The Source of Temptation
James 112 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (ESV)
Temptations & Trials
There are two reefs that threaten the faith of a Christian. The first is “trial” and the second is “temptation.” Trials come at us from without and are a part of life. On the other hand, temptations come at us from within.
Who should we blame for our temptations? God? No, James reminds us God can’t be tempted and doesn’t tempt anyone (v.13). Should we blame Satan? The comedian, Flip Wilson, popularized the saying, “The devil made me do it!” But James tells us, we are tempted by our own desires. Like a fish looking at a lure, we are “lured and enticed.”
That’s an interesting concept because the word translated “desire” is actually neutral. The NIV adds the adjective “evil” and the KJV uses the word “lust” in place of desire, but the word desire is actually neutral. The problem is balance. James says we are “drawn away.” In other words, we are moved to an extreme. Hunger is natural. Gluttony is not. When our appetites get the best of us, it is a temptation that lures us into sin.
The Apostle John wrote:
15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (1 Jn 2:15–17)
Damning Desires
Let’s break John’s observations down further so we can understand our temptations. The first pathway to sin is giving in to “what the body desires” (The ancient Peshito-Syriac Bible translates it this way) — in other words, our appetites. Even the Apostle Paul wrestled with this kind of temptation (Romans 7:18 ff.) Do you remember the first temptation of Jesus? “Turn these stones into bread.” That is another example of “what the body desires.”
Beyond our appetites are what the old King James Version called the “lust of the eyes,” what the more modern International Standard Version calls “the desire for possessions.” I’d call it good, old-fashioned “greed,” (God’s Word Translation). This was the second temptation of Jesus, where, according to Luke, Satan showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the world and offered them to him.
The third tool of temptation is particularly modern: “the pride of life.” In the latest version of the NIV, this pathway to temptation reads like a description of social media: “their boasting about what they have and do,” (TNIV). Young’s Translation calls it, “the ostentation of the life.”
There is another way to view this temptation. The Lexham English Bible translates this third tool of temptation as “the arrogance of material possessions.” Christians should believe we don’t possess anything. We are only managers of what God has given us. Sometimes we forget we’ll give an accounting for how we used God’s gifts to help others.
Likewise, if you think about the third temptation of Christ, to leap off the pinnacle of the Temple and prove He was the son of God, you’ll see this as another aspect of the temptation we are discussing: pride.
Learning to Control Our Desires
So how can we learn to control our desires and deal with our temptations? First, it is important to realize, sin and temptation are not the same! James would tell us temptation is a part of growth. Remember, to triumph later, we must prepare now and that means learning to recognize sin and to unmask the Tempter.
This means our lives must have a purpose and we must never take our eyes off the prize.
Finally, perhaps the most important solution is to find contentment. Here are four verses to write on our hearts:
- “For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. “ (2 Corinthians 12:10)
- “… for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:11-13)
- “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” (1 Timothy 6:6-8).
- “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5, 6)