Cork Free Presbyterian Church, 10 Briarscourt
(Annex) Shanakiel, Cork, Ireland
Pastor: Colin Maxwell. Email: colin.maxwell@fpcmission.org
We have already seen how James, in an immediate and very robust way, enters into the subject of sin and temptation (v1-2)
It is not James' plan to underestimate sin or undermine what God says
about it in any way - there is no let up in any page of this Book re:
sin
God hates sin from the very bottom of His heart and His war against it is totally and absolutely unrelenting
What is eternity? In Hell - eternity will be an unending war against sin
This short passage/hand (v12-16) will show that God still hates sin with all His Being
But while James opens this epistle on a most serious note, yet he also
tells the people/God to rejoice when they are tempted! (v2)
Again: Not to rejoice if tempted and fallen into sin
But to rejoice when tempted and victorious because such victory has
strengthened their faith and helped towards spiritual growth (v2-4)
We rejoice because God has used this temptation as part of the all things working together for our good
If we overcome temptation - never let us fail to give God all the glory
But what if we are tempted and we fail to resist/Devil and fall into sin?
Well, we can hardly give God the glory then - A blasphemy to do so
Can hardly think of a more wicked thing than that
This is where our passage steps in
While God might override certain things for His own glory - yet this
does not excuse our behaviour if/when we fail to do what is right
4 things we need to see from our passage
1) SIN - THE ENEMY OF GOD ABOVE:
We base these remarks on the words of v13
A good definition/sin: The exact opposite of everything that God
is… that God has declared…that God loves and stands for
Bible says: Sin is the transgression of the law/God (1 John 3:4)
God Himself so hates sin that He can say two things here re: it
A/ That He Himself cannot be tempted with it
This opens up two apparently contradictory statements:
[i] Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. (Psalm 78:41)
[ii] Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be
tempted of the devil. (Matthew 4:1) Christ (of course) is God
Yet v13 says clearly that God cannot be tempted with evil
Answer: God cannot be tempted in the sense that there is no lust or any sin already within (v14) by which He can be drawn away
God is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity (Habakkuk 1:13)
There is no unlawful lust in His heart - nor vain or evil desire
Another argument: He does not need to sin even if He could
He is all powerful and His decrees always see fulfilment
Yes, man can try to tempt God - COI (Psalm 78) sought to reduce God to
their meagre thinking - saying:
There were things God simply could not
do i.e. feed them all in the wilderness and bring them to Canaan
But He never ceased to be the Almighty God - He was not handcuffed
Similar thought in 1 John 1:10 - Can we really make God to be a liar?
Nobody can make anyone to be a liar - they can only portray it to be so
When Satan came to tempt Jesus/wilderness - He was not going to try and
lure out any sinful lusts in Christ's heart…because He never had
any
He really is the holy, harmless and undefiled Son/God (Hebrews 7:26)
Listen/own words: The Prince/this world cometh and hath nothing in me!
(John 14:30) There was nothing there for Satan to take hold of/use
There was no inflammable material in there just waiting for a lit match
Now man can try and tempt God - Commandment forbids the attempt (Thou
shalt not tempt the Lord thy God) and demonises/punishes it, but such
actions do not imply that God has the capacity to sin - He doesn't and
never can - it is not in His Being or nature to sin
B/ Again to show His aversion to sin…God Himself does not tempt any man to transgress against Him (v13)
Objection: Did He not tempt Abraham? (Genesis 22:1)
Answer: Better to say that He tested Abraham i.e. his faith
He tested him in relation to obedience - not to disobedience
C/ So even though God allows sinful men to go further/further into
their chosen lusts and often loosens the brakes which had been
mercifully applied to their lives - He Himself is not the author
or aide and abettor to any sinful act
Overruling sinful acts to the greater good is not partaking in their sin
God hates sin with a perfect hatred - It is His sworn enemy
2) SIN - THE ENEMY FROM DEEP WITHIN
A/ When the Prince/this world comes to us…he finds plenty of material within which he can make good use of
That's the trouble as far as we Christians are concerned
This is why when we resist the devil's power, we are so much stronger
Those spiritual gains of v4 do not come easy/cheap - hard earned
B/ We are all sinners by nature and by practice
Because our Federal Head/Father Adam sinned, we were born with a sinful nature which is always biased towards doing evil
Only the restraining grace of God that prevents men from expressing the full potential of their wickedness (Genesis 6:5)
Now and again, God lets a Hitler run lose, just to show us all how sinful
we all really are, if left without any restraint
C/ The temptation comes to us because of our inward lust
This lust is ever smouldering and the temptation draws it out
It cannot draw out what is not there (as in Christ) but there is plenty there in us - let none of us think otherwise
Denial of the problem only multiplies the difficulty a hundred fold
These ungodly lusts are to be put down/mortified (by the power/God) But
put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh,
to fulfil the lusts thereof (Romans 13:14)
If they are not - the tempter will come and the two (lust/temptation)
will meet and out of this unholy union from within/without - sin will
be brought forth and the dreadful deed is done
D/ This is what happened in the Garden/Eden
Adam/Eve, although sinless, nevertheless (proven) had the capacity/sin
When God said "Thou shalt not eat…" there was a desire to do so
May not have been particularly strong - but it was evidently there
And so when Satan came and suggested what he did
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was
pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she
took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband
with her; and he did eat. (Genesis 3:6)
James 1:14 being played out before our very eyes
Seen again in Joshua 7:21 when Achan saw/coveted/took/hid etc.,
E/ Is it any wonder the Lord Jesus taught us to pray:
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil? (Luke 11:4)
Again…not that God is the author of any sin etc., but He has the
power to wisely lead us away from those sinful situations and we should
seek Him ever to do so - It is not our business to seek them out, even
though we will benefit from having them if we can resist them
You don't let a child play with matches so that he will not develop an
irrational fear of the fire - you teach him the proper fear/fire and
you do that by demonising the idea of playing with matches
F/ Do recognise that enemy deep within
Our position in Jesus Christ (justified) does not ignore the fact that
we are still sinners by nature and still most liable to err against God
Hence the command in v16
Sanctification is an ongoing procedure
Glorification (when beyond the danger/sin) is in Heaven and yet future
It is not here below, despite what certain well meaning, if misguided and erring sections of the Christian church teach
3) SIN - THE ENEMY THAT KILLS THE SOUL
A/ Think of sin like the serpent doing its very subtle work
A door is left open which enables it to get in
All the necessary precautions are either abandoned or half heartedly
followed through - the dreaded snake gets in and in a moment it does,
what it does best and most effectively - it strikes and it bites
The poisoned fangs sink deep and puncture the skin and the poison is injected into the blood stream of its victim
There is nothing the victim can do - his body perhaps enters into
spasms or begins to close down - and soon he is a stiff, lifeless corpse
The snake when it was finished brought forth death
So does sin (v15)
B/ How does this affect Christians?
Before we answer, it affects the unsaved in that it is the basis on
which they are condemned forever to hell: The wages (earned) of sin is
death
They must bear this effect without any relief - and that because they
have refused the only relief available: The blood of Jesus Christ
which: Justifies (Romans 5:9) cleanses (1 John 1:7) Redeems (Colossians
1:14) Pardons/remits sin (Colossians 1:14/hebrews 9:22)
What folly to walk away from the gospel when bitten by sin!
C/ Although sin is to be greatly feared among the people/God and has a
detrimental effect upon their spiritual health, yet it does not lead to
eternal death or separation from God for them
This is because the Lord Jesus has taken that particular curse for us
No truly regenerate child/God will ever be in hell
But dallying with sin will bring the heavy hand/discipline upon him
And therefore it is to be avoided at all costs
4) SIN - THE ENEMY THAT CAN BE OVERTHROWN
A/ Suggested by the command in v16
Not that we will ever be 100% sinless this side/Heaven - but when we do
sin, we will acknowledge that we should/could have walked away from
each/every situation
Think of Joseph as he was being seduced as a young man by that doubtless most attractive woman in Genesis 39:1-8 yet: v9
How can I do this great wickedness and sin against God
Doubtless, there were desires in his heart towards her
He was a young man, built in such a way as to find women attractive
But he mortified the lusts within - He doused the smouldering before it
burst forth into a flame of fire with the word/God and he then did
something immensely practical - He quit the scene in victory
It can be done - Even now there are other pretty ordinary Christians of
no great known fame/credentials who are resisting temptations
Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?
By taking heed thereto according to thy word (Psalm 119:9)
B/ The reward on offer (v12) is not an empty one
Millions will be able to (by and large) claim this reward, because
(notwithstanding some falls) yet overall they so structured their
life by the power/God to be able to see off the Tempter and show their
love for Christ by living holy lives for Him
Let's join their blessed
number!
THE END