James turns from trials, or external hardships, to solicitation to do evil. God will test men but he will not tempt men to sin (James 1:13). External trials become internal problems when we are drawn away of our own lust. Adam tried to put the blame for his sin on Eve and Eve tried to blame the devil (Genesis 3:13-16).
The blame for our sin does not rest on Satan but with us (James 1:14). The devil will receive his punishment, but so will we because we are responsible for our actions (Ezekiel 18:4). Paul declared, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10; Galatians 6:7-8).
Lust is natural desire out of control. It is not wrong to be hungry and want to eat, but it is wrong to steal food to satisfy one’s hunger (Ephesians 4:28). Sexual desire is not wrong unless it is satisfied outside of marriage. For, "marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled; but fornicators and adulterers God will judge" (Hebrews 13:4).
“Drawn away" and "enticed" come from fishing and hunting experiences. They picture one who is lured by the bait and hooked when he bites. God warned Cain regarding that very problem (Genesis 4:7). Wiersbe reminds us that it is the bait which keeps the animal from seeing the trap or the fish the hook. The attractive nature of sin also keeps us from seeing its consequences (Genesis 13:10-13; 2 Samuel 11:2-12:14). We must learn to resist its enticement (Proverbs 1:10).
Lust and uncontrolled desire join and conceive an unwanted child called sin. Sin, like an unwanted child, is a direct result of our allowing our passions to run out of control. When sin grows up, it gives birth to death (James 1:15; Romans 6:23). Thus, we have sin’s lineage.
God does not tempt man to do evil and would not give man two such unwanted offspring. God is the source of everything that is good (James 1:16-17). "So Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is God’" (Mark 10:19). He is also the source of all comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3). God is light (1 John 1:5) and is the source of every light (Genesis 1:1-5, 14-18). Unlike the lights which he created, which vary in intensity of brightness and cast varying lights and shadows due to the earth’s turning, God is unchanging (Malachi 3:6).
Our own lust yields temptation which gives birth to sin and death. God causes men to be born of the truth (James 1:18). God, thereby, has begotten Christians to a living hope (1 Peter 1:3). The new birth is spoken of repeatedly in the New Testament (John 1:12-13; 3:1-8; 1 Corinthians 4:14; 1 Peter 1:23; 1 John 2:29; 3:9; 4:7-8; 5:1, 4). It does not come about because of good works we do to merit an entrance into heaven, but is produced by the washing of the new birth (Titus 3:5).
Christians are brought forth, like a baby being born, by the word of truth, or the gospel (Ephesians 1:13; Colossians 1:5-6). The very fact that these first century brethren were born to be "firstfruits" indicates that God expected many more to follow (Leviticus 23:10; Deuteronomy 26:2). The sacrifice of the firstfruits was made in expectation of a good harvest to follow. It was a means of consecrating all of the harvest (Romans 11:16).
- God is the source of good - 2025-03-27
- Lessons From the Rich and Poor Brother - 2025-03-20
- Have joy in trials - 2025-03-13