“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” — James 1:13-15
Sin doesn’t just happen. It’s a process — and it has a lot of help. Many of you may remember the comedian Flip Wilson and his famous line, “The devil made me do it.” Well, that was a funny line he used to justify his bad behavior but the truth is that the devil can’t make us do anything but he sure is involved in the process. Sin is a process that starts with temptation but it is not God who does the tempting, “For God cannot be tempted with evil, nor does he tempt anyone.”
In fact, God always offers a way of escape: “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” — 1 Corinthians 10:13. Well, you might say if it’s not God tempting me, then it must be the devil. True, but guess who else is directly involved? James tells us that everyone is tempted by their “own evil desire.” The apostle John calls this “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16-18). In other words we like the stuff that the world has to offer but while we’re loving the world, we’re shutting out the love of God.
James presents an interesting word picture when temptation comes through the agency of the evil one, prompted by our own evil desires. He says we’re “dragged away and enticed.” The literal meaning of that expression is, “baited upon and drawn away,” much like the way a fisherman catches a fish with bait on a hook. The next result of the process is sin, and sin if it continues can lead to spiritual death. Not a pretty picture is it? So, dear friends, don’t fall for the bait. “Resist the devil,” James tells us later in 4:8, “and he must flee.” You can stop the process before it ever gets started.
One final thought on Temptation from the words of our Lord Jesus. You’ll find it in Matthew 16:23, Jesus said, “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” Now that’s good counsel! Maranatha!
Pastor Don
