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Temptation
Text: James 1:12-16
Believe that God will reward your faithfulness (vs 12)
- There is a path to victory that the LORD rewards
- The Lord says there is a path to victory
- Lead me not into temptation implies there is an entrance into temptation.
- Luke records in the LORD’s temptation that when the devil had ended the temptation, he departed for a time.
- Jesus told the disciples to pray that they wouldn’t enter temptation.
- Psalm 95:8 Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
- Luke 8:13 They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away.
- So the crossroads of decisions are not everywhere all the time. They are specific and limited.
- It’s the promise of God for eternal life that encourages someone to love God through a trial and not give in to what they desire.
- John is very bold and tells people to be faithful unto death, and the LORD will give you a crown of life.
- Are you going to tell me the apostles weren’t serious about this? I’m afraid for some of you. I’m afraid your theology has made light of this commandment.
- Will I be faithful and love God or will I yield to what I want?
- Back in James 1:12 he says he’ll give this reward to those that love him as opposed to loving themselves.
- Temptation is a well-defined trial with one of two outcomes:
- your love of God and faith is revealed,
- or you’re love of what you want is revealed.
- God blesses those who love him because loving yourself is just loving flesh that will wither and die. Love someone eternal.
Don’t you dare justify the sin (vs 13)
- Don’t say when you’re tempted it’s because of God. That’s a blasphemous way of saying God made me this way. No. You’re tempted by desires that are coming from you.
- This isn’t God’s fault. You were hungry and the world dangled the bait in front of you. You were thirsty and the world offered you a drink. God didn’t set you up.
- God doesn’t seduce people. God is the life-giver, he is not trying to bring death.
- Don’t you dare justify the sin by blaming God for your out-of-control desire.
Control your desires (vss 14-15)
- Temptation comes to all people because we all have wants and desires. No temptation has taken you but such is common to man.
- The temptation comes from what YOU already want
- The tempter uses what’s already in you to draw you away
- 1 Timothy 6:9-10 But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. 10 For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. (James says Do not err)
- These people die under the condemnation of God because they were caught in a temptation. They may have been around the Bible and in a church, but they were unable to keep their heart with diligence and so they were moved away from the things of God.
- It’s like fishing. The fish is hungry. So you put a piece of food on the hook. And you draw the fish out based on something that’s inside of him.
- It’s like hunting. The deer are hungry. So you put corn out. The deer are drawn out based on what’s inside of them and they are killed.
- Proverbs 7:6-27 is a great description of lust, sin, and death as James describes it.
Learn to say “No” to you (vs 16)
- To err is to get on a course that leads to destruction.
- Psalm 119:21 You’ve rebuked the proud that are cursed, which do err from thy commandments.
- This is a serious warning.
- There is hope if you’re caught in temptation, but you must be converted. James 5:19-20 if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; 20 Let him know, that he which converts the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.
