Temptation
Temptation is COMMON!
Temptation, It is something we all deal with it. The temptation to buy that piece of clothing or that electronic toy. The temptation to make this generalized lie in a report. The temptation to cheat on this test or expense report; the temptation to fanticize about this other person in an inappropriate way; or the temptation to say this hurtful thing to this other person; the temptation to manipulate a situation to make me look good and minimize my failing in a situation; the temptation to lie for my friend so they wouldn’t get in trouble, when what they did was wrong. Temptation is something we each deal with – every day; some are big and some are small – in our minds, but they are all significant in God’s estimation.
What is temptation,
Websters defines temptation as the act of enticing someone to commit an unwise or immoral act, especially by a promise of reward
Temptation, also translated or means ‘the test’ peirasmos; an experiment, a trial, temptation:
The unique thing about being human is that God made us with a free will the privilege of Free Will requires regular testing
As humans, God gave us something unique to all the rest of creation, an unbridled will, the supreme opportunity to choose. And with that privilege to choose he also put in place a mechanism to that will identify who we truly are and what we truly believe in. He gives us opportunities to be tested.
In school teachers give their students tests to prove what they know. Athletes are tested to see what they can do. In science experiments are designed to prove different aspects of a subject. At work, supervisors give employees projects to prove what they can do. And, in life, God allows us to be tested, tempted to see what we really believe about who we are and who God is and where our strength really comes from.
James 1:12-18
12 Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God 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.
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 firstfruits of all he created.
The passage begins with a beatitude – a blessing – we can expect to be tested, temptation is a foregone conclusion, however, it is worth our while to pass the test. Those who pass the test receive the “crown of life”. This crown is not like a ‘royal crown’ but the laurel wreath that was given to winners of athletic competitions – the ones who have striven to win and end well and demonstrate their love for God receive the glories of life that God promises – and enter eternal life looking like the victorious Christ.
Our eternal life is not dependent upon our ability to pass the tests, but we will be blessed if we do.
An interesting thing about humans is that when we fail a test we often look for something or someone else to blame. “It’s not my fault that I screwed up!” We often want to make excuses for our own failures and James addresses this about us...
13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
When we try to blame God for our failures it produces a twisted picture of God as one who puts obstacles in peoples paths in order to tempt them to fall. But James is not going to let us get by with that, because James depicts God as the one who does not want his people to stumble and gives them the strength to endure temptation – “For God cannot be tempted to do evil”
God does not tempt us
God is not going to use evil against us to make us fall – but that does not mean that he is ignorant of it
God does indeed subject us to testing, but God does not test us with an evil intent that would lead us into sin, instead He is going to lead us to the door out of evil that we would never use if we were never tested. (1Cor 10:13)
Job 1:6-13
Job 1:6 One day the angels came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan also came with them. 7 The LORD said to Satan, “Where have you come from?”
Satan answered the LORD, “From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.”
Job 1:8 Then the LORD said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”
Job 1:9 “Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10 “Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11 But stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
Job 1:12 The LORD said to Satan, “Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger.”
Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD.
The point is - We must take responsibility for our tests– when we fail the test we cannot blame God or Satan
14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.
The true source of temptation comes from within us. Every single one of us is going to experience temptation from within ourselves.
Desire here does not necessarily equate to lust but rather refers to any intense longing for anything improper and would get in our way of pursuing God.
Temptations are tailored to the individual – we must not belittle a person for struggling with something that we may think is no big deal – instead recognize that each of us has our own battles, nuanced especially for us and it will be something that will draw us away from our relationship with God, usually by guilt or pride.
Temptations will either drag us or entice us – like fishing or hunting, like something killed and dragged away or lured and tricked into the frying pan.
Temptation will take you captive and sin kills.
When I was in school I used to hate tests because I would get what people now call ‘test anxiety’ my mind would just freeze up under the stress of the test. Consequently I would not prove all I could on the test because the test would overwhelm me, all I could focus on was the test, what I didn’t know, what I wasn’t sure of, what would I forget and I would forget what I knew.
Temptation has that same capability, it will seize you, captivate your attention, it is all you can think about – it is all you want. Temptation causes us to regard a particular sin, that’s all we see, it is what I think about, I rationalize it, think about how to hide it, justify it - and soon we can become captivated by it. Temptation has seized you.
15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
When you go fishing you put a worm on a hook. It is not the worm that puts the fish in your fry pan, it is the hook, but the fish would not give the hook a second glance if it were not for the worm, something the fish really was interested in and captivates its attention.
Temptation is the worm that attracts us to the sin that kills us. Temptation is the enticement to sin, it is an invitation to contridict God, his ways or desires.
Temptation takes our own desires, longings, ways, ideas, values and puts them up against God’s ways, his desires and then the test is our choice, temptation says ‘which will you choose’. When we choose God’s ways, we choose life, when we choose our own ways we choose the hook that puts us in the fry pan.
The test at school is not bad in and of itself, though students rarely enjoy them. The teacher is only bad when they don’t give a test. And strength is built when we pass the test. Confidence grows when we pass tests, especially tests that we have failed before
God is Faithful – he wants you to succeed. He wants you to succeed in trusting him because he knows that is the only real source of strength. God knows that His faithfulness is stronger than the temptation, but the choice remains ours.
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 firstfruits of all he created.
When James speaks of the first fruits of all that God desires us to become – he is saying God has more in mind for us, more in-store for us than what we have experienced so far, and the tests we go through are preparing us for what he has in-store for us in the future and it will be found in a relationship with him.
Temptation will reveal our independence and reliance on ourselves which ultimately leads us to death, but the crown of life that He has for us will be in our relationship with Him
The test is not the worm, the test is sin, the hook. Will I do things my own way or Gods way; will I seek to satisfy my needs in the ways that seem best to me or will I let God satisfy my needs?
When a man tries to satisfy his sexual desires by looking at pornography, porn is the worm that the man develops an appetite for, but the hook is his desire to satisfy his needs his own way on his own time schedule and not God’s ways. He sets himself up as the determiner of this area of his life, the master of this ship.
Money can be a worm too -
1Tim. 6:9 People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction.
Money itself is not bad, but if the desire to get rich becomes a replacement for having to trust in God’s security and provisions and I just trust in my own abilty to make money and bring me confidence and satisfaction then I am plunging head first into ruin.
God knows what you are able to deal with, and it will always be more than you think you can deal with, that is what makes it a temptation. If you could handle it on your own, you wouldn’t need him, but in reality we do need him and the test is will we look to him.
- God provides a way of escape - He chose us – we must choose Him
When I take his way out, I am proving I trust him. I am trusting in the strength he provides, - Paul said in “my weakness He is made strong”
The escape route is always passing by the temptation not playing with it.
God wants us to pass the test, but we cant do it without him. The point is not our ability to overcome the temptation but the strength that comes from our dependence upon him as the one who is giving us every good and perfect gift of life. It is that strength that allows us to swim by the worm on the hook and look for the real food that he will bring to us.
He is faithful and will always provide a way of escape – a door out, maybe I need to leave the room before I say something that I will regret. The thought comes to my mind to go to the other room, God’s spirit offering me a way out but will I take it.
Maybe I usually walk to the store the same path every few days but I have to go by that shop that sells
His way out promises us that we will endure – we will pass the test, we will succeed.
Temptation is responding to a desire that will sieze you, take you captive to a hook that will kill you spiritually, it will suck every ounce of spiritual strength from you.
But Jesus came to set the captives free, those bound to sin and death. It is by His choice that we experience a new birth into a new way of living that is in, through and based upon trusting in His word of Truth, so we can experience all He has in-store for us both in this life and the life to come.
To truly overcome temptation is to pass by it, pay it no regard, to receive what Jesus really offers us, life that is real.
The test is not will I eat the worm and get off the hook, but will I pass the worm by to get what will truly satisfy.
Jesus said “ I have come that you may have life and have to abundantly” to the fullest, to get that kind of life you will have to give up trying to get it your own way, that looks so enticing and trust that Jesus knows the real way.