A hunter raised his rifle and took careful aim at a large bear. When he was about to pull the trigger, the bear spoke in a soft soothing voice, “Isn’t it better to talk than to shoot? What do you want? Let’s negotiate the matter.” Lowering his rifle, the hunter replied, “I want a fur coat.”

“Good,” said the bear, “that is a negotiable question. I only want a full stomach, so let us negotiate a compromise.” They sat down to negotiate and after a time the bear walked away alone. The negotiations had been successful. The bear had a full stomach, and the hunter had his fur coat!

Temptation says to you, “Let us negotiate.” But there are some things that cannot be negotiable. We cannot compromise with sin, and temptation always wants us to compromise.

As a matter of fact, temptation always misrepresents what the outcome of sin will be. Consider what James said in his epistle to the early church.

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
James 1:14-15

Sin always takes us farther than we wanted to go, keeps us longer than we wanted to stay, and costs more than we wanted to pay.

Let me share with you 5 lies that temptation tells you.

Lie #1: "It's okay to just look.”

We are all affected by what we see. No one knows this better than advertisers. That's why our daily lives are covered in visual temptation. Everywhere we turn there are things Christians should not look at.

What movies do you watch? What internet sites do you visit? What apps or videos do you download on your phone?

One song you may have been taught as a child has a verse that begins, “Oh, be careful little eyes what you see.” Protect your eyes from things that do not honor God.

The Bible warns us to keep our eyes focused on pure things.

I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes: I hate the work of them that turn aside; it shall not cleave to me.
Palm 101:3

Job even made the decision ahead of time to keep his eyes directed away from sinful thoughts.

I made a covenant with mine eyes; Why then should I think upon a maid?
Job 31:1

Lie #2: "It's not that bad."

The world tends to water down sin and to use other words to make us believe certain sins aren't that bad. The world calls alcoholism a “disease” so we can believe becoming addicted to drinking is not our fault. The world calls abortion “a woman's right to choose” so people can justify murder. The world calls improper sexual relationships “friends with benefits” so we won't see immorality for the great wickedness and sin it really is.

In July 2012, a mom in Phoenix was arrested for child abuse after she poured beer into her two-year-old son's sippy cup. She admitted doing it because her son kept reaching for her pitcher of beer on the table. No doubt this woman thought, “It's just a little beer; what can it hurt? It's not that bad.” 1 Temption says it’s not that bad.

The commentator John G. Butler said this about temptation.

“The devil is a master at sophisticating sin and dignifying defilement."
— John G. Butler

Lie #3: "It's only one time."

In our day, temptation is just as persistent as Potiphar's wife was towards Joseph.

And it came to pass, as she spake to Joseph day by day, that he hearkened not unto her, to lie by her, or to be with her.
Genesis 39:10

Just when you win one battle against temptation, you go to bed only to find another one waiting for you when you wake up. The devil never stops. The Bible warns:

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
1 Peter 5:8

If Joseph had said “Just this once,” his life would have been ruined in an instant. He would never have been able to see the dreams God gave him come true. The same is true in our lives. Don't sacrifice the plans God has for you by giving in to temptation. “Just this once” can have consequences that you feel for the rest of your life.

Lie #4: "No one will ever know."

Sometimes we're more likely to rationalize sin or give in to temptation when we think there's little chance we'll ever get caught or that anyone besides us will ever know what we did. Sometimes we may even think if no one finds out about what we did, it doesn't even count as sin. But as the great preacher Charles Spurgeon once said,

“Sin is sin, whether we see it or not."
—Charles Spurgeon

Just because other people may never find out doesn't make sin acceptable. God sees everything and He knows our hearts.

The eyes of the Lord are in every place, Beholding the evil and the good.
Proverbs 16:7

Lie #5: “I don't have a choice.”

There will be times in your life when temptation is more than a suggestion; it's a demand. Your boss at work says you have to miss Sundays to keep your job. Your teacher says you have to believe in evolution to get a good grade. Friends find a subtle way of saying you have to do something you don't want to do if you want to keep being friends. If you're not careful, you'll justify giving in to temptation because you believe “I don't have a choice.”

For the Christian, you always have a choice. Paul told us that we have the power to say “no” to sin because of the work of Jesus Christ.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.
Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.
Romans 6:12-13

Temptation lies! We need to remember these lies and identify them when we see them. We can get victory over sin, and the Lord has given us the power to say “no”!