The Devil: there are demonic “powers” in the world, whole coalitions of forces that come together and influence us from birth and to death and influence to the course of history. We are inescapably trapped in a web of social, economic, political, philosophical, and even class systems that influence us when we are not even aware of them. One such influence: the American (and largely unconscious) belief in individualism, that leads to an ever more fractious and fractured society, with rights exalted beyond any sense of duty to the community.

The world: the world was included in the above, but now under this express heading, let us think about the influence of culture: the media, the stories we tell, view, love, or hate, the songs we hear endlessly on the radio, the blathering of commentators and talk shows, the assumptions of the American dream, and so on and so forth. One such tragedy: violence as entertainment.

Our bodily desires (the flesh!): I believe the main problem with our bodies is that not the bodies but our attitudes toward them. We don’t know what to do about ourselves as embodied creatures: we feel like gods, but we have these perplexing (and at times, disgusting) bodies and because we fear our embodiment, we reject the basis of who and what we are. Case in point: the huge anxiety and/or obsession over sexuality.

All these “temptations” can lead us into false teaching, despair, and serious shames and vices.

But the Good News! God saves! Even when we fall flat on our faces spiritually, we will be victorious in the end, by the grace of God. It is not up to us to save ourselves, or even, define our selves. Amen!