What Jesus Said About Discipline, Self-Control & Temptation (12 Teachings)

Lustful looking can constitute adultery of the heart.

Read the Scripture Matthew 5:27–28

King James Version

Matthew 5:27–28

²⁷Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
²⁸But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

Take radical action against sources of sin.

Read the Scripture Matthew 5:29–30; 18:8–9; Mark 9:43–48

King James Version

Matthew 5:29–30

²⁹And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
³⁰And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Matthew 18:8–9

⁸Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
⁹And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.

Mark 9:43–48

⁴³And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
⁴⁴Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
⁴⁵And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
⁴⁶Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
⁴⁷And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
⁴⁸Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

Textual note: Mark 9:44 and Mark 9:46 are not found in some of the earliest manuscripts.

Guard against every form of greed.

Read the Scripture Luke 12:15

King James Version

Luke 12:15

¹⁵And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.

Temptations will come, but woe to the person through whom they come.

Read the Scripture Matthew 18:7; Luke 17:1

King James Version

Matthew 18:7

⁷Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

Luke 17:1

¹Then said he unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!

Deny yourself, take up the cross, and follow Jesus.

Read the Scripture Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23

King James Version

Matthew 16:24

²⁴Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Mark 8:34

³⁴And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Luke 9:23

²³And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

Pray not to be led into temptation and to be delivered from evil.

Read the Scripture Matthew 6:13; Luke 11:4

King James Version

Matthew 6:13

¹³And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Luke 11:4

⁴And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil.

Textual note: The closing words of Matthew 6:13 ("For thine is the kingdom…") are not found in the earliest manuscripts.

Watch and pray so that you do not enter temptation.

Read the Scripture Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38; Luke 22:40, 46

King James Version

Matthew 26:41

⁴¹Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Mark 14:38

³⁸Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

Luke 22:40, 46

⁴⁰And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.
⁴⁶And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

The spirit may be willing while the flesh is weak.

Read the Scripture Matthew 26:41; Mark 14:38

King James Version

Matthew 26:41

⁴¹Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Mark 14:38

³⁸Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.

Scripture is authoritative in resisting temptation.

Read the Scripture Matthew 4:4, 7, 10; Luke 4:4, 8, 12

King James Version

Matthew 4:4, 7, 10

⁴But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
⁷Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
¹⁰Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Luke 4:4, 8, 12

⁴And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
⁸And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
¹²And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Scripture must not be twisted to justify testing God.

Read the Scripture Matthew 4:5–7; Luke 4:9–12

King James Version

Matthew 4:5–7

⁵Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
⁶And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
⁷Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Luke 4:9–12

⁹And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
¹⁰For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
¹¹And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
¹²And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.

Do not let dissipation, drunkenness, and life anxieties dull readiness.

Read the Scripture Luke 21:34–36

King James Version

Luke 21:34–36

³⁴And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
³⁵For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.
³⁶Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Jesus refuses to exploit miraculous power for self-serving temptation.

Read the Scripture Matthew 4:1–11; Luke 4:1–13

King James Version

Matthew 4:1–11

¹Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.
²And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungred.
³And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
⁴But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
⁵Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
⁶And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
⁷Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
⁸Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
⁹And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
¹⁰Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
¹¹Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.

Luke 4:1–13

¹And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
²Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
³And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
⁴And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
⁵And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, shewed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
⁶And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me; and to whomsoever I will I give it.
⁷If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
⁸And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
⁹And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
¹⁰For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
¹¹And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
¹²And Jesus answering said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
¹³And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.

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What Jesus said about Discipline, Self-Control & Temptation

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How can Jesus help?

What Jesus said about Discipline, Self-Control & Temptation

A Guide for Real Life