This passage is so appropriate for anyone who struggles with temptation of any kind (psst, thats all of us). We should be slow to dismiss the thoughts or actions that have been precipitated by an opportunity to change course. My road to sanctification is paved with insights on avoidable sins by learning how to properly deal with the ‘Temptation’ that immediately precedes those sins.
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, I am tempted from God; for God is incapable of being tempted by [what is] evil and He Himself tempts no one. James 1:13
Straight and to the point. God does not set temptation before us…it is out of our own sinful heart that we are presented with the opportunity to sin. I have heard people blame God for their temptations they deal with; this verse is the direct counter. However, God does ‘TEST’ us. He tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son Issaac and God tested the children of Israel many times. Don’t let ‘temptation’ be confused with ‘testing’.
14 But every person is tempted when he is drawn away, enticed and baited by his own evil desire (lust, passions). James 1:14
I had to read this verse several times to catch the subtle lesson. We are tempted WHEN we are drawn away! Stay close to God through His word and prayer! The picture I have stated many times in this blog is that I envision myself hugging the shins of God; like a little child…like little Brooklyn does with me a lot of times. It is when we are drawn away that we are enticed and baited by OUR OWN evil desires. Powerful!
15 Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death. James 1:15
As we give into that temptation, allowing the evil desire to be pursued and acted upon. Then the scary statement – “and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death”…Yikes! One thing God does promise us is that He ALWAYS provides us a way out of the temptation we find ourselves in… we just have to choose against the path that leads to sinning.