Matthew 18:7
“Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!”
This verse shows us an interesting balance between sovereignty and responsibility. Jesus makes it plain that it is “necessary” that temptations come. Thus, temptations are going to happen. it is unavoidable. It must happen. Thus, under the sovereign decree of God, temptations come. At the same time, these temptations are not from God, caused by God, the responsibility of God, etc., because we know that God does not tempt us toward evil.
Yet, God clearly pronounces woe on the one who brings the temptation. Even though the temptation will come. Even though it is necessary for temptation to come. The one who , by his own choice, brings that temptation—that sovereignly decreed temptation—is someone who will very righteously receive woe, a curse, from God.
One point here is that we cannot ever, under any circumstances, make excuses for sin under the guise of the ultimate sovereignty of God. God is just. He is sovereign. He can actually, in his sovereignty, say that something like temptation is necessary. Yet, at the same time, God can justly punish the one who brings that sovereignly decreed temptation.
This topic is a tough one for us to wrap our brains around. In fact, we cannot fully grasp the ways of the Lord. But this we can say for sure: God is sovereign and man is responsible for his own actions. We cannot be freed from responsibility by pleading the sovereignty of God. Neither can we accuse God of doing us wrong, as our own actions are always by our own choices. Yet, when we do rightly, we can also be assured that any right we do is a mercy granted to us by God, and this to his glory.
Pastor Travis Peterson 