Where Do Temptations Come From?
There is no doubt about it, life is hard. Challenges are faced every day, sometimes they are faced head on with grace while other times they are faced with less than ideal composition. During the difficult times, it can be tempting to say that we are placed in these situations by God, that He is tempting us. However, James once again, and in no uncertain terms, pokes a hole into this thinking.
“13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change] 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.”
James 1:13-18
James does not mince words, and he cuts right to the chase regarding where temptations truly come from. James describes temptations as coming from inside our mind. This may seem out of place considering our last post on the trials of wealth and need, but it is not. James is connecting tests with temptations here because when we are placed under pressure on the outside (tests) if we are not following God, then we look for answers from inside our own mind. We begin to complain, doubt, and reject God’s Word and allow our minds to attempt to find a solution based upon our own desires.
The first important aspect that James states regarding temptations is that they do not come from God. “13 No one is to say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.” James 1:13 Often times when we are faced with a temptation we tend to say that it is God who is tempting us. Verse 13 leaves little doubt that God tempts anyone, and yet we so often are like those who are mentioned in Proverbs 19:3, “A person’s own folly leads to their ruin, yet their heart rages against the Lord.” It is our own foolishness that leads us into temptation but we place the blame on God. On the other hand, God cannot be tempted by sinful desires. This is not a part of His nature “You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong,” Habakkuk 1:13. God has no capacity for sinful desires either, “5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5 If we truly believe that the Word of God is perfect and irreputable, then this simple verse holds much sway in the argument that God tempts us. When presented with this verse it is best to rely on the old saying “when the plain sense makes sense, seek no other sense lest you find nonsense”
After pointing out that temptations do not come from God, James is quick to get to the root of the problem. Temptation comes when we are enticed and lured away from God by our own desires. This person is drawn away from God by something that they think is better, only to find out that they have left the safe harbor and are in unsafe waters. What is enticing them appears like such a good deal that they are not aware of the deadly consequences their actions will cause. Susan Heck in her book “In the School of Tested Faith” has a great explanation on the term used by James. “The word enticed means to be entrapped or caught. When we take the bait, we are surprised that we have been caught and cannot escape. Sin promises satisfaction and excitement. It lures and captures us and we are caught”
Proverbs seven is a great example of someone who is drawn away by sin. “For at the window of my house I have looked out through my lattice, 7 and I have seen among the simple, I have perceived among the youths, a young man lacking sense, 8 passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house 9 in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness…. With much seductive speech she persuades him; with her smooth talk she compels him. 22 All at once he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as a stag is caught fast 23 till an arrow pierces its liver; as a bird rushes into a snare; he does not know that it will cost him his life” Proverbs 7:6-9, 21-23 The young man in this proverb was found walking the street near the corner where this woman worked. She then persuades him to commit adultery with her. This man knew where she could be found, he was not avoiding it in fact he was searching her out. This is an example of the bait of sin. We each have an area of sin that we struggle with, and we know what situations will place us in temptation to follow through with that sin. However, if we do follow through with the temptation we will be just like the young man who does not understand that his act of sin will cost him his life.
James gives a very sobering description of what comes out of sin. “15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” James 1:15 in this passage we actually see two births. The first is desire giving birth to sin. What starts with an internal desire then matures into an act of disobedience to God’s will. Again look at Proverbs seven. The young man saw what he wanted with the woman and did not think of the consequences. When we try to satisfy our desires outside of God’s will it becomes a sin. For example, eating is good, gluttony is not. We need to control our desires, not allow them to control us and this control only comes when we are in God’s Word and following His will. “3 For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. 4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.” 2 Corinthians 10:3-6
The second birth that we see is that when the sinful desires have been completed, it gives birth to death. I am not saying that the death here is a loss of our salvation, for those who are born-again cannot lose their salvation. However, the result of sin leads to a hurting our relationship with God. This injury makes it even more difficult to follow His will and the cycle continues. We aren’t following His will so we sin, we continue to sin because we do not know what His will is.
James does not leave the reader completely hopeless however. He reminds the reader to not be deceived by what the world tries to entice us with, instead to remember that “17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” James 1:17 We need to keep our focus on God who is the author of every good thing. Everything that is good in this world came from God, He created it. Therefore when we receive something good, we need to acknowledge who it was who gave it to us. While sometimes the good in a situation may not be seen right away, such as when we are going through a trial, God has not forsaken us “For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless” Psalm 84:11 James also points out that the way God gives is good. By reminding ourselves of His goodness, we can successfully walk past temptations much like Joseph did in Genesis 39. Another aspect that believers should focus on and remember when faced with trials and temptations is that God does not change, “6 “For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.” Malachi 3:6 and in Him there is no variation, “8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8 This is a very good thing for believers because it means that God will complete His work in us, “ And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” Romans 8:28
Finally, just as James pointed out that sin brings forth death, he makes it clear that God brings forth life. “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 1:18. This life comes from the word of truth. By keeping our foundation on Christ and what He offers rather than the world, we can overcome any situation that we are placed in. We are sealed to Him and cannot be drawn away, “13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit,” Ephesians 1:13. We then receive a birth from above, look at the discussion that Jesus had with Nicodemus regarding being born-again which can be found in John 3:1-7. When we place our faith in Jesus, we receive the miracle of a spiritual birth.
Seek the truth and encourage one another,
Alex