When God's voice is heard in sound preaching, there is an opposing voice which seeks to hinder the hearer from responding in faith to God's call. This article looks at the nature of this opposition and shows how Christians can overcome such a temptation so that preaching can produce the intended response.

Source: Diakonia, 1999. 7 pages.

About a Voice and Its Opposing Voice

Do we have to be in search of a life that is attuned to listening, a life that is so precisely tuned in that the jamming stations of our own heart, of the world and of our experiences no longer have any effect on us?

G. van Leeuwen (in C. Aalders et al., Luisterend leven, 's-Gravenhage, 1971, p.140)

Temptation🔗

While reflecting on 'a resounding gospel', one soon runs into a troublesome analogy which, for the sake of brevity, we would like to call 'voice and opposing voice'. In using the expression 'opposing voice' we do not think of a harmonizing second voice in choral singing, which helps make the song sound more full and more beautiful. Neither do we think of antiphonal singing, as practised in responsive singing.

We have in mind the conflicting voice of the opposition which distorts and attacks harmony. This can happen while a decision is taken during a meeting, and no agreement is forth­coming. In this situation it is common practice to cast a vote so that a decision may be reached. One person says "yes", whereas someone else says "no". This is what is meant by 'voice' and 'opposing voice'; it is the reality of pro and con when unanimity is lacking.

It is the function of faith in the heart of man to say "amen" to whatever God speaks. This is the 'yes' voice of faith. But this 'yes' is not the only voice. A distressing and conflicting voice starts to interfere. It runs the whole gamut of "yes but", to "could it be?" to downright "no".

The "yes" voice of faith finds itself under attack. Here we are faced with the intimidating reality of 'temptation'. While we are being tempted, we find that hostile forces are lined up against the promises of God (as well as against our trusting them). To the extent that a wartime jamming station was able to suppress or silence a scheduled broadcast, so the oppos­ing voice has the ability to usurp the place of the rightful response. This will be the subject for the following chapter.

The Vulnerable Heart🔗

Temptation and opposition bear down on people from various sides. For centuries already, the Church has recognized three archenemies: the devil, the world and our own flesh. We find these referred to in Reformed confessions as well (The Heidelberg Catechism, Lord's Day 52, Answer 127, in connection with the sixth petition). Each one of these three enemies has (by itself and collectively) differ­ent channels at its disposal in which tempta­tion reaches out to us.

An important channel to the heart of man is the opposing voice of his life-experience. A child of God experiences in his life adversities and disappointments. Life turns out to be quite different from what one might expect or dared hope for. In one single day the entire picture can change drastically, for example when a serious illness strikes down someone, or death arrives in the family, or an essential enterprise collapses, or a traffic accident comes our way, or a marriage is severely threatened by prob­lems, or the development of one's potential is forever prevented by a serious handicap.

At this point one is assailed by the opposing voice we referred to: Why does God let this happen? Where is the promised blessing? What is left of the promise that prayer will be heard? These questions may be followed by periods of darkness. God seems to be far away and barely makes His presence known. The book of Psalms gives us plenty of evidence concerning the reality of these opposing voices.

A second channel to our heart is found by the opposing voice of our immediate environment: the everyday world of our activities. Our society has become secularized to a high degree. Faith in God no longer plays a role in our society. We call this, ever so properly, the 'privatization' of faith. God is permitted (but just) to function as some sort of 'domestic god' behind closed doors. One person has collecting stamps as a hobby, so for another it is collect­ing Bible texts. And we, enlightened and emancipated people of the twentieth century, are tolerant enough to let everyone do his thing. Of course, this includes religion as well, provided it doesn't become a nuisance.

Meanwhile, God's children live in this world each and every day. At the same time, modern society's atheistic climate and the special atmosphere of a Sunday church service keep on drifting further and further apart. The whole world around us helps us understand that the primitive world picture of the Bible scarcely has a bearing any longer on our rationalized and technological society.

As for faith in Providence, which at one time offered so much support and stability in all kinds of life's circumstances, it has apparently run its course. The recognition of God's hand in the events of the day has now become a mythical concept. The riddles and the discov­eries of modern culture interpose themselves between God and us. This entire complex of secularization is also called 'the absence of God' or the 'twilight of God.' The more secular man is able to get firmly established in this society, the more the children of God will be overcome by the sensation of living in a desert.

Where can we still meet the God whose praises we sing on Sundays? Consequently, our boys and girls ask pertinent questions when they, bewildered, try to orient themselves in our culture.1

Closely associated with this thought climate is a third channel which the opposing voice finds to our heart. It is called: worldnews. Whatever used to be far away and even unknown to us, will nowadays be presented in colour and in the comfort of our living room. We can wit­ness in detail the catastrophes, miseries, helplessness and disintegration of our global society, and we get an inkling of what a 'groaning creation' means (cf. Rom  8:22). Many young hearts are overwhelmed by questions of sorrow and thus protest: Why does God permit all this to happen? How can God be silent in the face of so many challenges? "O, God are You really still there?" In a separate chapter (6) we hope to return to this enor­mously powerful opposing voice.

When we pay attention to life within the congregation, we discover a fourth source of temptation; it is the (sometimes strident) contradiction between the norm and the reality of church life and the life of a Christian. Again, it is the young people of the Church who do not want to make a peace of convenience with the alleged contradiction, nor do they have the intention to put up with any cheap compro­mise.

Lofty words are spoken in the Church. In the worship services we can hear songs of praise because of the mighty works of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Warnings are heard in the Church to beware of the evil world, and alarm is raised because of heretics, sects and 'evangelistic' movements.

But what is the reality of congregational life all about? Where are the words of wisdom and warmth? Where is the spontaneity and where is a living liturgy? Is the bond that holds the congregation together much more than mere formalism, traditionalism or conservatism? And what happens when a difference of opinion shows up? How much quibbling, small-mindedness, narrow-mindedness and plain pettiness will then dominate the conver­sation? Where, then, is the power of Christian love?

Given these questions, the opposing voice gets new and generous opportunities. Did God really have in mind this kind of congregational life when He on Pentecost sent His Holy Spirit to the people of Christ? Or are we, perhaps, better off to seek refuge in some charismatic group?

Finally, we will pay attention to a fifth channel for the opposing voice. It is the channel that is associated and connected with the doctrine of the Church. Here we have arrived at the subject of the 'classical' temptation: the pain of our conscience caused by the accusing function of the law. We know that God's law condemns and contradicts us in the very core of our motive for living. We hear about the wrath and the judgment of God, about sin, warning, threatenings and retribution. We are con­fronted by the inescapable reality of death. Not only must we mortify our old nature but also end our earthly existence in the hour of death.

When these realities are proclaimed from the pulpit, a person can feel abandoned and empty. Where is God in all this fire and brim­stone? It can happen that one will rebel against the endless litany of the Church about sin and the sinful nature of man. Is the Church ever going to stop with these traumatic sermons, because when you are in Christ you are a new creature, are you not? And so the question arises in many hearts: Where is God? What would stop Him from being found in some charismatic group? Has He, in effect, not distanced Himself from the traditional Church?

It should be apparent by now that 'devil, world, and our own flesh' have many channels at their disposal. Along these routes they can introduce in our hearts a disturbing and opposing voice whose volume will gradually increase.

The Power of Temptation🔗

In this chapter we shall discuss the tempta­tions that manifest themselves at the experien­tial level and adversely affect our response of faith. When the opposing voice of the tempta­tion drowns out that response, man will find himself in a most dangerous situation. He succumbs to doubt and breaks away from his professed faith, from his upbringing, from the Church, or perhaps even from God. We recognize three experienced enemies who make it their job to attack us in this fashion. We read about this a moment ago in Answer 127 of The Heidelberg Catechism. This is suffi­cient reason to examine the nature of tempta­tion in greater depth. For what do we actually mean by this concept?

It is self-evident that this examination should be linked together with what The Heidelberg Catechism has to say about it. Here, we come upon the word "temptation" in connection with the sixth petition: "And lead us not into temptation..." This word is a translation of the NT Greek peirasmos. Latin has tentatio, with the following derivatives: tentamen (experimental trial) and tentation (= temptation, usually plural in expressions of art). The above mini excursion into etymology may help illustrate what this subject is about.

The use of peirasmos connotes a situation in which man has to submit to a difficult test: he is tested to prove his mettle (cf. Gen 22:1; Deut 8:2; Jas 1:2, 3; 1 Pet 1:6, 7; 4:12). Another connotation of the word is more detrimental: temptation. In this event man is not only tested, undergoing trials, but he is directly tempted to bid farewell to God and his faith (cf. Mt 4:1; 26:41; Mk 14:38). Though it is conceivable that God tests and tries man, God is not involved in the world of sin and its temptations. We read about this in James 1:13 "For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone;" also compare James 1:2, 3.

Both forces which we denote in our language by using the different words 'testing' and 'temptation' can be active in one single situa­tion of life. Each time we are put to the test or have to face trials, this situation can harbour the devil of temptation. In the New Testament the word peirasmos is used as well to identify troublesome and risky situations that have the habit of driving man into a corner (cf. Lk 8:13; Mk 4:17; Lk 22:28; Ac 20:19; Heb 2:18). The meaning of "to be lead into temptation (by God)" is that God (in a particular instance) does not guide us out of a problematic situa­tion nor delivers us from it, but gives us over to the power of evil which tries to trap us in that situation (cf. 1 Ti 4:18; also The Canons of Dort, V, 4).

When we take all of these facts into account, it will become evident that our entire existence constantly yields opportunities in which God as well as Satan can lead us into peirasmos. Wealth and poverty, health and sickness, social pressures and economical prosperity, happiness and sorrow – God's child finds himself constantly in a combat situation. Besides, in that situation he is extremely vulnerable, since the enemy is round about him (world) and within him (one's own flesh). At the moment God lets him go, he is finished and he makes the wrong choice. This complex­ity of combat situations forms the background of our noun 'temptation' which is the literal translation of Luther's 'Anfechtung' as it is used in theology.

'Anfechtung' connotes: attack in a combat situation. In medieval German it meant liter­ally to wage a physical combat with someone. Temptation suggests therefore: putting to the test, seducing, probing and preying on, harass­ing, contesting, attacking and baiting. All this could result in despondency and uncertainty, apostacy, backsliding, rebelliousness and breaking away from God.2

But the alternative could also occur: to stand the test, to be reliable, to experience the power of faith to the glory of God and to become stronger.

As referred to before, it was Luther who introduced the medieval 'Anfechtung' into the idiom of the churches of the Great Reforma­tion. In fact, he made it into a theme of deliberations on faith and of theology. Luther himself had to suffer much because of the reality of 'Anfechtung', or temptation. He suffered this in the torments of his conscience, the pressures of the circumstances he found himself in, his life as a monk, and in his work as a reformer of the Church.

He had to reach rock bottom first before he was able to instruct the Church (as no other could) about the essentiality as well as the benefit of being put to the test. The path which man has to follow to keep him from a false sense of security is the path through combat and trial. Being put to the test is precisely what keeps our faith in God's promises alive. This teaches us over and again that we should seek our assurance outside ourselves, yet in the promises of God. It is in the moment of trial that the gospel demonstrates its unique power. Who would be able to ever speak one single word of wisdom about the 'experience' of a Christian, if he does not constantly reflect on this issue? It is for this reason that Luther (even today) continues to be a teacher of the Church.3

Christian Comfort found in Overcoming Temptation🔗

When we reflect on the power of temptation in the life of a Christian, we shall discover the multi-faceted vulnerability of God's children in specific situations of their existence. The reality of temptation raises the important question about the possibility of the persever­ance of the saints. But that is not all. We will have to face the question of how man is able to live before God's presence and survive in the day of judgment (cf. Hebr 9:27).

Temptation does not only concern our ability to succumb to temptation, but it is also con­cerned with the unworthiness of our lives as sinners in the eyes of the eternal, holy God. When it comes to this all-decisive question, Luther can serve as our reliable guide. He did not only portray the negative power of tempta­tion ('Anfechtung') in lurid hues, he also (as pointed out before) taught us about the benefit and the gain that may be obtained because of it. He even made the overstated observation that, ultimately, the trials are for us like 'an embrace by God.'

In this context Luther had in mind the love-relationship of God and His people: a heavenly Bridegroom who draws His bride closer to Himself and wants to keep her there – as Psalm 45:12 speaks about Him. If we were never to experience trials, we would neither take God truly into consideration. We would not learn what verse 11 (of Psalm 45) teaches the Church when it says "honour Him, for He is your Lord": i.e. to renounce what was heard and seen in one's previous walk of life.4

This positive purpose of God is designated by Luther as "comfort." As opposed to tempta­tion, our struggles against it as well as our despair, there is the glorious matter of comfort. This comfort is the counter-weight in the temp­tation. In effect, this comfort out-weighs temptation. This is as truthful as the fact that the crucified Christ has risen from the dead. Temptation puts us to flight; it makes us run away from our self-assurance, our 'decent' life, our self-righteousness, our quasi-religiousness, our good intentions and it drives us back into the arms of Christ. He is the Christ who carried our sins before God and bore His wrath because of them. He is the Christ who was able to identify with our weaknesses (our 'peirasmoi,' cf. Hebr 2:18). He suffered in Gethsemane and on Golgotha the "unspeak­able anguish, pain, terror and agony" of being forsaken by God (cf. The Heidelberg Catechism, Answer 44).

Having finished His work, Christ appeared before God. He was victorious over all tempta­tions, His glorious resurrection being living proof. It is this Christ who is mediator for our sake. He is our righteousness before God. And this is the sum and substance of the promise. When it is pitted against the versatile powers of temptation, this promise is called 'comfort'. In answer to the powerful, opposing voices, we receive an answer in the form of Christian comfort which sends us back to the mystery of salvation brought about by Good Friday and Easter.

These historic events form the immediate background of Lord's Day 1 of The Heidelberg Catechism. The "only comfort" mentioned here, is not merely directed towards grieving or persecuted people, but towards the Christian as he/she is tempted and put to the test. It is not without good reason that answer 1 of the Catechism is formulated in such a  way that it clearly calls to mind the passage in Luther's Kleine Catechismus where he explains the work of Christ as follows (transl. note):

Jesus Christ is my Lord who has delivered me, lost and condemned as I am; He has purchased me and made me His own, set me free from all sin, death, and the power of the devil, not with gold or silver but with His holy, precious blood and with His blameless suffering and dying, so that I may be His own and live in His kingdom as His subject and serve Him in eternal righteousness, blameless­ness, and bliss, even as He arose from the dead, and lives and reigns eternally; this is assuredly truthful.5

When undergoing trials and temptations, we are continually driven out of our self-reliance, and shaken out of our many pre-occupations so that we may concentrate with heart and life on Christ alone. This is the great benefit of 'Anfechtungen', of being under attack. The promise that comes to us through Christ's death and resurrection, will become in our heart — through the work of the Holy Spirit — our only and decisive answer in life and death.

Faith is a contested issue, a "thing of unrest" as Luther taught us. Even so, the unrest of con­tested faith is a servant of the rest which our heart has the privilege of finding in the person of Christ as well as in His redemptive work. This is what the promise holds forth, and therein rests our comfort.

At no time will the Christian become self-sufficient and find support in a private faith he owns or experiences. The very experience of temptation will frustrate any self-sufficiency. Never will justification (or its promise) be bypassed on our journey through life. For Luther this truth meant specifically that regular reading of the Bible as well as sincere prayers should be indispensable components of the theologians' daily routine and — we may add — it ought likewise to be that of the indi­vidual Christian.

Only in this way can temptation lose its negative energy and perform its positive action. As for Luther, he found the triad: prayer — meditation — temptation in the message of Psalm 119.6 The final result of this struggle in life he found in his beloved Psalm 118, on which he in 1530 devoted an admirable Scrip­ture study.7

To sum up: redemptive history shows us that the victory belongs to God and His crucified Christ. This is why a Christian cannot be bogged down forever in temptations. Luther's emblem consisted of a black cross inside a red heart which (in turn) is superimposed on a white rose. The symbolism is clear: the cross gives life to the heart (renewal). The white rose of faith on which the heart rests is pure, fragrant, giving comfort, joy and peace.

The Reformed confession holds out to us the same verities in the dogma about the persever­ance of the saints (The Canons of Dort, V) — a dogma which also speaks to us about prayer (V, 4, 12), meditation (V, 12, 14), and tempta­tions (V, 3-5, 10, 11, 14).

God's Course of Action: Working, but not Speaking in Secret🔗

When the opposing voice manages to get through to the heart of man, he should look to Christ the crucified and resurrected Lord of life. In His grace our God has given us the preaching of the Word, as well as the sacra­ments of baptism and Lord's Supper. The Holy Spirit is in charge of these instruments and He administers them. By means of them He wants to keep our Lord in sight for us, and He does this by adjusting, refining and re-focusing.

In this way God prevents our being utterly thrown back on ourselves, to be left to our own devices as we reflect on the many adversities that come our way as believers. These adversi­ties are brought on by trying experiences in life, environment, world news, a Christian's disappointing routine and God's accusing Law. The proclamation of the Word (1), baptism (2) and the Lord's Supper (3) exhorts us constantly that we should humble ourselves before God, that we should acknowledge our guilt and inability and should seek our life and future outside of ourselves in Christ Jesus, our Lord. At the same time these three key ele­ments declare that we have our acquittal in Christ and they encourage us to be active in the sanctification of this world.

The message of God's love constrains our hearts to answer by returning our love to God and our neighbour. It obliges us to a service of thankfulness by keeping the commandments and continuing in prayer. In doing this we shall gradually learn to know God better.8 And it will become apparent that in this manner our godliness will be literally 'exercised' and will bring forth its specific fruit in a Christian's life (cf. 1 Tim 4:7vv.).

This prospect will stay with us for as long as the Word of God remains near us. The God who did not turn His creation into chaos, neither treated His work of salvation that way. He did not speak in secret, "from somewhere in a land of darkness" (Isa 45:19). We are not dependent on necromancers, astrologers or interpreters of cosmic codes when we seek answers to our problems. He did not say "to Jacob's descendants 'Seek me in vain' (cf. Isa 45:18, 19).

He who philosophizes about the 'twilight of God' is busy overlooking the Word of God that is near. He no longer looks for knowledge of God in His spoken Word, and all he is left with is the mystery of the cosmos or the input of his own heart. He becomes an interpreter of cosmic dots and dashes or an 'experiential' ­theologian.

But the promise of a merciful God has been everlastingly confirmed as well as supplied with eternal judicial power in the Christ of the Scriptures. Herein lies the wisdom of knowing God in Christ, the Crucified One.

To put this into the language of Isaiah and of Luther: it is the knowledge of God Who is able to hide Himself (cf. Isa 45:15). Indeed, here one can find ample evidence of God's wrath which can cause many a trial and temptation. It is the temptation of giving in to the idea that God no longer gives any indication of His presence, leaves us alone to our own devices, and lays us low because of our sins and shortcomings.

At the same time, however, it remains true that God is able to be present despite this hidden disposition. Certainly, in all the mysterious manifestations of His wrath over sin and the forsaking of His own beloved Son, God is supremely present. Even Isaiah had already heard foreigners speak about this matter when they caught sight of the extraordinary destiny of the people of Israel when God passed His judgment over them or showed them His mercy. It is as if they called out to us: "Don't misjudge the God of Israel. Amidst the silence of His hidden disposition He prepares His work of salvation in a way no one would have held for possible." In the end, the majestic and final word will be: "Truly you are a God who hides Himself (and precisely then You reveal Yourself) O God and Saviour of Israel" (Isa 45:15).

This is how the Holy Spirit instructs us to gain an ever deeper knowledge of what God has revealed about Himself in His Word. To know God thus, is the pathway to recognition of Him also in those days of wrath and punish­ment, whether they come in one's own life, in the congregation, or in the world.

This is the profound, existential meaning of the words of Moses: "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and our children forever..." (Deut 29:29). God did not speak in hiding. When the one who is practising godliness respects these words, he shall never lose sight of Him even though He works — for a while — in hiding.

Endnotes🔗

  1. ^ Many analyses have made their appearance about this contemporary world view. From their massive number we mention the following essays: G. van Leeuwen, "Storende tegenstem," in C. Aalders et al. Luisterend leven. Studies over evangelische spirituali­teit ('s Gravenhage, 1971), pp. 135-173. G. Heitink, "Secularisatie in het individuele geloofsleven", in G. Dekker en K.U. Gabler, (ed.), Secularisatie in theolo­gisch perspectief (Kampen, 1988), pp.164-173. H. Ber­khof, "Emancipatie-secularisatie-Godsverduister­ing." in H. Berkhof et al. Voorbij domineesland. (The results of secularisation, Amersfoort/Amsterdam, 1988), pp.9-18; cf. p.196ff. These essays refer as well to additional sources.
  2. ^ Temptation or 'tentatio' is not associated with self-examination as A. van Brummelen seems to do in his De bevinding in de prediking, (Apeldoorn 1982), p.32.
  3. ^ Many publications are available on this topic. To mention a few: R. Schwarz and H. Beintker, art. "Anfechtung" in Theologische Realenzyklopädie, (Berlin-New York, 1977). P. Bühler, Die Anfechtung bei Martin Luther, (Zurich, 1942). H. Beintker, Die Überwindung der Anfechtung bei Luther, (Berlin, 1954). L. Pinomaa, "Die Anfechtung als Hintergrund des Evangeliums in der Theologie Luthers", in Zur Theologie Luthers, (Helsinki, 1942), pp.98-113. W. von Loewenich, Luthers Theologia Crucis, (Witten, 1969), p.157ff. W. van 't Spijker, Luther – belofte en ervaring, (Goes, 1983), pp.200ff. as well as A. de Reuver "Een dienaar is niet meer dan zijn Meester" (A servant is not more than his Master). Luther about temptation in J. van Oort et al. (ed.) Verbi divini minister (A 'Festschrift' for L. Kievit), (Amsterdam, 1983), pp. 203-231.
  4. ^ Praelectio in Psalmum 45 (October 28, 1532), Martin Luther, Werke. Kritische Gesamtausgabe, (Weimar, 1883), 40/11, p.582.
  5. ^ Bekenntnisschriften der evangelisch-lutherischen Kirche, (Göttingen, 1976), p.511. (*This passage was ren­dered in its original German (p.88 of Klank En Weerklank) and was here translated for conven­ience's sake).
  6. ^ With regard to temptations, Luther says (transla­tor's version): " It is the touchstone which not only instructs you to know and to understand, but also to experience how just, how truthful, how precious, how lovely, how powerful, how comforting the Word of God is, wisdom above all wisdom" (Vorrede (preface) zum 1 Bande der Wittenberger Ausgabe der deutschen Schriften, 1539), Martin Luther, Werke. Kritische Gesamtausgabe, (Weimar, 1883), 50, p.660.
  7. ^ Das schöne Confitemini, Wittemberger Ausgabe der deutschen Schriften, 1530), Martin Luther, Werke. Kritische Gesamtausgabe, (Weimar, 1883, 31 (I) pp. 43-182. Cf. M. Brecht, Martin Luther, II, (Stuttgart, 1986), pp.377ff.
  8. ^ It is not feasible to elaborate further in this chapter on Christian comfort and defend it against the various opposing voices which can be heard in our lives. Even so, in our next chapter we shall pay special attention to one opposing voice in particular, which comes to us from contemporary world news. As for dealing with illnesses and handicaps, we made a contribution in M. Douma (ed.) Zorgzaam zijn. (Caring with a Christian perspective) (Barn­eveld, 1986), pp.43-58. Title: "Waarom vechten wij tegen ziekte, handicap en dood? (Why do we fight against illness, handicaps and death?). In connection with faith in Providence we made a number of observations in De dienst in de mondige kerk (Service in a church that has come of age). Confronting the appeal of an emancipated world, (Goes, 1971), pp.188-200.

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