And Lead Us Not into Temptation[i]
God the Father does not lead us into temptation, Satan does. We need protection from the adversary of all righteousness. The liar from the beginning is so deceptive as to turn our feet ever so slightly from the path to God a little at a time. Broad is the way that leads to destruction with many flowing into it and so narrow is the way to God that few find it:
“Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it”[ii]
Despite the gate being narrow and few finding it because it is a difficult way and not easy, God has said that He would illuminate it for us:
“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”[iii]
We read in James that God does not tempt us: “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:”[iv]
Because of multiple scriptures like James saying otherwise, newer translations do not have God leading us into temptation:
“And don’t let us yield to temptation, but rescue us from the evil one.”[v]
“Keep us from being tempted and protect us from evil.”[vi]
“And suffer us not to be led into temptation, but deliver us from evil.[vii]
The Hymn of the Pearl quoted by Jesus Christ shows a glorified premortal prince leaving his brilliant robe behind to go down to earth from heaven to accomplish a task for God, forgets who he is, till he is reminded, finishes his mission and returns to God who gives him his robe and added glory. The message is that we forget who we are and wander and that is known beforehand by God who sends us a message that if we are listening reminds us of our duty to God and helps us accomplish what he has asked us to do. Temptations and forgetfulness cause us to lose our way. God in His infinite mercy has planned a moment in our lives when we wake up and remember like the Prodigal Son who woke up and realized that a servant in his father’s house was better off than he, and that he could return a be a servant if not a son. At that point he did not know the infinite mercy of a loving father, and neither do we know how merciful God is towards us wandering forgetful children of His.
We do not want to be led into temptation, we do not seek it if we are humble followers of Jesus Christ, and in these days we are constantly surrounded by it. So we need a Savior to deliver us. We need the Holy Ghost to protect us. We need a message from the Father in the words of the prophets and Christ in the scriptures to remind us. And when we wander, we need a Savior to deliver us from evil.
[i] Matthew 6:13 King James Translation
[ii] Matthew 7:13–14 King James Translation
[iii] Psalm 119:105 King James Version (KJV)
[iv] James 1:13 King James Translation
[v] https://biblehub.com/matthew/6-13.htm New Living Translation
[vi] Ibid. Contemporary English Version
[vii] https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/jst/jst-matt/6?lang=eng