Trials and Temptations Part 2
James 1:12-18 (NIV) “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone, but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin: and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. Don’t be deceived, my dear brother and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”
James confronts the topic of trials and temptations with truth. As in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were disobedient to God’s command to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Gen.3:1-19) when they did, their first response in their disobedient act was to blame-shift. Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent. The serpent, (Satan) who did not physically force her to partake of the forbidden fruit. He simply questioned what God had said to them. The appeal to Eve was if she ate the fruit that was pleasing to the eye, she could gain wisdom, and she would then become like God and know good and evil.
The temptation leading to a disobedient scenario has not changed throughout the centuries. There is always a question and a lie that begins the downward spiral in man’s disobedience to God. The process to distant a relationship with God is 1. lust 2.sin,
3. death.
Mt.4:1 “Then Jesus was led by the Sprit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Throughout this passage the word “if” is used. “If” is a presenting and challenging question regarding what God has said. When the “if” is presented, we immediately resort to natural human reasoning which is always self-serving and is not anchored in truth, but conversely, it is embedded in man’s carnal, fleshly, fallen nature.
Our fallen, natural, reasoning will never be acceptable to God, it will always be an enemy of God. Ro.8:7-8 (NIV)
In James 1:14, temptation means to be enticed and hold desire for what is forbidden. Eventually when temptation is embraced separation from God occurs. He did not move; we chose to move away in disobedience. This separation process almost always begins with the glance and then gaze of the eye, and then the feet follow.
James uses the graphic words of “dragged away and enticed.” This is a hunting and fishing term, meaning to be dragged away from something, i.e. from God’s purpose to the predators purpose. The power behind evil desires (to lust or long for what is forbidden) enables the dragging away.
Once a person is enticed or (entrapped) it is difficult to get free. This is the foundation to all kinds of human addictions. Imagine an animal caught in a trap. No matter the desperate effort to get free, it cannot find its way out. Someone has to release the trap in order to secure freedom. Jesus is just that someone! He is the Savior and has understands every temptation we experience. Because of his experience, he holds grace for the tempted. He knows how hard the fight against sin is. The good news is that He experienced temptation, and he did not sin. He is qualified to help you resist temptation.
Heb.2:14 (NIV) “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who hold the power of death – that is, the devil, - and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason, he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
The journey leading away from truth is a gradual and incremental experience. I use the word process, because generally deception takes place a little at a time. Little lies are believed and embraced. They justify larger lies that will trap us. As James points out, “evil desire” is the first step towards what is forbidden by God. When a tempting desire becomes mature, and it will, it will give birth to sin, (to miss the mark). Sin is full on rebellion and disobedience to God! The end result of sin is death or separation from God. It is losing life as God intended for us to have life. The relationship with God is now strained because of a choice(s) we have made. Note, I did not say that relationship is lost. The relationship with God can absolutely be repaired and sins can be forgiven. That is the loving and merciful God we serve. He specializes in our new beginnings.
Part of the deception protocol of Satan in temptation is to foster a blindness to consequences. We can choose our own sin, but we cannot choose the consequences! Yielding to sin has a weighty price tag. The choices we make will also deeply impact not just our life, but also the life of the ones we love. Sometimes the impact can be a long-time restoration effort and sometimes, sadly, there is never a restoration in relationship with those wounded by choices and actions. Satan’s plan and goal is to destroy your testimony and to rob you of your identity (who you really are).
We must continually invest in our integrity as a follower of Christ. Integrity is defined as the equal sum of all the parts. Integrity is much easier to maintain than it is to retrieve when lost. Prevention for temptation requires maintaining integrity in every area of life and not allowing justifications of “small sin.” Invest in your integrity!
The best way to deal with life’s temptations is to remain connected to the vine every minute of every day. God is the vine, and we are the branches. We simply cannot live a healthy spiritual life without remaining in the vine. Jn.15:1-17
If we draw near to him, he will draw near to us. It’s our choice. Jesus understands temptation and his grace is present to help us resist it. consequences.
You are loved!
James confronts the topic of trials and temptations with truth. As in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were disobedient to God’s command to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Gen.3:1-19) when they did, their first response in their disobedient act was to blame-shift. Adam blamed Eve and Eve blamed the serpent. The serpent, (Satan) who did not physically force her to partake of the forbidden fruit. He simply questioned what God had said to them. The appeal to Eve was if she ate the fruit that was pleasing to the eye, she could gain wisdom, and she would then become like God and know good and evil.
The temptation leading to a disobedient scenario has not changed throughout the centuries. There is always a question and a lie that begins the downward spiral in man’s disobedience to God. The process to distant a relationship with God is 1. lust 2.sin,
3. death.
Mt.4:1 “Then Jesus was led by the Sprit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.”
Throughout this passage the word “if” is used. “If” is a presenting and challenging question regarding what God has said. When the “if” is presented, we immediately resort to natural human reasoning which is always self-serving and is not anchored in truth, but conversely, it is embedded in man’s carnal, fleshly, fallen nature.
Our fallen, natural, reasoning will never be acceptable to God, it will always be an enemy of God. Ro.8:7-8 (NIV)
In James 1:14, temptation means to be enticed and hold desire for what is forbidden. Eventually when temptation is embraced separation from God occurs. He did not move; we chose to move away in disobedience. This separation process almost always begins with the glance and then gaze of the eye, and then the feet follow.
James uses the graphic words of “dragged away and enticed.” This is a hunting and fishing term, meaning to be dragged away from something, i.e. from God’s purpose to the predators purpose. The power behind evil desires (to lust or long for what is forbidden) enables the dragging away.
Once a person is enticed or (entrapped) it is difficult to get free. This is the foundation to all kinds of human addictions. Imagine an animal caught in a trap. No matter the desperate effort to get free, it cannot find its way out. Someone has to release the trap in order to secure freedom. Jesus is just that someone! He is the Savior and has understands every temptation we experience. Because of his experience, he holds grace for the tempted. He knows how hard the fight against sin is. The good news is that He experienced temptation, and he did not sin. He is qualified to help you resist temptation.
Heb.2:14 (NIV) “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who hold the power of death – that is, the devil, - and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason, he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.”
The journey leading away from truth is a gradual and incremental experience. I use the word process, because generally deception takes place a little at a time. Little lies are believed and embraced. They justify larger lies that will trap us. As James points out, “evil desire” is the first step towards what is forbidden by God. When a tempting desire becomes mature, and it will, it will give birth to sin, (to miss the mark). Sin is full on rebellion and disobedience to God! The end result of sin is death or separation from God. It is losing life as God intended for us to have life. The relationship with God is now strained because of a choice(s) we have made. Note, I did not say that relationship is lost. The relationship with God can absolutely be repaired and sins can be forgiven. That is the loving and merciful God we serve. He specializes in our new beginnings.
Part of the deception protocol of Satan in temptation is to foster a blindness to consequences. We can choose our own sin, but we cannot choose the consequences! Yielding to sin has a weighty price tag. The choices we make will also deeply impact not just our life, but also the life of the ones we love. Sometimes the impact can be a long-time restoration effort and sometimes, sadly, there is never a restoration in relationship with those wounded by choices and actions. Satan’s plan and goal is to destroy your testimony and to rob you of your identity (who you really are).
We must continually invest in our integrity as a follower of Christ. Integrity is defined as the equal sum of all the parts. Integrity is much easier to maintain than it is to retrieve when lost. Prevention for temptation requires maintaining integrity in every area of life and not allowing justifications of “small sin.” Invest in your integrity!
The best way to deal with life’s temptations is to remain connected to the vine every minute of every day. God is the vine, and we are the branches. We simply cannot live a healthy spiritual life without remaining in the vine. Jn.15:1-17
If we draw near to him, he will draw near to us. It’s our choice. Jesus understands temptation and his grace is present to help us resist it. consequences.
You are loved!
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