James 1:12-15
12
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for
when he has been approved, he will receive the
crown of life which the Lord has promised to those
who love Him. 13 Let no one say when he is
tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot
be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt
anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is
drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15
Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to
sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth
death.
Dealing with Carnality
The Perpetual,
Internal Struggle…
• Romans 7:1-25 – A detailed and graphic picture of the
struggle each and every one of us faces every day,
with every temptation
• Will we be ruled by our fleshly desires
or will we be ruled by the Spirit of God?
The Perpetual,
Internal Struggle…
• Two players in this struggle…
• Flesh – the body – cannot choose good or evil,
it simply has lusts that are fulfilled or denied
• Spirit – the mind and heart – can choose good
or evil, it determines the boundaries for our flesh
• Two catalysts in this struggle…
• Law of sin – evil – characterized and personified
as indwelling sin
• Law of God – good – characterized and realized
by the indwelling Spirit of God
The Perpetual,
Internal Struggle…
• Two fundamental principles…
• The impact of the law upon our flesh results in sin because
our flesh so often lusts against what the law of God
requires of us! Satan appeals and tempts us through our
flesh – cf. 1 John 2:15-17 (note Gen. 3:1-6 and Luke. 4:1-13)
• The impact of the law upon our spirit is righteousness
because our spirit knows and desires to do what the law
of God requires of us! The Word appeals to our spirit
through God’s Spirit! – cf. Rom. 7:14, 22
The Perpetual,
Internal Struggle…
• Two realities…
• It is possible for a carnal man to do something good,
but that is the exception, not the rule!
• It is possible for a spiritual man to do something evil,
but that is the exception, not the rule!
The Perpetual,
Internal Struggle…
• Two states of consciousness…
• Without the grace of God and the continual renewal of
our spirit, the flesh will win in the struggle against sin
because we let sin rule in our lives – cf. Rom. 6:12-14
• With the grace of God and the continual renewal of the
spirit of our minds, it is easier to put on the new man and
live blamelessly before Him – Eph. 4:21-24; cf. Psa. 51:10
The Perpetual,
Internal Struggle…
• What do we take away from this?
• An understanding of the struggle we face—knowing
how temptation works—helps us to know how to not
only face it, but to endure it victoriously!
• That which we render ourselves slaves to—which
rules and reigns in our lives—will become the driving
force in our lives!
• There is no miraculous cure for this struggle. The only
cure is the grace of God through the body and blood
of His Son, Jesus Christ, given on the cross of Calvary!
Romans 8:1-4
1
There is therefore now no condemnation to those
who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to
the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2 For the law of
the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free
from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law
could not do in that it was weak through the flesh,
God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of
sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in
the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law
might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to
the flesh but according to the Spirit.