As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:
13Let
no one being tempted be saying that I am being tempted from God, for God [is]
untemptable of evils and He himself is tempting no one; 14but each
one is being tempted, being dragged away and enticed by his own lust. 15That
lust, having conceived, is giving birth to sin and that, having matured, brings
forth death.
I suppose it makes perfect sense to move from the subject of
trials in general (vv1-12) to temptation to sin. Now, it is true “temptation to
sin” is a trial in itself, but then any time we are under duress, it is easy to
fall into all sorts of bad behavior or bad responses. So before James leaves
the subject, he takes these three verses to address the subject head on.
The first (and probably most fundamental) factor to
acknowledge is that God has nothing to do with our sins. Since Adam (“the woman
You gave me, she …”), we have all been born incorrigible blameshifters. We’ll
blame anyone and anything rather than simply own our own bad choices.
Ultimately, that blameshifting game does bring us back to God. If it isn’t my
fault, then ultimately it is His. “The woman You gave me, she ..” Adam was
blaming Eve, but notice the jab he inserts toward God Himself.
Such thoughts are of course ludicrous since God is the very
source of goodness. It is oxymoronic to in any way associate Him with evil.
Instead James makes it very clear: “…but each one is being tempted, being dragged away and
enticed by his own lust.” “By his own lust.” The problem is always entirely
to be found inside of myself. Regardless of where they come from, the only reason
temptations “work” is because they appeal to me, they appeal to my “wanter.” I
could put a stick on a hook and throw it in the water and the fish won’t give
it a second look; but make that a juicy, wiggly night crawler and suddenly I
can get a fish to bite on a sharp hook that lands him in my frying pan. It
worked because it appealed to him. It “worked” because there was something
inside of him that gave my allurement power.
The word translated “lusts” is actually just a word for
strong desires. It can be a good thing, if what is desired is good and right.
But clearly, in this context, we’re talking about evil desires, hence I’ve used
the world “lusts.” The only danger of using “lusts” is that someone may think
we’re only talking about sexual sin, but that is not the case. I’m using the
word “lusts” with all evil desires in mind.
The other thing worth noting is that “desire” or “lust” is
precisely our problem. It is the engine that drives our sin nature. For myself,
it helps me to call it my “wanter.” The problem is always in what I “want.” Peter
says God has given us what we need to “participate in the divine nature and escape
the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (II Peter 1:4). What is the
cause of the “corruption in the world”? “Evil desires.” And what do they rob us
of? The ability to “participate in the divine nature.”
It helps me to pin it down like this. Based on these kinds
of verses, I learn that, if I want to stay on top of my sin nature, it is my “wanter”
I have to keep an eye on. I need to ever be more aware of what I am wanting. Especially I need to be aware
when the wanting gets strong and it’s moving me to behave in certain ways and
make certain choices. It may be okay, but knowing my wanter is the engine that
drives my sin nature means I need to be very honest at those times and be
begging God’s presence and strength and protection.
I use the word “beg” because of what James tells us in v15. The
wages of sin is still death. “Wanting” may not be bad, but if it is and if I
let it work on me, I’m inviting my own death. Sin always brings death. Satan
was a murderer from the beginning. Death may be literal and it may be eternal,
but in the immediate sense it can show up as destroyed relationships, public
disgrace, heartbreaking disappointment – all the different ways we “die” daily.
It really, really hurts. I use the word “beg” because no matter what form death
may take, I want no part of it. I want to live. That said, I need to practice a
holy fear of my own wanter. It may lure me to sin, and since sin = death, I
need nothing short of God’s help to save me from it, from myself.
One thing Manton pointed out, which I perhaps haven’t
thought about much lately – how thankful we should be that God has actually
prevented us from so much sin and death. Manton is so right. Gracious! How many
times I would have gladly followed my desires right into the noose but God
actually stopped me. When I was young it used to frustrate me that everything
seemed to come so easily to so many people, but I kept running into walls.
Yikes! Now I realize God was protecting me from myself!
Even now, I am keenly aware that if I were in the wrong
place at the wrong time with the wrong person, I am quite capable of making
some very bad choices and destroying everything I ever cared about. But day
after day goes by and I don’t find myself in those situations. Why not? Perhaps
I make a few good choices to keep away from trouble but in the end it is God
who delivers me.
Yikes! As I think back over my life, it is a miracle I didn’t
murder anyone. Literally! I am a very good shot with a rifle and could turn
someone’s head into a pink cloud from several hundred yards away. There have certainly
been a few people who deserved it and I’d be lying if I said the thought had
never crossed my mind. But God very specifically stopped me. I actually know a
man who was going to murder his wife but couldn’t find a baby-sitter for the
children. Seriously. Years later he came to know Christ and told me it all
literally happened that way. God stopped him and saved him from his own
madness.
It is a miracle I haven’t fathered illegitimate children all
the way from Indiana to New Hampshire, south to Florida and in a few other
countries of the world. If the Lord hadn’t frustrated my intentions, I’d have
that kind of heartbreak to deal with. I know guys who do. They “succeeded.” But
I did not. And now I can only thank God He saves us from our own madness so
much of the time.
What an unpleasant subject!!! Sin always seems to look so
delicious. But like the bait, it always hides the hook inside. Instead of
landing me in a world of pleasure, it ends me up fileted and sizzling away in the
devil’s frying pan.
God deliver us from our wanters. “Lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Help me be aware of my wanter. Bring me safe to Heaven’s
shore.
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