Please join me at James 1 - starting at verse 13.  Last Sunday we began a study of the book of James.  We saw that James is writing as a brother in Christ - a fellow servant of Jesus by choice.  He’s writing to mostly Christian Jews living outside of Palestine - Christian Jews scattered throughout the Roman Empire.  Misfits - alienated - looked down on by Jews - hated by Gentiles - very much alone - and living a brand of drama in life that is not too far removed from the kind of drama that we all experience in life.

James is coming alongside our siblings in Jesus - and encouraging them - and us - in our faith.  What does real faith look like in the drama of real life?  What does that look like for each of us today?

Last Sunday James took on real faith in the real life trials that we go through.  This morning we’re coming to temptation in real life and what that means for us as we seek to follow Jesus.

There are two parts to what James writes here.  You’ll see those on your Message Notes.  Part one - verses 13 to 16 - focus on The Facts of Temptation. 

Let’s read together verses 13 to 16.  We’ll gets these fresh in our minds and then come back and unpack what James is writing here.

James 1:13:  Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself tempts no one.  But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.  Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.  Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.

Fact number one of temptation is that Temptation Effects Everyone.   None of us gets a “Bye” on temptation.  No one is exempt.  Its not “If he is tempted”  but “When he is tempted.”

It doesn’t matter if we’re claiming great sacrifice and driving a used Yugo or living high on the hog driving a $3.9 million Lamborghini, Veneno.  If doesn't matter if we’re serving in a monastery or working at Pagan’s R Us.  We could be going to a Christian school or a public school - spending hours a day meditating on Scripture or the Sun-Star.

There’s no vaccine.  Not one of us is immune or innocent.  We are and we will be subject to temptation.  Temptation is always present - always a possibility.

Fact number two:  Temptation does not originate with God.  James writes - when we’re tempted we should not say, “I’m being tempted by God.”

Reason being - verse 13 - “God cannot be tempted with evil and He Himself tempts no one.”  God is absolute goodness and holiness - completely separated from sin - unaffected by evil.  God is not the direct cause of evil.  God is the absolute standard of the total opposite of evil.

The word “by” - there in verse 13 in Greek is the preposition “apo.”  Try that with me.  “apo.”  Kinda like Alpo - which is different.  James had choices.  He’s intentional in using that word.  “Apo” is a little word with huge implications.

In Matthew 4 - when Satan tempts Jesus - remember that?  Out in the desert?  Matthew records that Jesus was tempted “by” Satan.  But Matthew uses a different preposition.  Matthew uses “upo” not “apo.”  “Upo” - what Matthew uses - “upo” has the idea of someone directly doing something to someone - something done by them to someone.  Satan directly tempting Jesus.

But “apo” - what James uses - “apo” is different.  It has to do with origins.  Meaning that God doesn’t even give birth to temptation.  God doesn’t whisper in our ears or put evil thoughts into our minds - tempting us to sin.

We need to be clear on this.  God may allow us to experience temptations.  God may use the temptations we experience to lead us closer to Him - to strengthen our faith.  But God never is the author of the temptation.  God is never the author of evil.  God is never going to try and lure us into doing something that is unholy.  God is never going to tempt us into the self-destructive disaster of sin.

The third fact of temptation is that Temptation follows a consistent process.  Temptation always follows a consistent recognizable process.

Step one in that process is when an alluring bait taps into our inner desire

Verse 14 - “But” - meaning something besides God - God who is not the one trying to lure us into sin - something besides God grabs our attention - tempts us - taps into our desires - tugs at our inner longings - to lure us - to draw us away from God.

The word “enticed” is a fishing term.  It describes bait on a hook.  Power bait on a hook coaxing a fish out of its hiding place.  Deep within us a desire stirs - a hunger that pushes us  past what’s rational - a desire to take the bait.

Here James does use the preposition “upo” - meaning we do this directly to ourselves.  We can’t blame God - Who’s holy.  We can’t blame whatever it is that’s grabbing our attention.  We can’t blame the bait.  The worm is just hanging on the hook having a really really bad day.

The bait is not what’s tempting us.  What’s tempting us is our own lust - our own desire from deep within is what’s luring us to sin.

Deitrich Bonhoeffer - the German theologian martyred by the Nazis - Bonhoeffer writes:  “In our members there is a slumbering inclination towards desire which is both sudden and fierce.  With irresistible power desire seizes mastery over the flesh.  All at once a secret, smoldering fire is kindled.  The flesh burns and is in flames.  It makes no difference whether it is sexual desire, or ambition, or vanity, or desire for revenge, or love of fame and power, or greed for money, or, finally, that strange desire for the beauty of the world, of nature.  Joy in God is in course of being extinguished in us and we seek all our joy in the creature.  At this moment God is quite unreal to us, He loses all reality, and only desire for the creature is real; the only reality is the devil.  Satan does not here fill us with hatred of God, but with forgetfulness of God.” (1)

Step one in the process of temptation is an alluring bait taps into our inner desire. 

Step two is conception.  Verse 15 - “then” conception.  Two necessary ingredients come together - the bait and our desire.  Temptation is conceived - a process is put in motion that if we follow that process it will give birth to sin.

The ultimate example - David and Bathsheba.  David at home when he should have been leading the army.  David wandering his roof and his eyes catching a women bathing.  The innocent glance is not sin.  But there is bait.  Inner desire is tapped into.  The unintentional noticing becomes a willful stare.  The fish notices the worm.

David takes in her beauty.  A flame within him is fanned.  Bait and desire come together - a powerful temptation is conceived.  David is hooked.

Then there’s rapid progression of events that take place.  He inquires about her.  He sends for her.  He sleeps with her - even knowing that she’s the wife of Uriah the Hittite - one of his most trusted soldiers.

Notice - step three - verse 15 - where all this leads - sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.  Step three in the process is death.

With David there’s the attempted cover-up.  The death of Uriah.  The death of the child.  All because of a one night stand.  (2 Samuel 11:1-12:23)

We need to be careful here to understand what James means by death.

People die because of sin.  Around us there’s sickness and death because of sexual sin or people suffering because of alcoholism or drug addictions - smoking - addiction of food.  People die as result of sin.

There’s eternal death.  Eternal separation from God with eternal conscious torment and punishment which is coming for those who physically die in their sins - unrepentant - without turning and trusting Jesus as their Savior. 

But let’s be careful.  James has more in mind here that physical death - or even spiritual death - eternal separation from God.  Let’s remember He’s writing to believers - Christian Jews - who one day will physically die.  But at that point their heading to eternal life with God - eternal reward.

In the Jewish way of thinking death is a trajectory - a path through life.  Kind of like “Night of the Living Dead.”  Zombieland.  Death - as James is meaning it - death is an ongoing quality of life.

In Deuteronomy - before Moses turns over the nation to Joshua - in his last challenge to God’s people before they enter the Promised Land - Moses tells God’s people, “I’ve set before you today life and good, death and evil.”  (Deuteronomy 30:15).  A choice of trajectories through life.   Life and good or death and evil.  Two trajectories.  Two qualities of life.

The process James describes - that process is consistent regardless of what tempts us - whatever the bait.  When we allow bait to tap into our desires and choose to linger in temptation - to bite the hook - we will sin.  Sin without repentance leads to death - or a death like existence.  Living death - living in bondage to our desires.  Desires that powerfully entice us to take the bait again and again and again.  There’s guilt - misery - hopelessness.  Living death. 

First - Temptation effects all of us.  What’s unnerving is that David’s sin happens to a man we’re told is a man after God’s own heart.  (1 Samuel 13:14).  Temptation effects everyone.  None of us is above this.

Second - Temptation does not originate with God.  God will not tempt us to sin - to do what will draw us away from Him.

Third - Temptation follows a consistent process.  Which is good news.  Because the process is consistent it can be recognized and resisted.  We can recognized the bait.  We can resist the desire.  We don’t have to go there.  God showing us that there is another trajectory through life.

Then fact of temptation number four - James tells us that Temptation Thrives In Deception. 

Deception is like putting Miracle Grow on a plant.

James warns us - verse 16:  Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.

Deception is like the old trick of covering a deep pit with leaves and hanging meat over it.  Just easy pickings for the tiger.  If you’ve seen enough movies - that one gets the tiger every time.

It is so easy for us try and duck responsibility.  People say, “I can’t believe in a God who let’s all this evil to go on.”  Like we have no responsibility for any of the crud around us.

They tried that back in Eden.  Remember that?  Lured by what the fruit promised - they bit.  “It was the women You gave me.”  “It was the snake You created.”  Ultimately, God its Your fault we blew it.  Like that worked really well.  Blaming God for the mess we’ve made of our lives.  (Genesis 3:1-13)

The reason my life is such a mess is because of where I grew up - my parents - my circumstances - our society - the government.  Our society thrives on ducking personal responsibility.  Self-deception with disastrous consequences.

We buy into little lies we tell ourselves - little deceptions to let ourselves off the hook.  “What would it hurt?”  “Everyone else is doing it.”  “It isn’t that bad.”  “I deserve to have one.”  “I couldn’t help myself.”  “You owe it to yourself.”  “You deserve a break today.”

Temptation promises so much.  “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity.”  “You’d be a fool to pass this one up.”  “Its an offer you can’t refuse.”  “A sure thing.” 

Do you hear James?  “Helloooo.  Think!!!  Use what’s between your ears.  Before you choose to go there think about where there is - where there ends up.”  Because we know where the process always leads.

Temptations come in all kinds of shapes and sizes.  But, the beginning of the process is in the mind - the choices we make.  God is not the author of the temptation.  We are.  Whatever is tempting you away from God is not of God.  Absolutely no good will every come of it.  The deception is a pack of empty promises.  Don’t buy the lie. 

James warns us.  Don’t be deceived.  Don’t let yourselves go there.  Face the facts.  Apply God’s truth.  Consider the consequences.  Things like disgrace - divorce - disaster for yourself and others - living death.

Drew Anderson writes in the Reader’s Digest:  “While my wife and I were shopping at a mall, a shapely young woman in a short, form-fitting dress strolled by.  My eyes followed her.  Without looking up from the item she was examining, my wife asked, ‘Was it worth the trouble you’re in?’”   Have you heard that?  That’s way too close to home.

The consequences are huge.  Are they really worth the second glance?  Are they really worth whatever it is that’s going to hook you?  You can and need to make a wise choice here.

In verses 17 and 18 James brings us to Our Focus in Temptation. 

Where do we need to be focused if we’re going to have victory when we face temptation?

Let’s read verses 17 and 18 together:  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.  Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth that we should be a kind of first fruits of His creatures.

Where do we need to be focused?  Answer:  God.  The source of our victory over temptation is God.

James writes that every - not some or a few - but any and every good and perfect gift comes from God Who Himself is good and perfect.  Whatever we need to go through whatever we go through - all of what we really need for life - God will supply - adequately - completely - out of His very character which is good and perfect.

James writes that God is the Father of lights.

The imagery - lights and variations and shadows - oh my - probably comes from Geek poetry - stars and planets and the rotation of the earth - the sun and the moon - constant change.  Day and night and what’s in between.

Imagery that James draws on to help us focus on God being the creator of all that.  God who has sovereign authority over all that.  And while things out there are always moving - turning and casting shadows down here - long ones - short ones - changing variations.  While all that is constantly changing God does not.   

Are we together?

James writes - verse 18:  Of His own will - meaning God wasn’t forced to do this - God by His own free will - God in His sovereignty chose to do this - By His will - God - brought us forth by the word of truth - the Gospel of salvation in Jesus Christ - so that we would be a kind of first fruits of His creatures - the first of all those through the centuries who would be born again - to eternal restored life in Jesus.

1 John 4:9,10:  “God showed how much He loved us by sending His one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through Him.  This is real love—not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.”  (1 John 4:9,10 TNLT)

In the world we live in - love is selfish.  Its focused on what we can get.  On having our needs met.  It demands satisfaction.  It seeks to be served.  There’s no commitment in the world’s love.  “If you aren’t meeting my needs, I’m out of here.”

Sin is ugly.  Disobedience is disgusting.  We live there.  But, God willfully chooses to love us.  To forgive us.  To commit Himself to us.  Even in death on a cross.  Out of His goodness and perfection to meet our deepest need perfectly - completely - paying the penalty for our sin - forgiving our sin - restoring our relationship with Him.

Isn’t there reassurance in that?  When we choose to trust God He will never reject us - never walk away from us - never leave us high and dry and defenseless.  We can trust Him with our lives.   We’re still together?

Point being that God doesn’t just make us a bunch of promises - to provide every good and perfect gift - and then come up short.  God isn’t going to pull a bait and switch on us.  God isn’t playing three card monte.

God has the authority and power to fulfill His promises.  And nothing can prevent God from doing what God wills to do.  What God says He will do He will do.

Are we still together?

“Brought us forth” - verse 18 - is the same word in Greek that James uses in verse 15 as “to give birth.”   

That contrast is significant.  It is the bottom line of what James is writing.

 
Bottom line:  The process of temptation - which we all are effected by - when we give into it - it gives birth to death.  In contrast - trusting God - choosing to focus on Him in the midst of temptation - is to open ourselves up to His goodness and perfection - His birthing us - His transforming us according to His own character - now and forever.

That is why - when the bait is dangled in front of us - victory comes as we choose to turn from the bait and to trust God with our lives.

That’s a lot to take in.  Isn’t it?  What can what James writes mean for us as we head out of here into real life?

There’s an old account - maybe you’ve heard this.  Its an oldie.  But its a goodie.  And it relates. 

Raynald III was a 14th century duke in what is now Belgium.  Grossly overweight, Raynald was commonly called by his Latin nickname, Crassus, which means “fat.”

After a violent quarrel, Raynald’s younger brother Edward led a successful revolt against him.  Edward captured Raynald but didn’t kill him.  Instead, Edward built a room around Raynald in the Nieuwkerk castle and promised Raynald that he could regain his title and property as soon as he was able to leave the room.

That wouldn’t have been too difficult for most people since the room had several windows and a door of near normal size.  None of them was locked or barred.  The problem was Raynald’s size.  To regain his freedom - all he had to do was loose weight.

But Edward knew his older brother.  Each day he sent a variety of delicious foods.  Instead of dieting his way out of prison, Raynald grew fatter.

When Edward was accused of cruelty, he had a ready answer.  “My brother is not a prisoner.  He may leave when he so wills.”

Raynald stayed in that room for ten years and wasn’t released until after Edward died in battle. (2)

At some point we’ve got to realize that what we’re clinging to is killing us.  That could be all kinds of things.  Whatever we’re hanging on to rather than hanging on to God - behaviors - attitudes - emotions.

The obvious ones are drugs, sex, pornography, alcohol - maybe smoking.  But what about food?  Caffeine?  Dieting?  Or needing to be needed?  Or anger?  Anxiety?  Depression?  Wallowing?  Or exercise?  Being a good student?  Being a good parent?  Sports?  Or shopping?

Vince Lombardi had a plaque on the wall of the Packers dressing room:  “When the going gets tough, the tough get - what?  going.”  When the going gets tough the tough go shopping.

Trinkets and toys and technology to fill the emptiness of our lives.  The list goes on and on. 

In the drama of life our greatest temptation is to turn somewhere else than to God to resolve our deepest issues.  None of us escapes that.  With that understanding even Bible study and prayer and worship can be temptations we give in to.  They become that when we’re doing what we’re doing for ourselves rather than trusting God with our lives.

Its like a knee jerk reaction - automatic.  Maybe its an argument with our spouse - or something going on a school - or work - an illness.  Whatever - Stress leads to smoking.  Anxiety leads to alcohol.  Failure leads to food.       

When we get hit with the stuff of life - that drama acts like bait - and our temptation is to return to the ways we’ve always coped with life.  To seek our own desires - our own lusts - what we’re tempted to seek after rather than seeking after God?  Even if we know its killing us?

The Apostle Peter writes:  “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”  (2 Peter 2:22)

That’s not a pretty image.  But its real.  Its not the bait that’s killing us.  Its what we choose to do with the bait.  What we choose to trust with our lives rather than trusting God.

Are we together?

James writes, “Don’t be deceived.  You know the process.  You know the end.  When the bait is dangled in front of your eyes.  Choose differently.”

Genesis 4 is the account of Cain and Abel.  We know this account.  Abel is a shepherd.  Cain is a farmer.  Cain brings an offering to God from his produce.  Abel brings an offering to God from his flock.  God chooses Abel’s offering over Cain’s offering.  Cain gets really angry.

Here’s a man - in the midst of the drama of life - maybe bait that’s tapped into his pride - Cain who’s entertaining an evil desire - a temptation - and is on the verge of conceiving sin.  “Why did God pick Abel’s offering?  He should have picked mine.  Who does Abel think he is anyway?  I wish he was dead!”

God says to Cain - Genesis 4:6:  “Cain, why are you so angry?  Why do you look so dejected?  If you do what’s right, you’ll be accepted.”  Cain - forget the offering - ultimately this is about You and me - and what’s going on in your heart.

Genesis 4:7:  “But if you refuse to do what’s right - watch out.  Sin is crouching at the door - sin is waiting to attack you - and its desire is to destroy you.  But, you can conquer it.  You can be the master over it!”

Do you hear temptation - process - and choice in that?

Cain - in temptation - you have a choice.  Choose to obey me and do what’s right.  Trust me.

We know how this turns out.  One day Cain suggested to Abel, “Let’s go out into the fields.”  While they’re out there, Cain attacks and kills his brother.  His evil desire gives birth to sin.  Cain is severely punished by God.  (Genesis 4:1-16)  Yielding to temptation leads to sin leads to death.

Sometimes when we focus on the account of Cain and Abel and God’s choice of acceptable offerings and Cain blowing it - murdering Abel - we sometimes miss the opportunity that God is opening up to Cain.  For Cain to let go of Cain’s version of his life and to trust God for God’s version of Cain’s life.  There is a huge opportunity here for Cain to grow in his relationship with God - to experience God’s approval of his life - to realize great joy in his relationship with God and in life. 

No matter how trapped we may feel - or how strong the temptation or difficult the circumstance - we always have a choice.  What would that have meant for Cain?  What kind of amazing life would he have experienced with God?  We don’t know.  But God does.

God our creator who is good and perfect and loves us despite ourselves.  Only God knows what Cain passed on because Cain trusted Himself - choose his own way of dealing with life.  Only God knows what our lives could be like if we trusted Him fully.

Question:  Do we really believe that what God has for us is better than what we’re wallowing in?

You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him… drink.  We come to the question of trust - of drinking what God has for us - and so many times we go back to where we’ve been because we struggle to trust that what God has for us is better than the familiar of our own vomit and wallowing and death.

Augustine - Bishop of Hippo - brilliant man - back in the 300’s Augustine said this:  “God does not expect us to submit our faith to Him without reason, but the very limits of reason make faith a necessity.”

Faith isn’t faith if we know what’s ahead.  If we can reason it out for ourselves.  But, how long are we going to keep trying to reason out our lives - taking the bait over and over again - how long until we’re finally willing to trust that what God offers us is infinitely better?  Worth trusting Him for with our lives.

The definition of insanity?  Doing the same thing and expecting different results.  Maybe its time to choose differently.

_________________________

1. Deitrich Bonhoeffer, Creation and Fall; Temptation:  Two Biblical Studies, New York, Collier, 1959 - quoted by Chuck Swindoll.

2. The Biblical Studies Foundation - Lust - attributed to Dave Wilkenson

Additional reference:  Charles R. Swindoll, Insights on James, 1 and 2 Peter - Zondervan, 2010