MAKING YOUR LIFE USEFUL
Don’t let your lusts get the best of you
James 1:13-18
Jerry A Collins
SCC
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What is the
essence of temptation?
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What is the
process that brings temptation?
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What is the
alternative to temptation?
The
most basic question we face in dealing with the subject of sin and temptation
is, Why do we sin? What is there in us that causes us
to do those things we know are contrary to the character of God? God’s character
is the standard for our lives. Sin is a violation of that standard by its’ very
nature. But why do we do it? James has an answer for us and it is rooted in the
concept that our focus on our desires within us that are contrary to God’s for
us is the basis of our choosing to sin. Every day we face a decision of our
desires and it is here that the battle for our affections take place and determine whether we will pursue holiness of sinfulness.
Sometimes it happens abruptly and other times it takes awhile. First, though
James wants us to know where these temptations do not originate from.
WE MUST NOT CHARGE GOD WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR TEMPTATIONS 13
You
can use God as an easy excuse for your sinning and free yourself from
responsibility claiming it originated with God. We can be tempted to blame God
for our own evil under stress. This is illogical first of all, since God cannot
be tempted by evil by definition. There is nothing in God to which evil can
make an appeal. Secondly, God tempts no one. God often tests us but He cannot
tempt us. So how could Jesus be tempted? Because He lived in the same world
with various trials like we do. Jesus was really tempted by Satan but as God He
was not tempted by Satan’s efforts because as God, His holy nature contained
nothing that could respond positively to these solicitations. Good is what God
is by definition. He does not solicit to evil as James makes clear to us here.
So you cannot blame God for your lustful enticements. There is another reason
why we are tempted to sin. James spells that out for us by detailing the
process temptation follows to exert it’s influence on
us.
WE ARE TEMPTED TO SIN WHEN OUR DESIRES TURN LUSTFUL
So
we sin when we get carried away by our desires. What we have here is the
genealogy of sin. It is conceived, then birthed, then grows, and then brings
death.
1) To be tempted to sin is to be in a
situation where there is an urge, an inclination, a feeling, a test, between
obedience and disobedience 14a. So
we cannot avoid temptation because in this world as created beings, we will
always be in situations that test our willingness to submit to God and His will
for us. Temptation to sin is the
inclination to decide to not remain in submission to God.
2) We choose to follow our urges to
sin 14b. Our lusts are habits or
dispositions that continually incline our hearts toward evil. All Satan’s
efforts to lead us into evil; all the world’s seductions would have no effect
upon us unless we are drawn away by our own desires and enticed. There is not
temptation for us except when we respond to some seduction from within our own
desires. We disobey, we rebel, we do not submit because of a desire within us.
We simply want what we want. And when we focus our attention on what we want,
we eventually go for it. So the bottom line root cause of our sin is not our
temptations but our desires. We just do not sit down, think things over, and
decide to not be in submission to God. When we sin we ignore the whole subject of submission to God and focus on our desires.
Our desires replace God as our focus (Psa 78:17-18;
Rom
3) Our sinful desires give birth to
sin 15a. The origin of sin is in
our desires. Adam and Eve took their focus off of God and what He desired for
them and decided they wanted the fruit. So they followed their own desires
because they believed what God said was not best for them. They disagreed with
God about what is good. Whenever our desires lead to sin it is because we are
disagreeing with God about what is in our best interests. Sin is disobedience
to God. It is to disagree with God. So we carve our own path; move in our own
direction contrary to the will of God. We think and believe we know better what
is in our best interests.
4) Death is the cul-de-sac into which
our lusts can lead us 15b. Sin
bears a child through lusts conception—death. Death is the grandchild of our sinful
lusts and desires. Sin always leads to death. It disguises the outcome and
deceives us by it’s very nature and the consequence is always
death. If you fail to keep your desires
in check through the Spirit and the Word of God, then the world which provides
the opportunities for temptation; the flesh with it’s
natural tendencies toward sin; the devil’s fiery darts will overtake you and
lead you into evil, sin & death. Don’t be deceived otherwise vs 16. How could God have tempted you? Death comes about by
sin. God by His nature is a giver not taker!
GOD ONLY GIVES GOOD GIFTS INCLUDING OUR NEW LIFE
First
of all, our God is a lavish and flawless giver vs 17. Notice every
good and perfect gift is from Him and therefore from above—far beyond what
is sinfully conceived from within us. So, all of our giving here is flawed
because we are flawed. Only God gives perfect gifts. Anything that qualifies as
a good and appropriate kind of giving—every good act of giving is only from
above. That is because God is the Father
of lights with no variation or shadow. The reference here is technical in
the sense of the movements related to the heavenly bodies—that is the sun,
moon, stars and planets. This is a reference by James to God as the creator of
these heavenly bodies or lights. James is not an evolutionist. In contrast to
these heavenly creations which undergo fluxuations
like rotation and casting shadows, God is unchanging in His activity of giving.
His giving and gifts are always good and perfect. Maybe this can motivate us to
kill those lustful desires to give ourselves selfish and sinful gifts.
Second,
God has given us the greatest gift of salvation vs
18. We can only give birth to death vs 15; but God
gives us a new birth vs 18.
New birth finds it’s source in God’s own will 18a. So
God of His own will shines the light of the gospel into our hearts so we can
perceive it’s light through the Word of truth(Mt 16:17). So the amazing outcome
of God’s will and Word is that we who are born again become as it were the first fruits among His
creatures 18b. God’s gift of life to us is a foretaste of the life to come.
Our new life, this gift from God that is good and perfect, foreshadows what God
has planned for the entire creation in His future plan. So let that motivate
you to desire what is righteous and good now.
1. Guard your heart by feeding godly desires. When we
eliminate our lusts we destroy the entry point for temptation.
2. Fill your heart with better concerns. Love Christ. Pray
and be vigilant. Study the Word and apply it to your life situations.
3. Know God better. He is a giver of life while sin is a
taker of it. Thank Him for giving to you. Praise Him for what He has already
given to you. Honor Him for what He promises to yet give.