1

Facing Temptation James 1:12-1:18

In our last study, we began a series on the book of James called Real Faith for Real Life. In this study our focus is on what James tells us about temptation and how we can face it and survive it. James told us to rejoice in trials of many kinds because it tests our faith and develops perseverance and persevering through trials helps mature and complete us. Now James talks about temptation and what we need to know when we face temptation and sin so that we are able to overcome them.

One of the greatest challenges of living the Christian life is dealing with “temptations.” this is true for most Christians.

Temptation. What comes to mind when you here that word?

Temptation comes in many different forms for different people.

n Sometimes it looks like a person. You may be tempted to think about that person or be with that person in a way that does not honour God.

n Sometimes temptation looks like money. We want more and more and are tempted to do things to get money that we know are wrong.

n Sometimes temptation comes in the form of alcohol or drugs. We want to feel differently from the way we do now so we seek to change our feeling with alcohol or drugs.

Temptation lies to us, it promises one thing and delivers something entirely different. It promises joy, but delivers heartache. It promises fullness or satisfaction, but delivers emptiness. It promises life, but it delivers death. Often even when we know this, temptation comes again and it seems to gain victory over us.

Do you find it frustrating that even though your sins have been forgiven you find yourself still temptated to sin? Why?

How can we face temptation and survive it?

In James 1:12-18, we find helpful words for the Christian in the form of:

n A PROMISE to those who endure temptations.

n A CAUTION not to wrongfully assign the source of those temptations.

n AN UNDERSTANDING of how sin develops.12 Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. 13 When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Real Faith for Real LifeSession 2 22 March 2011

There may be times when you find it difficult to reconcile God’s truth to your own opinion or worldview, God’s truth is eternal, it does not change, our understanding of the truth does change as we allow God to work in our hearts and minds.

These sessions are not about opinion, they are about learning truth, the truth contained in the Bible, together we are going to focus on how we apply God’s truth, black & white in a grey world. To set godly priorities, grow in Christian character and live according to God’s standards so that we are a living witness to others. Notes from previous sessions are available from the Bible Study Section of www.ashingdonelim.co.uk.

Faith Service Worship Vision

2

16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of all he created. (James 1:13-18)

The PromiseBlessed is the one who perseveres under trial the Greek word for “blessed” is “makarios” which means “happy, blessed” the nature of the happiness enjoyed is described as the verse continues having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

The promise is that of “eternal life”the promise is given to those who “demonstrate” (prove) their love for God by their endurance of the temptations.

The CautionIf we are going to overcome temptation and sin, then the first thing we need is to Know the Origin of Temptation and Sin. First, we need to realise that temptation to do evil is not from God.

Sometimes people think to themselves that God is the one who has created me. He has given me these desires. He puts me in positions to be tempted to do wrong. Why am I to blame when He created me this way and then tempted me to do it? God never tempts anyone, ever, to do evil.

The difference between testing and temptingWe need to understand that there is a difference between testing, which God does bring about in our life, and tempting, which he doesn’t.

Why does God test his people?

God tests his people to help them persevere and grow in their faith. Testing is something external that works to change us internally, to develop our character and make us mature and complete. An example of this in the Bible is when God tested Abraham with being willing to sacrifice Isaac.

God never tempts anyone to do evil.God’s testing leads us to take actions that will bring glory to Him and help us. Temptation is leading us to take actions that dishonour God and hurt us.

God cannot be tempted with evil nor does He tempt anyone with evil. So where does temptation come from if not from God?

If we are going to overcome temptation then we need to realise that the origin of Temptation to do evil is often from Inside us.

but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. (James 1:14)

It is in our sin nature that our evil desires emanate from. We need to know that the evil that comes out of us is already in us. Our sin nature was not created by God, but came into being with Adam’s sin and we, his descendants inherit that. And before you seek to shift the blame to him, the reality is that each one of us would have done the same thing he did. So the origin of Temptation begins within our own sin nature.

The Process of temptation and sin14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:14b-15)

Now it is our evil desires that open us up to temptation. The evil desires themselves are not what tempt us, but it opens us to temptation. It says when by our own evil desires, we are dragged away and enticed. We are dragged away from what? From truth. We start believing lies.

Jesus says, “I have come to give the full and abundant life” (John 10:10)

Our evil desires say I need something else to have the full life, a lie. And then once we believe the lies, we are enticed by opportunity. The word enticed, is a fishing word that means “lured by bait.”

When you go fishing, you don’t just drop a hook in the water and expect the fish to bite. You cover the hook with something or disguise it with something that is appealing.

You put a lure or some kind of bait like a worm that covers the hook. Your goal with the bait or lure is to entice them from where they are and to hide the hook so they will bite the bait. Without the enticement, there is no temptation. There needs to be that opportunity.

Evil Desire + Opportunity = TemptationWhen does temptation become sin?

James 1:15a after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; You believe the lie and you are tempted, which stems from the evil desire and opportunity, and then it conceives, you act on the opportunity and that is sin.

Temptation + Action = SinAs an illustration of the process of temptation and sin, Solomon writes about adultery in a personified form in Proverbs 7. 6 At the window of my house I looked out through the lattice. 7 I saw among the simple, I noticed among the young men, a youth who lacked judgment.

A youth who lacked judgment, one who was not wise and believed the lies and was dragged away from the truth and wisdom. 8 He was going down the street near her corner, walking along in the direction of her house 9 at twilight, as the day was fading, as the dark of night set in.

He has evil desires and puts himself in the path of opportunity.

3

10 Then out came a woman to meet him, dressed like a prostitute and with crafty intent. 11(She is loud and defiant, her feet never stay at home; 12 now in the street, now in the squares, at every corner she lurks.) 13 She took hold of him and kissed him and with a brazen face she said: 14 “I have fellowship offerings at home; today I fulfilled my vows. 15 So I came out to meet you; I looked for you and have found you! 16 I have covered my bed with colored linens from Egypt. 17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. 18 Come, let’s drink deep of love till morning; let’s enjoy ourselves with love! 19 My husband is not at home; he has gone on a long journey. 20 He took his purse filled with money and will not be home till full moon.”

Opportunity to sin comes calling. He believes the lies and now is enticed by the opportunity. He is tempted.21 With persuasive words she led him astray; she seduced him with her smooth talk. 22 All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer stepping into a noose 23 till an arrow pierces his liver, like a bird darting into a snare, little knowing it will cost him his life.

He is tempted and now, because of his evil desires and lack of wisdom, because he believed the lies, and now opportunity has presented itself and he believes the lie that this will satisfy his desire, he takes the bait, he takes action to satisfy this desire in his own wisdom, turning from the wisdom of the Lord and he sins, and Solomon writes that he takes this action and sins “little knowing it will cost him his life.”

James agrees with this end result; James 1:15 - “sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”

Sin + Consequence = DeathWhat does James mean when he says death?

Well death means separation from life. In the Bible, when speaking of death it can be fulfilled with physical death or spiritual death or many times it can have a dual fulfillment, meaning it can be physical and spiritual.

In Romans 6:23a, it says, “the wages of sin is death”

We learn in Genesis, that the death that came into the world because of sin was both physical and spiritual. God tells Adam that “you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die.” (Genesis 2:17).

Adam and Eve did not die physically that day, but physical death came into the world as a consequence of their action, their sin. But they did die spiritually that day in that they suffered separation from God. Our evil desires when enticed by opportunity and that opportunity is seized to sin brings the consequence of death, separation from life. Ultimately, it is both physical and spiritual.

Victory Over Temptation and Sin16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father

of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (James 1:16-18)

James reminds us not to be deceived by the lies of Satan, but to Know the truth of the victory that is available by His incredible gift of salvation through Jesus. Our heavenly Father not only does not tempt us with evil, but He is the giver of every good and perfect gift.

The eternal God, who is the same yesterday, today and forever, who does not change like shifting shadows, has provided the gift of salvation, a spiritual rebirth, through His Son, Jesus Christ, the eternal word, the way, the truth and the Life, so that we can be changed. God has changed the equation radically through His incredible gift.1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. (Romans 8:1-4)

When we receive Jesus Christ as Saviour, we are indwelt by the Spirit of God. This sets us free from the law of sin and death. Now instead of our evil desires that stem out of our sin nature and the opportunities that cause us to be tempted, God gives us a new nature, a Spiritual Nature that we can rely on instead of our sin nature.

Because we are God’s children now, instead of standing before opportunities to sin and facing those temptations in our weakness, God gives us ways out.

Listen to what Paul tells us No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

So now instead of opportunities to sin, we have God’s Faithfulness which provides us a way out so that we are not staring only at temptations, but now we have the strength to stand because there is a way out.

We still have this sin nature, we are going to fail sometimes to rely on this nature and trust God’s faithfulness and we are going to be tempted and act on that temptation and sin.

But because of God’s love for us, He has set us free from the Law of sin and death as a consequence of that sin. Instead of consequences, God offers us forgiveness in Christ Jesus which changes death to Life.

Sin + Forgiveness = LifeFor the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

4

God is the giver of every good and perfect gift, Just as James said. He has given us birth through the word of truth. We can have life through the forgiveness offered by Jesus Christ so that we no longer are slaves being tempted into sin and brought to death, but we are slaves to righteousness indwelt with the very Spirit of God, strengthened by the spirit and afforded God’s faithfulness to be strengthened in the face of temptation so that we can overcome it, but God’s love is so great that even when we do sin, he offers forgiveness so that Life can be experienced instead of death.He has come to give life and give it to the full.

So how do we live out the reality of this faith in our real life? A few practical steps that we find in Scripture for avoiding temptation and sin.

How to overcome sinChange our “desires”Since this is where the process of sin begins, it is the best place for us to begin. It is a part of Christian growth to change our desires - Ro 12:1-2; Ga 5:24

How do we change our desires? How can the Word of God can change our desires?

The Word of God has always been instrumental in helping people overcome sin

If we are going to protect ourselves from the lies that Satan tells us and the lies that we tell ourselves because of our sin nature, then we have got to saturate our mind with the truth. The psalmist writes in Psalm 119:9, 11 How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word... 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Read and store God’s word in your heart.

If we study God’s Word more are we less likely to act on the desire to sin?

As we read of God’s love and mercy, we desire to serve Him. As we read of sin and its consequences, we come to hate it! I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path. (Psalm 119:104)

Limit our “opportunities”How can we limit our opportunities to sin?

Remember, we are tempted only when there is BOTH desire and opportunity.

So while we work on changing our desires, we should limit the opportunities to fulfil wrongful desires. This can be done by asking for God’s providential help, as Jesus taught (Matthew 6:13; 26:41).

We can cooperate with God by purposely avoiding situations that might cause wrongful desires and avoiding people whose behaviour encourages us to sin.

Exercise “self-control”Remember, it becomes sin when we yield to action in fulfilling our sinful desires.

How does the Christian exercise self-control?

Self-control is one aspect of the “fruit of then Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23). When we become Christians, we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit in our lives (Acts 2:38; 5:32). The Spirit is God’s instrumental agent by which He imparts strength to us (Ephesians 3:16). Strengthened by the Spirit, we are able to “put to death the deeds of the body” (Romans 8:12-13) As Paul said: “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13)

Realise the way outWhen we are tempted, is there always a way out? Standing on the truth of God’s word, resisting the Devil, or simply fleeing the situation, there is a way out and we need to realise it.

It is through faith in God’s Word that the Christian believes that he has this divine help (Ephesians 3:20). It is certainly proper to pray for it, as Paul did on behalf of the Ephesians (Ephesians 3:16). But equally important, to act upon it, trusting that you are not alone as you try to do God’s will (Philippians 2:12-13)

Does the Christian ever have a valid excuse for yielding to temptation?

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Resist the DevilIn James 4:7 we read a promise of God that tells us that if you Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Resist Satan. Don’t just blindly follow temptation. There are times you may need to verbally say no, that’s a lie and trust that when you do resist, that he will flee.

The VictoryWe can overcome sin by stopping its development. God is able and willing to help us overcome sin!

God helps us to “control our desires” by providing His WORD to renew our minds. God helps us to “limit the opportunities” through His providence. God helps us to “exercise self-control” over our actions through The Holy Spirit strengthening us.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Peter 1:3)