Weekly Sermon

James 1:14-15 reads, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

As we have previously noted, James 1:12-18 gives counsel concerning a right motivation for endurance in godliness, concerning a right attitude toward the Lord our God, and concerning a right understanding of temptation unto sin.  Overall, this subject matter is arranged in order to move our focus and understanding from the outside toward the center.  Thus verse 12 & verses 17-18 give counsel concerning our right motivation for endurance in godliness.  Then verse 13 & verses 16-17 give counsel concerning our right attitude toward the Lord our God.  Finally, verses 14-15 give counsel concerning our right understanding of temptation to sin. 

Verse 14 begins with the adversative conjunction “but,” providing a direct contrast to the truth of verse 13.  The closing portion of verse 13 proclaims the truth, “For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.”  Indeed, our all-holy Lord God is never the cause of our sinful temptation, either directly or even distantly through our personal constitution, relational contacts, or individual circumstances.  So then, who or what is the cause of our sinful temptation?  In contrast to the truth of verse 13, verse 14 gives answer, saying, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” 

Grammatically, James 1:14-15 presents three statements that reveal a three-step process whereby sinful temptation and sinful behavior take hold upon our hearts and lives.  Each of these three statements contains the relative conjunction “when,” revealing a conditional truth that when a certain event occurs, then a certain result will arise.  First, verse 14 presents the character of sinful temptation -- “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”  Second, the opening portion of verse 15 presents the conception of selfish desire -- “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin.”  Third, the closing portion of verse 15 presents the consequence of sinful behavior -- “And sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

Through these three statements, we may observe seven progressive elements in the realm of sinful temptation and sinful behavior.  However, before we focus our attention upon these seven elements, we should consider three introductory and foundational truths to this subject matter.  The first foundational truth is that sinful temptation is a universal matter.  The opening line of James 1:14 states, “But every man is tempted.”  In like manner, the opening portion of 1 Corinthians 10:13 states, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man.”  Each and every one of us is tempted unto sin, and is tempted on a regular basis.  Sinful temptation is a characteristic element of our lives upon this earth.  The second foundational truth is that sinful fault is a personal matter.  James 1:14 continues, “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.”  Each and every one of us is tempted of our own, personal lust (that is -- of our own, selfish desire).  Therefore, each and every commission of sin, whether in attitude, word, action, or neglect, is our own, personal fault and responsibility.  The third foundational truth is that sinful behavior is a consequential matter.  James 1:15 declares, “Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”  Yielding to sinful desire always results in destructive consequences.  Whenever we consent in our heart to be drawn away from our Lord’s fellowship and to be enticed by sin’s deceptive pleasures, sin will be the consequence in some form.  Furthermore, whenever we commit sin in some form, death will be the consequence in some manner.

So then, having considered these three foundational truths to this matter, we now come to the seven progressive elements in the realm of sinful temptation and sinful behavior.

Weekly Sermon

James 1:13 reads, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.”

James 1:12-18 gives counsel concerning a right motivation for endurance in godliness, concerning a right attitude toward the Lord our God, and concerning a right understanding of temptation to sin.  The first sentence of the paragraph (verse 12) promises a sure blessing upon those who are faithful to endure the trials of life through an obedient love to the Lord.  Then the remainder of the paragraph presents a serious warning for those who fall away at sinful temptation through the enticement of their own selfish desires.  Through this promise of a sure blessing and this presentation of a serious warning, a contrast is provided between our relationship toward the Lord our God and our relationship toward the lusts of our flesh. 

Having begun in verse 12 with a fortifying promise, this paragraph continues in verse 13 with a forceful prohibition.  Grammatically, verse 13 is a compound sentence.  The first independent clause of this compound sentence forcefully presents a prohibition against error -- “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God.”  The second independent clause of this compound sentence, joined to the first by the conjunction “for,” forcefully presents a proclamation of the truth -- “For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.”

Weekly Sermon

James 1:12-18 reads, “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.  Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.  Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.  Do not err, my beloved brethren.  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.  Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.”

With James 1:12-18 we come to the third paragraph of this epistle.  Again we remember that the Holy Spirit inspired purpose for this epistle is to provide pastoral counsel for a spiritually mature walk in the believer’s life.  Even so, this third paragraph gives counsel concerning a right motivation for endurance in godliness, concerning a right attitude toward the Lord our God, and concerning a right understanding of temptation to sin. 

The first sentence of the paragraph (verse 12) immediately promises a sure blessing upon those who are faithful to endure the trials of life through an obedient love unto the Lord.  Then the remainder of the paragraph extensively presents a serious warning for those who fall away at sinful temptation through the enticement of their own selfish desires.  Primarily, this paragraph is intended to motivate us unto faithful endurance in godliness through love for our Lord.  Yet because we so often fall into sin under life’s trials, this paragraph adds a warning against blaming the Lord our God for the temptation unto which we yielded.  Thus the admonition is pronounced in the midst of the paragraph, “Do not err, my beloved brethren” (verse 16).

Overall, this paragraph presents five truths for our consideration.  These five truths are arraigned in order to move our understanding from the outside toward the center.  Thus the first and fifth of these truths speak concerning our motivation for endurance in godliness.  Then the second and fourth of these truths speak concerning our attitude toward the Lord our God.  Finally, the third and central truth speaks concerning our understanding of temptations to sin.

Proverbs for Life

1.  A Purpose for the Proverbs

Proverbs 1:1-4 – “The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; to know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; to receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; to give subtilty [discernment] to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.”

Weekly Sermon

Psalm 119:1 reads, “Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the LORD.”  At the end of the opening portion of this verse, we find the phrase, “in the way.”  With this phrase we are introduced to an important subject matter of this lengthy psalm.  In fact, Psalm 119 includes the words “way” and “ways” eighteen times and includes the word “path” two times.  Even so, in this psalm we may find significant truth concerning our walk along the pathway of life.  Yea, as we consider these twenty uses in Psalm 119 of the words “way,” “ways,” or “path,” we encounter four categories of truth.  We encounter truth concerning the way of this life, concerning the way of our Lord, concerning the way of sin’s lies, and concerning the way of our lives. 

With the phrase “in the way,” Psalm 119:1 introduces us to the first of these categories – the way of this life.  This is the only occasion in this psalm wherein the phrase “the way” is employed without a modifier.  At other places throughout the Psalm, we learn of the way of the Lord’s testimonies, the way of the Lord’s precepts, the way of the Lord’s commandments, the way of the Lord’s statutes, the way of the truth, and the way of lying.  Yet the phrase “the way” in verse 1 does not refer to any particular choice of way throughout this life.  Rather, this phrase refers to the way of this life itself.  It refers to the fact that we all must travel along the pathway of this life.  Even so, as we each travel along the pathway of this life, there are three aspects of life that we all must encounter.

Proverbs for Life

The book of the Proverbs is written from the perspective of a father who is providing spiritual counsel to his young-adult son.  With such a perspective, this book of God’s Holy Word presents a significant amount of admo-nition concerning the sin of sexual lust.  Even so, in the book of the Proverbs we find admonition concerning:

  I.  The Power of Temptation’s Deception
 II.  The Pathway to Utter Destruction
III.  The Protection of Spiritual Discernment
IV.  The Principle of Fleeing Departure
 V.  The Precept for Marital Devotion & Delight