ask him for help in temptation, he is patient with our need: “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

  1. Coming soon