The Insufficiency of Rhetoric in Resisting Temptation

One thing I love about having a blog now is that it gives me one more reason to procrastinate doing school work. : ) I love it. If there's one thing I really need in my life, it's more motivation for procrastination.

So recently I've been thinking about the ways in which I resist sin. And regarding that, I thought of something that I phrase the insufficiency of rhetoric. Now, I shall blog about it:


Rhetoric: "The art of using language so as to persuade or influence others; the body of rules to be observed by a speaker or writer in order that he may express himself with eloquence" (OED).


"When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God . . . My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power." (1 Corinthains 2:1, 4-5)


In this passage of Scripture, Paul is talking about preaching the Gospel. However, I believe that the principle he is putting forth here is one that can be applied to other areas as well. Just as rhetoric (or eloquent/wise/persuasive speech) is insufficient for causing someone to believe the message of Jesus, it is also insufficient for causing a believer to resist any given temptation to sin.

When I am being tempted with some kind of sin, my first resort is to argue with the temptation. The temptation says "Do it," and I reply, "No, it's not worth it." Temptation says, "It won't hurt anyone," and I reply, "It will hurt the heart of God." Temptation says, "He'll forgive you," and I reply, "I don't want him to have to."

And the conversation goes on in this way. What's happening is that I'm basically trying to persuade myself against the arguments of the temptation. And if I rely solely on my own persuasive power in order to resist, I usually fall short. I sin. The rhetoric is not sufficient.

Don't get me wrong though; it's not like the rhetoric isn't helpful. Going back to the passage of Scripture, look at who wrote it: the Apostle Paul. When you read his letters, you see very quickly that Paul was a master rhetorician. And look at Acts 17. Paul could argue persuasively with the top philosophers in all of Athens. He definitely knew the value of persuasive speech, but he also knew that that's not where the true power lies. The true power of the Gospel is found only in the Spirit of God.

It is that very same Spirit whom Paul refers to here, the Spirit on whom the faith of every believer rests, who will also strengthen us to resist sin, so that our holiness might not rest on our own rhetoric, but on God's power. As long as a believer continues to rely on his own strength, and the power of his own mind, to resist sin, he will continue to fail and fail again. The only solution is to ask God for his Holy Spirit and the power that he provides, and to receive it with an open heart. All other methods are hopeless.