The Trial of Faith and Temptation to Sin

James chapter 1 and at verse 12.

James 1 · chapter mention

And so on.

I want to return to looking at this first chapter in the letter of James.

And we have noticed that the first part of this letter, James, is is dealing with how we need to learn spiritual wholeness and health and well-being in the best sense of the of the terms.

That is that we have a walking with the Lord Jesus, which is in commune with him and walking to learn from him and to thereby grow up in faith.

And we saw from verse 2 to verse 4, the way in which spiritual maturity comes by remaining steadfast in our trials.

And we notice the ways in which we all have our different trials, that God gives trials to us in order to build us up on the faith.

And we grow up as we remain steadfast in these trials.

And we saw from verse 5 down to verse number 8, the way in which faith responds to our trials.

And that is that we respond in prayer and we seek the wisdom that comes from God alone.

And we notice that the wisdom that comes from God is a wisdom that enables us to serve God.

It enables us to live the right kind of life.

It enables us to make right judgments.

And it even enables us to govern our own lives and for the church to govern itself.

Praying for wisdom in order to associate with our trials and to learn from them.

And at verse number 12, we see the way in which the people are once more encouraged in their trials and encourage that if they remain steadfast, then they will receive the crown of life.

And from verse 12 to verse 13, James changes his focus.

And he does so by moving from trials to think of temptation.

And in verse 13 down to verse number 15, this evening, we want to look at what James has to say and to think of the trial of faith and temptation to sin.

And we might be saying, why should we focus on sin?

And perhaps there are two simple reasons for that.

Because sin is something that we have to deal with ourselves.

And secondly, our sin is what God does deal with.

And the more we understand what sin means and the more we understand why God deals with us in the way that he does,

then that helps us on our journey to spiritual or Christian maturity.

And so we have the trial of faith and the temptation to sin.

Well, I notice first of all, that there is a pastoral concern.

And the pastoral concern, we have brought to our attention in that verse 13,

let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God.

He introduces the idea of temptation.

The word translated temptation here is from the same word group as the word translated testing earlier.

And there is that kind of double meaning in the terms.

And James is now focusing on the second interpretation of the term.

That is temptation.

When things cross our path and things work in our experience,

that that draws us away temptation,

which is the design to destroy our faith,

to lead us into sin,

and therefore lead us into separation from God.

And when we think of temptation in that way,

it reminds us of the importance of understanding something about the way in which temptation works in our lives.

Its goal is, its purpose is to sever us from God and for us to lose the assurance of our faith.

The pastoral concern here is that there are those who are blaming God for their temptation.

Let no one say when he is tempted,

I am being tempted by God.

Now perhaps we may say,

surely we don't do that.

But the reality is that we do that more often than we think.

In this letter here,

there are those who are facing poverty.

There are those who are rich.

There are challenges associated with poverty and with riches.

We may think of financial difficulty,

causing us to question God's providence.

We're blaming God for bringing us into financial difficulty.

When we are facing personal illness,

we begin to question the goodness of God and even the love of God.

When we see,

as we saw in Psalm 73,

the wicked prospering and the people of God suffering,

we may question the justice of God and blame God.

Why is God allowing this to happen?

In so many parts of life,

we blame God for the situations that we have arrived in.

When we suffer personal bereavement,

and we blame God for dealing with us so sorely,

we question the love of God.

And tonight,

if we have faith,

all of us at one time or another,

if we are honest with ourselves,

we'll have blamed God,

questioned God for what he is doing.

And at the very beginning of the Bible,

we see that blame culture emerging in the very first sin,

where Adam blames God for giving a wife,

Eve,

who led him into the transgression.

And that blame culture follows our own experience

and our relation with God time after time.

And one of the writers commenting on this

makes the point that so often,

when we sin,

we blame God in order to relieve our own personal guilt.

Instead of going to God with our sin

and confessing our sin,

if we can find some way of blaming God

in the midst of our sin,

then it tends to ease our guilt.

A pastoral concern.

Do you think that's a concern

that includes your own life,

your own relationship with God?

Does this speak into your heart

as it speaks into my heart this evening,

forcing us to think

of a response to our sin,

of a response to situations

where we actually blame God?

And James is very quick

to make it clear

that because of God's character

that cannot happen.

And in God's activity

that will never happen.

For God cannot be tempted with evil.

He is immune to that sense

of being tempted himself.

It just cannot happen

because of the God that he is

in all of his perfection

and in all of his holiness.

He cannot be tempted by sin.

It simply does not happen.

Sin is apparent to him.

And because of his relationship

with his people,

neither is he engaged

in tempting them.

And of course,

that's,

that leaves us

with a mystery.

A mystery that does not

lead us to blame God,

but it does

lead us to think

about the mystery

of our providence.

Where providence takes us

to different places.

and in these very places

that we face temptation.

And the God who is

the God of our providence

still cannot be blamed

for our temptation.

The pastoral concern.

Important for us to,

to consider

temptation

and to be on our guard

and to always ensure

that temptation

does not ever

have its source

in the reality of God.

It simply cannot

happen in that way.

The pastoral concern.

Secondly,

then we see

that there's a process.

If that's not the source

of our temptation,

what is the source?

The process.

We see in a version number 14,

but each person is tempted

when he is lured

and deticed

by his own desire.

Our personal desire.

The reality of it

is the source

of our temptation.

And that,

and the desire,

the way in which

James speaks of it

and the way in which

the New Testament

speaks of it,

it's something that

speaks deep

into our experience.

It's the longing

that we have

and the impulses

of our hearts

towards certain things.

The desire that we have

in our hearts

towards satisfaction.

And that desire

in our hearts

is something

that is a power

which draws us

to this object

in which we will

have satisfaction.

and such is the desire

that we suffer pain

and we feel a pain

if we cannot have

the satisfaction

that we can have

by embracing the object.

It is something

that's powerful

within us,

deeply rooted

in our being.

It is the tendency

to choose the things

that are all about

ourselves

and not about God.

Indeed,

it is the tendency

to choose

the very things

that God has

prohibited.

Temptation

from our desire.

We read Peter

in 1 Peter 2

speaking about

the way in which

we are to abstain

from the passions

of the flesh.

It's like a powerful

energy that builds

up inside of us

that leads us

to desire the things

that will satisfy

the flesh

and that will

separate us

from God.

And while

the New Testament

speaks of

that desire,

we understand

the diversity

of individual

experience.

we understand

tonight that

the things

that are a powerful

temptation to you

because of your

disposition

might not cause me

even to look

at these very things.

And all of us

tonight are made

in such a way

in the diversity

of our disposition

as God has made us

that there

we find ourselves

drawn to one thing

and not drawn

to another thing.

tonight we may

well be here

and in the

sacred of our hearts

tempted by the

things that

are attractive

to ourselves

and others

tempted by things

that are attractive

to them

and that would

be unattractive

to you.

and whilst we

understand that

we all have

the same sinful

heart

we understand

the diversity

of experience

your attractions

won't be mine

and your attractions

won't be those

of the person

next to you.

and that's why

in circumstances

circumstances

in temptation

are tailored

to suit

your personal

disposition

and it's

it's wonderful

and mysterious

and awesome

in so many ways

the way in which

the devil works

and the way in which

we find ourselves

in the very

circumstances

that are tailored

to our individual

passions

and to our

individual desires.

Our temptations

arise from

the reality

of the sinful

disposition

of our sinful

hearts

the power of

our passions

and because

of that

powerful

passion

of our hearts

the process

is explained

to us here

it's

if

there are fishermen

here

I'm sure

there are

explained to us

a process

here

which

highlights

how temptation

works

but each

person

is tempted

when he is

lured

and

enticed

there are two

things going on

there is

there is the

enticement

and there is

the attachment

and because

of

of our

sinful

disposition

we see

first of all

that we

are lured

we're

drawn

away

something

attractive

is presented

to us

that the

fisherman

will

bait his

hook

or the

fisherman

will use

a particular

kind of

fly

he will do

that in

order to

attract

and to

bring

the fish

out of its

hiding place

and to

bring it

and for

it to be

drawn and

attracted

to the

very thing

that's on

that

hook

there is

that

enticement

and it

is

an

enticement

that is

powerful

in the

sense

that we

must have

it

it's

delicious

bait

and we

must have

it

and we

think of

how that

works

and we

think of

how it

works

in our

personal

experience

and that

process

through which

the devil

will keep

presenting

the same

thing to

our minds

in order

to draw

us away

and there

are two

graphs that

we can

think of

and the

more the

devil

persists

in seeking

to draw

us away

the more

our

resistance

will

diminish

and as

our

resistance

diminish

the more

the bait

becomes

attractive

until we

reach the

point

where we're

attached

and that's

what

what James

is saying

here

lured

and

enticed

there is

the sense

of

being

dragged

away

that's

what the

word

means

that's

what the

fisherman

does

let me

get my

fish

on the

hook

and

no matter

how much

it struggles

it's

pulling my

line in

and do it

professionally

understanding

what's on

the hook

in order

to ensure

that the

fish is

landed

and that's

how temptation

works

once we're

enticed

once we

see it

as the

must-have

thing

then we

grasp it

and we're

caught

and we're

carried away

and

carried away

not like the

struggling

fish

but

carried away

because we

have now

come to

the point

where we

are willing

to embrace

the very

thing that

God

prohibits

and the

very thing

that in

the first

place we

knew

would affect

our relationship

with God

and would

bring about

some kind

of severance

in that

relationship

there is

that

process

the process

described by

one of the

writers in

this way

there's the

personal struggle

with evil

desire

it's not

usually one

of confrontation

with the

devil

but rather

a confrontation

with their

own worst

enemy

namely

our very

selves

that's where

temptation

works

the pain

of temptation

is a

self

inflicted

attack

it's our

fault

it comes

from the

reality of

who we

are

and this

this is the

sense of

being dragged

away

our own

desires

are like

a marauding

beast

that would

soon

consume

us

the process

do we

tonight

understand

how the

bible

describes

temptation

that leads

us to

sin

can we

allow the

bible

to give

us that

background

and to

give to us

the image

into which

we can

fit our

experience

and realise

even now

or tonight

or tomorrow

that's

temptation

and I'm

attracted to

it

and I have

to be

careful

that the

hook of

temptation

that I don't

bite it

and take the

bait

I need to

appreciate

what's happening

around me

in the realm

of my faith

and in the realm

of my relationship

with God

this is the

biggest threat

and the biggest

threat as the

writer said

it's not the

devil himself

the biggest

threat and

danger

is your

sinful heart

and mine

the process

and thirdly

there is a

product

then decide

when it has

conceived

gives birth

to sin

and sin

when it is

fully grown

brings forth

death

he changes

the metaphor

from the

fishing metaphor

and uses

the metaphor

of conception

and of birth

and as soon

as I'm

attached to

the temptation

then

sin has been

conceived

it's hidden

it's like

the conception

of the child

in the mother's

womb

it's hidden

but something

new

a new

person

has been

created

and it's now

in my Christian

experience

because of the

way in which

this process

has led me

to embrace

the temptation

because of that

something new

has taken

place

in my

relationship

with God

there is the

beginning

of the very

thing

that harms

my relationship

with God

the conception

and once

the conception

happens

and we

understand

that naturally

as conception

happens

it happens

where there is

a loving embrace

where there is

a relationship

where there is

a bond

and that's

what happens

with sin

as I embrace

it

there's a bond

there's a relationship

and my attention

and my desires

and my heart

is given over

to that sin

sin is conceived

and sin

when it is

fully grown

brings

forth death

the child

conceived

will be born

into

the visible

world

at the

appropriate

time

and there is

that process

that James

describes here

that the same

thing happens

with my sin

it's conceived

in my heart

and then

it will become

visible

in the first

place

in my relationship

with God

it brings forth

death

I begin to

realize

now that

the very thing

that attracted

me

that I embraced

with all of my

heart

has affected

the relationship

where my heart

should be

exclusively

it's affected

my devotion

to my

savior

and it's

brought about

a change

in that

relationship

and of course

it doesn't

bring that

relationship

to an end

but there is

a difference

between the

status of

that relationship

and the

experience

and the

enjoyment

of that

relationship

and as

soon as

conceived

it brings

forth death

in the sense

that in my

experience

I lose

every sense

of spiritual

well-being

I lose

every sense

of the

presence of

God with

me

and I'm

alert

immediately

to the

fact

that sin

has affected

my relationship

with God

think of

David

and Bathsheba

David

when other

kings were

at war

his guard

was down

David

saw

Bathsheba

David

desired

Bathsheba

David

acted

and brought

Bathsheba

to himself

and David

committed

adultery

there was

that process

through which

because his

guard was

down

he embraced

what God

was forbidding

him

and he took

someone else's

wife

and read

of David's

experience

in Psalm

32

he had

lost his

strength

his

relationship

with God

was turned

upside down

Bathsheba

was there

Uriah

was to be

dealt

with

the problems

mounted more

and more

all because

he embraced

the temptation

he endured

the pain

his heart

his experience

was like

the drought

of summer

he had

lost every

sense of

living with

God

and living

for God

that's the

death

that it

brings

about

and that's

the death

it brings

about

for you

and for

me

and tonight

it may be

the case

that in

someone's

heart

something

has gone

wrong

and someone's

heart

tonight

may be

like

David's

heart

and maybe

feeling

the pain

of that

disruption

in

your

relationship

with the

Lord Jesus

and your

sense of

experiencing

his love

and grace

has gone

it's

evaporated

your sin

has broken

has taken

that away

your sin

has brought

your heart

to be like

a desert

where there is

no water

and where there's

no sense of

the goodness

of God

and tonight

as we close

we

remind

ourselves

of the

importance

of being

on our

guard

Paul

prays for the

Philippians

in chapter 4

that the

peace of

God

would guard

your hearts

and minds

we depend

and trust

in God

through prayer

and the wisdom

that comes

through prayer

we depend

on God

for him

to guard

our hearts

and minds

there may be

situations

where we

can guard

each other

in certain

circumstances

and we

are Job

in Job

Job 31 · chapter mention

chapter 31

I made

a covenant

with my

eyes

we need

to ensure

that we

stop looking

at the

things

that we

know

lead us

into

temptation

but Jesus

of course

reminds us

as he

reminded the

disciples

that it is

what comes

from the

heart

that's what

defiles a

person

even

we may

shut

our eyes

and not

look at

anything

but it

doesn't

take away

the reality

of the

power

of our

lusts

and of

our

passion

that work

away

daily in

our

experience

as Paul

himself

discovered

and as we

do

discover

ourselves

we guard

our hearts

and it's

worth quoting

as we

close the

words of

Ralph Waldo

Emerson

who was a

19th century

philosopher

when he said

this

sow a

thought

and you

reap an

action

sow an

action

and you

reap a

habit

sow a

habit

and you

reap a

character

sow a

character

and you

reap a

destiny

what we

sow we

shall reap

says Paul

to the

Galatians

let's

ensure

tonight

and always

that we

are sowing

to the

spirit of

God

and living

a life

guarded

by God

himself

trusting

in him

and ensuring

that as

we realise

that the

power of

our own

sinful

hearts

are need

to be

under guard

against

anything

and everything

that will

seek to

disrupt

and destroy

our relationship

with God

may God

bless his

word to us

so we're

now going to

conclude by

singing Psalm

103

in Psalm