From the beginning of time men and women have been blaming others for their own sin.. Recall the conversation that took place in the Garden of Eden after Eve and Adam sinned. Read Genesis 3:9-13.

When people blame others for the sin for which they are personally responsible it may ultimately lead them to blame God, since He is their creator. Some blame God for the way they are made. James clearly rebukes this common thought of many. (v.13). This verse is also a transition between the trials and temptations that James had been writing about. These trials are really testing on the outside, difficulties that can be opportunities to grow and mature in our faith if we endure. God may send some trials or He may allow them.

Thought temptations may be related to trials - they are not the same. Generally the trials come to us from outside circumstances, while temptations affect us internally. However, if we are not careful testing on the outside may become temptations on the inside. This could be illustrated with a person in a difficulty complaining against God, questioning God's love and then turning away from God. What was first a test was allowed to become a temptation.

Temptation may be defined as an opportunity to accomplish a good thing in a bad way, a way that is outside of the will of God. For example; it is god for a student to pass an exam, but it is bad to cheat. It is good for us to eat, but it is bad for us to steal food.

Sin is not merely a single act. I think God sees it as a process. James describes this process with four stages of sin.

I. Desire

It often begins with a desire. In many translations we have the word lust used here. Lust is literally any kind of desire. Lust is not limited to sexual passions, but often in the New Testament it is used in a morally bad sense.

God has given us normal desires: hunger, thirst, sleep, sex and in themselves are not sinful. However, satisfying these desires outside of the will of God is sinful and wrong. Hunger and thirst are good and necessary, but over indulging and gluttony is sinful. These bodies that God gave to us need sleep, more for some than for others, but laziness and sleeping away our lives is wrong. Of course sex is the desire God gives to continue the human race and to build intimacy between a husband and wife in marriage. Outside of the bond of marriage the fulfillment of this desire is sinful and may have some devastating results. Through Christ we must rightly control these desires. These desires are not to be denied, but controlled.

II. Deception

The next stage likely to be part of this process is deception. We should note that temptation does not usually appear as temptation. It seems quite alluring and attractive.

In verse 14 James used an illustration from hunting and fishing. Both use bait to attract and catch their prey. The phrase carried away is referring to hunting by baiting and hiding a trap and enticed may be a picture of fishing with a baited hook. Normally an animal will not deliberately step into a trap or bite a hook.

Temptation may have appealing bait that not only attracts us, but also tries to hide the fact that yielding to the desire will eventually bring sorrow and punishment and sorrow. The bait may keep us from seeing the consequences of our sin. As we consider the deception we should remember the way Jesus dealt with temptation. He said, "It is written…"

III. Disobedience

Disobedience is the third stage in the slippery slope of sin. The first stage desire deals with our emotions. While that may be somewhat involved in the next stage, too, deception involves our intellect. When we come to this third stage of disobedience we are speaking of our will.

We have gone from hunting and fishing to birth. Desire conceives of the method for taking bait. The will approves and acts and the result is disobedience and sin. WE may get hooked and trapped. As a child is alive before he is born, sin is sinful before it is observed in acts of disobedience.

We may all deal with the personal battle of our will versus our feelings. We may think or even say, "I don't like to spend time reading my Bible every day." "I don't like to go to Sunday School and worship services each week." "I don't like to tell others about my faith in Jesus Christ." However, the growing mature Christian will operate on his or her will rather than feelings and decide to obey God.

IV. Death

Most would probably prefer to avoid hearing about this final stage of sin, death. Disobedience gives birth to death, not life. Death may not be apparent at first because the primary reference may be to Spiritual death, that is separation from God. Physical death will of course be the ultimate result and than eternal separation from God for those who continue to live their lives in sin. An accumulation of sins eventually leads to death.

In verse thirteen James gave a clear warning, "Let no one say, 'I am being tempted by God.'" You and I should not blame God. He does not want us to sin. He wants us to voluntarily choose to love and serve Him rather than give in to temptation. Read from Message. Don't let anyone under pressure to give in to evil say, "God is trying to trip me up." God is impervious to evil, and puts evil in no one's way. The temptation to give in to evil comes from us and only us. We have no one to blame but the leering, seducing flare-up of our own lust. Lust gets pregnant, and has a baby: sin! Sin grows up to adulthood and becomes a real killer.

We may begin to see these stages of sin way back when the Serpent used desire to tempt Eve in the beautiful Garden of Eden. She and Adam were deceived and disobeyed God and brought the curse of death upon all of us. (II Corinthians 11:3)

Conclusion

When faced with temptation we should take our eyes off the bait and look ahead to the consequences of sin and consider God's judgment. Our loving God does not want us to experience death, eternal separation from Him. Instead He wants us to enjoy life here and now on earth and forever with Him in eternity as we choose to live for Him.

Message: Anyone who meets a testing challenge head on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.

Return