Being stranded on an island with an abundance of beautiful members of the opposite sex trying to seduce you.  Doesn't sound like too bad of a deal now, does it?  Might sound pretty enticing actually.  I'll admit, accidentally getting stranded on an island with a bunch of beautiful bachelorettes does not sound bad to me either.  But choosing to become isolated on an island with your girlfriend/boyfriend AND beautiful bachelors and bachelorettes...now we have a problem. 

Of course, you realize I am referring to Fox Network's new "reality" show, Temptation Island.  The "contestants" on the show are couples who volunteer to risk ruining their relationships to be tempted by the single island-dwellers.  I really do not understand how this is entertaining for either the people on the show or the viewers watching it.  Seeing couples cheating on one another and having premarital sex on a sitcom or soap opera is bad enough, but these are real life people putting themselves through this temptation!  Yet, unfortunately the show provides a humbling reminder of how little value we seem to give marriage and dating relationships today. 

What is one of the major tips for someone fighting an addiction to smoking or drinking?  Stay away from tobacco and alcohol, of course!  If someone is trying to quit drinking, he doesn't walk into a bar and expect to resist the temptation of having "just one."  This obviously differs from the Temptation Island, but the premise is the same.  Don't allow something alluring to be put in front of you and assume you can resist it.  Our Lord Jesus Christ laid it all out in Matthew 26:41.  He said, "Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."  I'm sure (read: I hope) many of the people taking a chance on the island have every intention of staying faithful to their girlfriend or boyfriend.  "I love her too much to be led away like that."  "He and I are meant to be.  Nothing can tear us apart."  "No one on that island could be as wonderful as my girl."

These claims might have been made with all the sincerity in the world, but lust can eat away and tear apart intentions.  Lust turns the "I love her too much..." into "I love her, but not that much."  The "I will always be faithful" into "I will always be faithful...from now on."  The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.  Didn't Jesus know what He was talking about?  He too was tempted, after all.  When Satan offered Him the world (literally), I'm sure Jesus felt the same gnawing in His gut that we feel when we are tempted.  He knows how hard it is to deny ourselves of desires, especially when we allow them to be so easily accessible. 

And are the people on the island going to be any better off in the long run for going through this temptation, whether or not they resisted?  I doubt it.  If they fail the challenge and cheat on their significant others, they probably are going to end up with no relationship, and hopefully that would be the worst consequence.  They certainly can't expect to be somehow "immune" from temptation by failing "just that once."  Giving in to a fleshly desire doesn't take away the desire.  My pastor gave the example of his wife and her craving for chocolate.  I'm sure many of you can relate.  If you have a craving for chocolate (insert your most irresistable food here), does eating half a Hershey bar take away the desire?  Probably not.  More likely, you're going to eat the rest of that candy bar and then maybe go have another.

In Hebrews 2:18 Paul says, "For in that [Jesus] himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to aid them that are tempted."  Jesus understands temptations, and He understands how to defeat them.  And He also realized that the best way to beat tempting desires is to stay away from them!  In the Lord's prayer, we ask God not to lead us into temptation, and He is more than happy to oblige.  But our end of the bargain is to not put ourselves in positions to be tempted.  If we play with fire, we're going to get burned.  Fighting lust can be a brutal battle, which is why we must always have on the whole armor of God: the truth, the breastblate of righteousness, preparation of the gospel of peace, the helmet of salvation, the sword of the Spirit, and the shield of faith (Ephesians 6).  Trying to battle our desires without wearing our armor is a suicide mission.  Once you have on your armor, though, that does not mean you put yourself in a position to be attacked.  And if you put yourself in a position like Temptation Island, be ready for an ambush.  The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.