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FAITHFUL LIVING 5
“Sin from Beginning to End” Ch 1:13-16
Introduction The verses before us for consideration are an
important segment of James’s opening message on the tests and
trials of life.
They also take up an important theological question, namely the
origin of sin with the human race.
James commences by making an emphatic statement, that no person
is ever to blame God when they are tempted to do wrong.
James 1:13 let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God:
for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:
(KJV)
God uses testing of circumstances to lead His people forward in
faith, to steadfastness, and on to maturity. God never tempts a
person to go the way of self-gratification or to do wrong.
Do not blame God for the temptation, for He is a Holy God who
cannot be tempted and it is not in His character to tempt anyone.
1. REALITY TO FORESEE “Temptation”
Our text confirms what we already know to be true.
Many
temptations begin in us.
There is something already there.
Temptation calls to us from within us. We hear that call almost
every day, and we’ve all had the experience of responding to that
call. We’ve all failed to even live up to our own standards, as well as
God’s standards.
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Morality is almost a forgotten word in our generation. Few people
speak of temptation. This is a day when most people believe that
there are no absolutes; consequently there are no restraints.
Presidents, Politicians, Popular sporting personalities, and Preachers
have fallen into the murky waters of temptation.
In the moral climate, which prevails today, James’s words regarding
temptation are words of warning to all, who would seek to live a
godly life in a dark world.
James 1:16 do not err, my beloved brethren. (KJV)
When he is tempted, 1:13 Temptation is not a matter of “If” but
“When” we are tempted. None are exempt form temptation.
Temptation is universal. If you should hear of someone who is
never tempted by anything, there is one conclusion that you can
draw about that person. He or she is dead. Dead people are not
tempted.
If you’re not being tempted right now, expect it soon because it’s
coming. Temptation is not something that you ever get past.
It has come around before and it will come around again. It is
inevitable that it will continue to come, till all the ransomed Church
of God is saved to sin no more.
The Believer who thinks otherwise has fallen into Satan’s most
subtle trap.
Christians are subject to a sharper and a more subtle temptation
than those who do not know the Lord. Temptation is inevitable.
Each temptation leaves us better or worse; neutrality is impossible.
We need to expect temptation. We should never be surprised.
As Matthew Henry’s said, “The best of Saints may be tempted to the
worst of sins” To face up to this fact is to face reality, flee temptation
and don't leave a forwarding address.
1. REALITY TO FORESEE
“Temptation”
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2. REASONING TO FOLLOW
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God”
God is not the “Source, or the Origin”, of temptation which comes
our way. When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me”.
For God cannot be tempted by evil, neither can He tempt us towards
evil. Yet many people blame God for their own sin.
They say, “ God created everything therefore He is responsible for
the very impulse of temptation. This reasoning concludes, “that God
is the author of sin” I can’t help my sin, for God just made me this
way.
We look for anything and everything on which to blame our
troubles. If it is not adverse circumstances, it’s "The Devil Made Me
Do It". If it is not the Devil, then it has to be God!
It surely can't
be me!
This was precisely the thinking behind Adam’s pathetic attempt to
shift the responsibility for his sin. Adam said to God, “I am not
guilty” Gen 3:12 “The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she
gave me of the tree, and I did eat”. (KJV)
“Lord the woman is to blame”! But Eve said “Lord I am not guilty
for the Devil made me do it”. Gen 3: The serpent beguiled me, and
I did eat. (KJV)
What a display of the depravity of the human heart! In a moment of
crisis, when things go seriously wrong, when a fatal mistake has been
made, he seeks to avoid personal blame, and implies that the Devil or
God is responsible’
Satan does have a hand in our temptation. But often he gets too
much credit. You see there must be something there for Satan’s
temptations to be effective.
The one restriction that God placed on our first parents was a
reasonable test of their faith and obedience. It was not a temptation
for them to do wrong. The power of choice lay with them.
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Temptation, is inevitable it is also personal, it one thing to be
tempted, it is another thing to fall. Adam and Eve fell because of
personal desire.
Gen 3:6-7 when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and
that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one
wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto
her husband with her; and he did eat.
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And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that
they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made
themselves aprons. (KJV)
They fell into sinful depravity because of personal desire.
As Thomas Jefferson said, “Do not bite at the bait of pleasure till
you know there is no hook beneath it”. Satan played his part in this
rebellion, a rebellion that was not God’s responsibility.
God cannot be tempted by evil. What a dazzling diamond we have in
verse 13.
a. God’s Person can never be defiled.
Man is unclean but God is perfect in His Righteousness and
Holiness. There is absolutely nothing in His divine nature that
responds to evil. He is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity. He is a
Thrice Holy God. Holy Holy Holy!
All heaven’s triumphant choirs shall sing.
When ransomed nations fall at the footstool of their King
Holy Holy Holy” is the Lord of all.
If God is Holy he cannot be tempted.
b. God’s Purposes can never be defeated
Dan 4:35 all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and
he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the
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inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto
him, what doest thou?
The eternal purposes of God can never be deflected, because He
cannot be tempted by evil.
God sometimes moves in the dark, but He is never in the dark as to
where He is moving. Every child of His can trust Him wholly and
will find Him wholly true.
c. God’s Perception can never be dulled
Because He cannot be tempted! How often have we made wrong
decisions, or displayed a wrong attitude? How many opportunities,
have we missed because our perception was dulled by sin, because
we were out of touch with God? But our blessed Lord can never be
touched or tainted by sin. His perception is always clear and perfect.
This is the One who is familiar with all our ways, aware of our
needs, and is touched with the feelings of our infirmities.
He has the answer to our many problems because His perception can
never be dulled.
Ps 147:4-5 He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by
their names.
Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
(KJV)
d. God’s Power can never be diminished
Sin robs men of their power. Lot chose to live in Sodom and soon he
was powerless, even over his own family.
Samson broke his solemn vow and soon his power was gone, and he
knew it not when the Philistines came upon him.
Sin can rob the Christian of their power but it can never touch
God’s Power.
God is never weakened; His power is never less than omnipotent.
The mighty power of God, which raised Christ from the dead, is the
same power that works in all those who trust Him.
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e. God’s Promises can never be devalued.
How often have we made promises to man and to God and failed to
keep them, because of compromise or a lack of faith.
God never fails to keep His promises. Thank God, even when we
forget His promises, He still remembers.
Illustration. Old man, who was dying, couldn’t remember God’s
promises, but was reminded that God never forgets.
The Promise of His Presence to enjoy—
His Presence Is Personal “Lo I am with you always” not an angel but
the Lord Himself will be with His people.
The Promise of His Power to encourage-He Will Strengthen Us –
He will give us the power to see every duty and every day to its
conclusion. There will be grace and strength for every need –
2 Cor. 12:9 and he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for
my strength is made perfect in weakness.
He Will Support Us –
He will give us what we need, when we need it, in the exact
proportions that we require it – Phil. 4:19. Psalm 23:1-6 –
He Will Sustain Us –
God will keep us and get us safely through the journey until we all
reach Heaven; God did not save us to abandon us along the way –
Our journey may be long, or it may be short. Whatever the length of
it, or whatever we may face, I am thankful that we can count on God
and His promises during our journey.
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At the dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem, Solomon’s opening
words were
1 Ki 8:56 Blessed be the LORD, that hath given rest unto his people
Israel, according to all that he promised: there hath not failed one
word of all his good promise, which he promised by the hand of
Moses his servant.
I praise the Lord for His promises! Don’t you? However, let’s be
honest, we do not always live like we believe these things, do we? For
so often we can yield to temptation and bring dishonour to God.
Illustration. Let us seek to remember, that feather-by-feather the
goose is plucked, and that for every great temptation, there will be
many small ones.
Wolves and bears are more dangerous than flies, but mostly flies
bother us.
James sets forth the nature of God, “God cannot be tempted with
evil” he also set forth the character of God “neither tempteth he any
man” v 13
REALITY TO FORESEE
REASONING TO FOLLOW
RESPONSIBILITY TO FACE.
James 1:14,15 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.
Having made a powerful defence of the character of God, James now
describes the workings of temptation, the source and course and the
force.
The Source of Temptation-- is Desire.
James 1:14 but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his
own lust, and enticed. (KJV) But each one is tempted when he is
drawn away by his own desires and enticed. (NKJ)
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Temptation begins with desire. This is where the responsibility lies.
James tells us that it is our own evil desire, and our desires are
extremely powerful. The desire to sin is already within us. If it were
not in us, sin would not be attractive to us.
Many desires are legitimate, but when they attach themselves to an
evil object they draw us away, and then drag us away from a secure
place and leave us on the open place of sin.
The more one seeks to satisfy a selfish inward desire, the more the
craving grows.
When a selfish desire enters the mind and takes
root, that root should be immediately removed for soon it will
produce fruit.
Jer. 17:9 the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately
wicked: who can know it? (KJV)
James aligns himself with the
Biblical teaching of the total depravity of man. Where there is no evil
desire, there is no temptation.
How right the Puritan Preacher Thomas Browne was when he said “
Our corrupted hearts are the factories of the Devil”
The Source of Temptation-- is Desire.
James understood that
Satan is busy at tempting believers, but he also understood that the
root of the problem is our own evil sinfulness.
Ultimately each person is faced with the responsibility of his or her
own temptations. A man's heart is right when he wills what God
wills.
The Course of Temptation V 14, 15
James introduces to us the
three-generation family of, Lust, Sin and Death, and they continue to
be passed down to each generation of man.
Soon desire leads to deception. James tells us that because of desire
we are dragged away and enticed. The word enticed is fishing term
that means, "to bait a hook” The hunter and the fisherman both use
bait to catch their prey.
If you bait your hook with a nice juicy worm, you have two purposes
in mind. The first is to lure the fish. The second is to hide the hook.
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The fish does not see the hook, and neither do we. But the hook is
there. The consequences of sin are very real, but we are blinded to
them by the strength of our desire. If we could see them clearly, we
might make another choice.
Lot would not have moved to Sodom if he had not looked at the bait
of the “well watered plains of Jordan.
David would never have committed adultery if he had not looked
with desire on his neighbour’s wife, or if he had seen the
consequences of his sin.
The death of a baby, Bath Sheba’s son, the murder of Uriah, and
the Violation of a daughter “Tamas”
It’s the bait, which keeps us from seeing the consequences of sin.
Jesus warned His disciples Mat 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter
not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Inwardly man has the desire and the potential to sin; outwardly he is
surrounded by enticements, allurements, and temptations.
As long as he resists he is safe. If he yields, his desire leads to
deception, and deception leads to disobedience.
“When lust hath conceived it bringeth forth sin”
How often the grass looks greener on the other side. Desire and
deception are an unholy marriage.
Illustration. - Erwin Lutzer-- tells the story of a man who walked
into a mental institution one day, and was taken on a tour.
The
tour led him to one cell where a man was beating his head against
the padded walls. He kept saying, "Linda, how could you do it?
Linda, how could you do it?"
The guide explained that the man was in love with Linda, and when
Linda jilted him, he drifted off into the ozone. He just couldn't
handle it.
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They went to the next cell, and there was a man saying, "Linda,
Linda, how could this happen? Linda, Linda." The visitor said,
"Who's he?"
The guide said, "He's the man who married Linda." That's the myth
of the greener grass.
James goes on to make it abundantly clear that no one can escape
the personal guilt that is involved in his or her acts of sin.
REALITY TO FORESEE
REASONING TO FOLLOW
RESPONSIBILITY TO FACE.
RECKLESSNESS TO FORSAKE.
“When lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is
finished, bringeth forth death”. V 15
The Force of Temptation
Look ahead to where sin ends. Sin and lust gives birth to death.
Adam and Eve, the moment the desire in their heart conceived and
gave birth to sin, experienced instant spiritual death, and ultimately
physical death.
Gen 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou
return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou
art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and
death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have
sinned: (KJV)
The Greek word for “death” (Thanatos) means separation. In
physical death the spirit is separated from the body.
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In eternal death the spirit of man, his soul, is separated from God
forever. This is the terrible conclusion, for the unconverted. “The
wages of sin is death”
G.H. Charnley tells the story of a young skylark. One day it
discovered, a man who would give it worms for a feather. A bargain
was made— one feather for two worms.
Down it flew, plucked two feathers from its wings and had a feast of
worms. Day after day this went on. Autumn came and it was time to
fly south. But the young skylark couldn’t do it.
It had exchanged the power of its wings for worms. It didn’t see the
consequences of its desire. He was deceived by his desire and made
the wrong choice.
Don’t be deceived by your desires. “For sin when it is finished
bringeth forth death”.
How does “sin when it is finished bringeth forth death” effect
believers who are no longer under condemnation because they are in
Christ?
The Bible teaches that the Lord will punish His children where there
is wilful sinning.
The Apostle John reminds us
“That there is a sin unto death 1John 5:16
Both the Old and New Testaments contain example of this
chastisement from the hand of God.
It happened to the sons of Aaron Lev 10:1
And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his
censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered
strange fire before the LORD, which he commanded them not.
And there went out fire from the LORD, and devoured them, and
they died before the LORD.
In Acts 5, this judgment fell on Ananias and Sapphira who sold some
property and lied about the price. The charge against Ananias was
“Thou hast not lied unto men but unto God”
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Acts 5:5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up
the ghost: and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and
buried him.
The Lord dealt with those in the Church of Corinth who persisted in
eating and drinking unworthily at the Lord’s Table.
1 Cor 11:29 for he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and
drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.
For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many
sleep.
How solemn theses thoughts are and how they should challenge
every believer to honest and Holy living.
James says, “Do not err, my beloved brethren”
The Apostle John writes
My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And
if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ
the righteous:
1 John 2:1
His Precious Blood and full atonement
Makes us right with God
Sin and Satan are overcome
By it’s almighty power.
When we are faced with temptation let us remember God’s wonderful
promise.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man:
but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that
ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape,
that ye may be able to bear it. 1 Cor 10:13
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God says that he will always make a way of escape. So, don’t be
surprised by temptation. You can win over temptation! God has
given you the power to forsake this Recklessness.
Yield not to Temptation.
Ask the Saviour to help you
Comfort, strengthen, and keep you
He is willing to help you
He will carry you through
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