Sin Justification

I was reading in Luke 4 when Satan tempted Jesus this morning when something really stood out to me. See verses 5-7 below.

Luke 4:5-7

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

5 And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of [a]the world in a moment of time.6 And the devil said to Him, “I will give You all this domain and [b]its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. 7 Therefore if You [c]worship before me, it shall all be Yours.”

It occurred to me when I read this how easily our human nature could justify this deal with devil. How we might think, "if I did take over these kingdoms, look how much good I could do, look how great an influence I will have and how I will be able to reach people for God." Jesus of course made no deal with the devil, He knew better. He was sure in His calling and true to follow God's will.

We should learn from this. Even though the deal looks good and looks like we will be able to serve God through it, if it sin, if it making a deal with the devil, no matter how great the good we need to walk away from it. If we have to take matters in our own hands and go outside what God has asked of us, its not the right thing, no matter how easily it is justified.