People blame all sorts of things for their sins. They blame their upbringing, their environment, their spouse, their education, their friends, some even blame God.

Transition

This morning I want to show you three facts that God tells us about temptations which can save us a lot of grief.

God Does Not Tempt (v.13)

  1. It is wrong to blame God for temptations.
    1. Temptation here is lure to do evil. It is not just a trial in life like the one James spoke of earlier.
    2. Blaming God for such temptation is forbidden.
  2. God is not involved in temptations
    1. He cannot be tempted by evil. You may be thinking, “Hang on, what about the time Jesus was tempted of the devil?” James is not saying that the devil cannot try to tempt God. He is saying that temptation does not faze God. He knows all things. He owns all things. He controls all things. He is absolutely holy and has no lust for evil.
    2. God never tempts people to do evil. In Genesis 22, we read that God tempted Abram. However, that temptation was a trial not an allurement to do evil. God never lures anyone into evil. Rather, He continually warns us to flee evil. (1 Corinthians 10:13) “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.”

Personal Lust Tempts (v.14)

  1. It is our own lust that tempt us
    1. Lust is simply a desire or craving. When applied to sin it is a desire for what is forbidden.
    2. Oh, yes, the devil also tempts us but we cannot blame him for all temptation. Even when he tempts, he takes advantage of our own lust and encourages it to do evil.
    3. Lust is part of our sinful old nature. We will have it in us until we go to heaven.
      1. Though it is powerful, it no longer masters us if we are truly a Christian. (Romans 6:6) “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.”
      2. We must not let sin rule us. (Romans 6:12) “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”
      3. We must not yield to the desires of our sinful lust. (Romans 6:13) “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.”
      4. The apostle Paul admitted that he too struggled with lust. (Romans 7:19) “For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.”
      5. Paul also tells us how we can resist lust. (Romans 7:24) “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:25) “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.” (2 Timothy 2:22) “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” (Romans 13:14) “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”
  2. Our lust lures and baits us.
    James uses two words here to describe the temptation process.

    1. The first word is translated drawn away. It means to lure or draw out of hiding. “In hunting and fishing as game is lured from its hiding place, so man by lure is allured from the safety of self-restraint to sin.” Thayer When something sinful crosses our mind, eyes or path, the lust of our old nature lures us out of our safe hiding place. You may be thinking good thoughts and having a wholesome day and suddenly you hear an ungodly song, an immodest woman walks by, you are told to do something you do not like, someone treats you unkindly, a friend invites you to do something that God forbids – You feel a powerful tug to do what you know is wrong. That tug is your own lust.
    2. The second word is enticed. This word simply means to be enticed by bait. It is being deceived by bait. Like the fish that sees the worm on the hook. He is deceived into thinking it is good food waiting to be eaten. The enticing of temptation is the moment of decision. It is the choice to go ahead and do what you know is wrong. Sometimes we resist the enticing for a long time before we yield. Other times the enticing lasts for only a second before we choose to do wrong.
    3. So you see, we are not tempted to do wrong by God. We are tempted by our own lust, that desire within our old nature that wants what God forbids. Our lust lures us out of safety. Our lust entices us to choose the wrong.

When Lust Captures, Sin Results (v.15)

  1. Once lured and deceived, lust conceives
    1. The word translated “conceived” has a dual meaning. It often refers to a woman conceiving a child. However, it also means to seize or to take one as a prisoner.
    2. Either definition fits the situation. Once lured and deceived by lust and the choice is made to do wrong, lust takes us as a prisoner. We bite the hook. We are caught in the trap. There is no escape. You see, it is not sinful to be tempted, but it is dangerously wrong to be lured by the bait. The only safe thing to do when tempted is to flee. That means bouncing your eyes away from evil. Saying no to your flesh. Physically walking away from temptation. Focussing your mind on a godly song. Asking God for help. We must treat lust as if it is a terrorist carrying a bomb.
  2. The results are devastating
    1. Lust brings forth sin. When the bait is taken, the hook is set and sin is the result.
      1. Sin is missing the mark set by God. It is stepping off the right path. It is breaking God’s law.
      2. For us it may be taking the second look. Thinking the bad thought. Saying the unkind word. Entering the sinful place. An act of disobedience. Getting angry. Doing something ungodly.
    2. Sin leads to death. It leads to all kinds of death. Death is a separation.
      1. Sin is what condemns mankind to hell.
      2. Sin may lead to physical death. God may take the life of a disobedient child.
      3. Sin separates a sinful Christian from his fellowship with God. While sin does not send a true Christian to hell, it does separate him from God’s peace.
    3. Thankfully, until we physically die, God has provided a way to remove the hook of sin. Jesus paid for all sin when He died on the cross. This enables Him to forgive our sin if we will confess it.
    4. I am not a fisherman, but I have been fishing with fishermen and have learned that long-nosed pliers are used to remove a hook from a fish’s mouth. Just as those pliers have two prongs so God’s cleansing has two prongs. (Proverbs 28:13) “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
      1. If we confess our sin, Christ will forgive us and cleanse us. (1 John 1:9) “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
      2. If we truly confessed, we must then forsake the sin (stop doing it). Confession is not “I’m sorry, but I plan to do it again.”

Conclusion

The next time you face temptation do not blame God. Instead, realize that your own lust is luring and baiting you. When this happens, run! Staying near the lure and bait will weaken your resistance. Once you bit the hook, you have sinned. If you have sinned, we just read what you must do (review). Then stay close to God!

Song: Yield Not to Temptation – 364
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Facts About Temptations
28 August 2016 AM – James 1:13-15 – Jas16 – Scott Childs