Why do Jesus' three temptations still matter to believers today?
Jesus' three temptations still matter because, as the second Adam, He withstood Satan where Adam failed. His victory covered every area of temptation believers face today; those three attacks encompass everything Satan can throw at us. Therefore His triumph remains relevant, demonstrating the spiritual Adam's complete resistance to the enemy.
Les explains that Jesus entered a wilderness setting with nothing to enhance the circumstances, while Adam had everything. The contrast matters: Christ under adverse conditions did not succumb as Adam did, so He is the second Adam who has not fallen and is the spiritual one. Because He withstood all Satan's attacks, Les says He literally covered every area of temptation believers face even in the 20th century. Those three temptations, Les emphasizes, cover everything Satan can throw at us today. He then turns to 1 John 2:15, where John writes, "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world," noting the Greek word for world is kosmos.