James: More GraceSample

Every believer is tempted to sin, especially in trying times. You will know that first-hand. Some sinful thought or word or action can seem very attractive, even though you know it is wrong.

• Why are we tempted? What is the wrong answer to this question and why (v. 13)?

God never pulled anyone in the direction of doing wrong. He is not responsible in any way for drawing us towards sin.

But perhaps James’ readers were looking for excuses for their sinful behaviour. Maybe they were saying, ‘God tempted me to do wrong. God has put me in this difficult trial so it’s no wonder I am behaving like this! That makes God partly responsible for my sin, doesn’t it?!’

When we sin, we like to point the finger away from ourselves. We look for someone or something to blame. But James points the finger firmly in the opposite direction.

• What is the right answer to why we are tempted (v. 14)?

James points to our hearts. We feel tempted to sin when we are pulled towards it by our own desires. We sin because doing or saying or thinking something wrong is attractive to us in some way. We want to do it.

This is very searching.

Imagine a table spread with all kinds of foods – chocolate, beetroot, crisps, liver, ice cream, strawberries, squid – every kind of food you can picture. Which foods would you find most ‘tempting’? Which foods could you pass by pretty easily or maybe not find tempting at all? It all depends on what you like. The more you like it, the more tempting it will be for you. What we find most tempting will be different for each of us, but whatever it is, it reveals our desires. It uncovers what we want.

It is just like that with sin. We sin because we want to. Testing situations are the occasion not the cause of our sin; the cause is our own sinful desires. That is exactly why ‘God cannot be tempted by evil’ (v. 13) for God has no evil desires in his heart at all. We, however, have lots and that is why we find all sorts of sins attractive. We desire what we think sinful behaviour will bring us; that may be pleasure or wealth or status or perhaps just a sense of superiority over others.

 As with favourite foods, which sins seem most tempting will be different for different people. Someone who hates the taste of alcohol may not find drunkenness much of a temptation. That person though may findslanderous gossip very attractive. Examine the sins you find most tempting.  It will show you a lot about your heart.

Pray

Ask God to help you examine the desires of your own heart and to turn from evil ones.