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Why do people like sports?
Because sports provide us with very clear cut lines. You root for your team. They are good and their opponents are bad. This is why, when one of our favorite sports characters turns bad, we find ourselves in a state of cognitive dissonances. All that we have believed to be true and right has come tumbling down on our heads. People want life to be easy. We want things to be black or white . . . right or wrong . . . Do X and not Z.
What does Temptation have to do with sports?
People want Temptation in the context of Christianity to be like sports - Clear cut - someone has to win and someone else has to lose. Preachers, myself included, often use Paul's use of athlete terms to ask the question: Don't you want to finish the race well? That is great for twenty year olds who are in shape and might win, but what about me who just started working out yesterday. I'll settle for survival . . . maybe a better heart rate in a few months. NT. Wright says that we often look at temptation with a Peter Pan outlook - you can do it - everything is good, Hurray for God, or an Eeyore type attitude . . . life sucks and I can't resist the world or my flesh and certainly not Satan.
So, is there any hope for the human race?
Yes, there is hope.
Tell me more
First, I think we need to realize that temptation always starts with something good. You and I have fallen into a very dualistic trap. We often label things that God created as evil or good. For example, sex and alcohol are often demonized because of the way people abuse them. I could go on, but you would probably just stop reading my blog. What we need to remember is that Temptation always begins with something good.
We need to avoid this good or evil dualistic approach to life. A follower of Jesus, who is willing to contemplate life, will realize that sin does not come in the thing itself, but in the wrong use of it. We often take what God has created and use it as "a toy or as trash". As Christians, we are often tempted at a deeper level than just the surface. We are tempted to hate God's good creation or to even hate ourselves. Deep down we feel like a war is going on between the evil part of ourselves and the Good part of ourselves. NT. Wright suggests that we are prone to regard ourselves and the world as a football match. The problem is deep down we know we are going to lose.
Alright, but what about the war between the "flesh and the Spirit?"
Yes, there is a battle going on between the two, but what is meant by flesh in this context is not the flesh of your body. A disembodied spirit can participate in many of the qualities of the Flesh - anger, malice, jealousy, and pride . . . spiritual pride. I think what Paul often means by flesh is a person in rebellion against God. This is key. Temptation that sounds, feels, and tastes good to you is touching something deep in you that is good, but then there is the suggestion that you elevate it above its God given position into a place where the "thrill is more important than God's intended long term satisfaction." Yielding to the flesh then - is to abuse our God given world, our God given personalities, or our God given bodies to mask the emptiness we feel inside and these actions stand in direct rebellion to God's creating purposes.
O.K., so how do I deal with temptation?
Well, Christians often deal with temptation in one of two ways. The first,denying some part of themselves which leads to a sense of success, immaturity, and Spiritual pride. The other option is total failure to resist temptation, which then leads to self-hatred and a sense of total defeat.
Thanks for the non-answer. Is there a third option?
Yes, but it isn't as straight forward as I would like it to be. The real answer is that we must look deep into ourselves and ask why we feel like we need to rebel against God. What is it in us that needs to be put straight. What is in pain? What is distorted and out of wack and needs some work. This will take prayer, fasting, and help from our communities. We cannot do it alone. We must seek other's help.
Yeah, thanks for the abstract answer, and the you need community thing. But where do I start? How do I begin?
O.k., I think that the long term part is obviously a life time project, but when temptation does rear it's ugly face there are a few things you can do. The first thing you can do is thank God for making you human and for all that entails. Secondly, realize this that when you "choose" not to rebel against God - you are becoming more human. When you rebel against God you are moving away from God and subverting the created order. It could be put this way. In rebellion we move towards hell and in obedience we move further into the Kingdom of God. You may not realize this, but being human is the Goal of Christianity. God created us to be human. When we give in to temptation and sin, we are moving away from our humanness. Jesus came to call humanity back to it’s humanness and away from Satan’s distorted lies and the power of this world that try to force their will on us. | 
