Bible Study - Temptation (1) - The Source of Temptation - James 1:13-18 - April 16, 2023

 

Bible Study – Temptation (1) – The Source of Temptation – April 16, 2023

This is lesson one in our series entitled, “Dealing with Temptation.”

Our focus scripture is James 1:13-18.

We have no one to blame when we fall into sin.

What is sin? In Good News Club, we define sin as anything we think, say or do that makes GOD unhappy.

The world likes to define sin as, “Satan or the devil made me do it.”

The blame game began in the Garden of Eden with the foundational parents of all humans. We read in Genesis 3:8-14: (After they had eaten the forbidden fruit -)

⁸ Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at the time of the evening breeze,^[b] and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. ⁹ So the Lord God called out to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”

¹⁰ And he(Adam) said, “I heard you^[c] in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”

When a person sins the last person, he/she wants to encounter is GOD. But the truth is GOD should be the first to whom the person goes and confesses what he/she has done.

Whether we like it or not, every person will encounter GOD when he/she dies. There will be judgment day.

¹¹ Then he (GOD) asked, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

Did someone else have to tell them or did they know it instantly? (⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves ^[b]coverings.)

GOD made man and woman with the freedom to choose. GOD did not want robots to love HIM but HE wanted HIS creation to willingly love, serve and obey HIM.

¹² The man replied, “The woman you gave to be with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.”

In essence, Adam was saying to GOD, it is all YOUR fault. YOU made that woman and she gave me the forbidden fruit and I ate it.

My, my that bad woman made Adam eat that forbidden fruit. This was the first transferal of guilt -

¹³ So the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?”

And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Second transferal of guilt.

¹⁴ So the Lord God said to the serpent:

The culprit was identified. It was Satan. But did Satan make them eat the forbidden fruit? NO! But he sure made it sound good if they did eat the forbidden fruit. Adam and Eve ignored the consequence if they disobeyed GOD. They wanted to be like GOD, knowing good from evil. Guess what? They got it but they and all mankind suffer the consequences.  

All humans have freedom of choice and have a sin nature that can be redeemed by placing their faith in JESUS.

There are deeper causes for a person’s inclination toward sin and that comes from his/her ancestral baggage that is passed down. Often, a person must be delivered from ancestral sins that have been passed down.

Let’s take a quick look at the scripture we had in a previous study. The blind man from birth in this story was not the result of ancestral sin. There are issues that can be passed through the DNA and traits that can be passed along through our ancestral blood line or heredity.

John 9:35-41:

Spiritual Blindness

³⁵ Jesus heard that they (Jewish religious leaders) had thrown the man out (The man was blind from birth, which was NOT the result of sin.), and when he (JESUS) found him, he asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”^[d]

³⁶ “Who is he, Sir, that I may believe in him?” he asked.

³⁷ Jesus answered, “You have seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”

³⁸ “I believe, Lord!” he said, and he worshiped him.

³⁹ Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, in order that those who do not see will see and those who do see will become blind.”

⁴⁰ Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard these things and asked him, “We aren’t blind too, are we?”

⁴¹ “If you were blind,” Jesus told them (the Pharisees), “you wouldn’t have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.

JESUS is the Spiritual light and eternal hope of all people in the world. HIS shed blood paid the penalty for sin, in full, but every person must place his/her faith in HIM to be redeemed from eternal death. The proof that a person can trust in CHRIST is that GOD raised HIM from the physically dead to eternally alive.

The Holy Spirit extends an invitation to every person to either accept or reject JESUS as his/her Savior.

GOD’S Word reveals to us in Romans 3:23 - ²³ For all have sinned and fall short of the^[a] glory of God;

All humans cannot measure up to GOD’S standard by their own effort. That is why all people need a Savior.

James is the half-brother of JESUS. Before the Passion of JESUS, all the brothers of JESUS did not believe in HIM as the Son of GOD. What made the difference? The crucifixion and resurrection of JESUS with confirmation by the indwelling Holy Spirit made the difference.

Sin in the Bible is defined as missing the mark or target. An archer takes sight at a target, let’s an arrow fly toward the target but misses. Sin is defined as missing the mark or GOD’S standard which is perfection.

A person attempts to abide by GOD’S law but fails. GOD knows that people will fail trying to keep the letter and the spirit of the Law in his/her power/strength.

Faith in JESUS results in a person being Spirit-born and living upon earth under GOD’S Grace, where he/she always measurers up to GOD’S requirement. The Spirit-born person is enlightened and taught by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Spirit-born people still sin, so what are they to do when they sin? In 1 John 1:9, we read, “9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

As the Spirit-born person encounters life, he/she needs to ask the Holy Spirit to examine him/her to keep the Spirit-born person in step with GOD’S plan for his/her life. When a Spirit-born person confesses his/her sin what happens to it or them? They are covered by the shed blood of JESUS and blotted out. GOD’S Word reveals that in Micah 7: He (GOD) will again have compassion on us;
he will vanquish our iniquities.
You (GOD) will cast all our^[d] sins
into the depths of the sea. (And put up a no fishing sign as I heard stated by Ms. Corrie Ten Boom.)

The Micah scripture is in the Old Testament, which gave those under the Law hope. Notice the Prophet revealed that a person’s sin would be cast into the “depths of the sea.” The message from GOD through Micah was that confessed sin would be buried where a person cannot revisit them while he/she is upon earth. The forgiven person leaves them all behind when he/she exits earth in physical death.

What else has GOD done through a person’s faith in JESUS? Let’s read 2 Corinthians 5:20-21: ²⁰ Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.” ²¹ He (GOD) made the one who did not know sin (JESUS) to be sin^[e] for us, so that in him (JESUS) we might become the righteousness of God.

When a person is Spirit-born he/she is righteous before GOD! Now that is something to shout about!

As a Spirit-born person did you know that you are righteous and always in right-standing with GOD? You will face trials in your life.

Let’s read James 1:13:

¹³ No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God,” since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone. 

When we struggle with the issues of life, we must not blame our struggle on GOD. HE does not work that way. So, what is taking place when a person is tempted? It is perfecting and strengthening.

Let’s read James 1:14-15:

¹⁴ But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. ¹⁵ Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.

Satan enticed Eve by getting her to look and feel by touching the forbidden fruit. Satan’s goal is to do damage to you. Satan lures, just like when we fish, we use a nice juicy worm or a colorful lure to attract the fish and then snag it. Satan’s desire is to capture and enslave everyone he can because he hates GOD and anyone who loves GOD. Satan’s desire is to be GOD. Satan is a liar and the father of lies.

We must keep in mind that the Apostle Paul reveals to us in Ephesians 6: ¹⁰ Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength. ¹¹ Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the schemes of the devil. ¹² For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens. 

JESUS defeated Satan and won the victory but the battle for the souls of all humans’ rages on. Every human is in that battle. Satan will do all he can to entice those who have not accepted JESUS as their Savior from accepting JESUS as their Savior. Those who have accepted JESUS as their Savior, Satan will do all he can to prevent them from living the victorious life in JESUS. Christians are in constant battles but they need to keep in mind that JESUS has won all battles. Draw closer to JESUS and enjoy HIS canopy of protection. Ephesians 6 tells Christians how to suit up for battle by putting on the full armor of GOD.

What are some of the weapons Satan uses? More than space allows but one is found in 1 John 2 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 everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride in one’s possessions—is not from the father, but is from the world. ¹⁷ And the world with its lust is passing away, but the one who does the will of God remains forever.

All Christians should stand proud because JESUS has won the victory. Satan was defeated at the cross of JESUS and the proof is the resurrection of JESUS.

Let’s read James 1:16-18:

¹⁶ Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. ¹⁷ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ¹⁸ By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.

Satan is a deceiver and a liar. One never gets the whole truth from him. That is why as Spirit-born Christian’s, we must keep our eyes focused upon JESUS, read and study GODS Word, pray and serve as directed by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

As we get closer to the second coming of JESUS, we know that things in the world will get worse and as we read in Mark 13:22 - ²² For false messiahs and false prophets will arise and will perform signs and wonders to lead astray, if possible, the elect.

That tells us, who know the truth, to remain vigilant. We live in a mine field and we must walk circumspectly as written in Ephesians 5- ¹⁵ See then that you walk ^[a]circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,

How does a Spirit-born person walk circumspectly? He/she asks the Holy Spirit to lead and direct his/her steps. GOD knows where the mines are located, as we journey through life.

Be wise and place your faith in JESUS. Salvation is simply recognizing your need for salvation through JESUS and asking JESUS to forgive you for your sins and ask HIM to come into your heart. Then ask HIM to lead and direct your path through life, get in a Bible believing and teaching fellowship/church, to learn more about JESUS and GOD’S Word.

Blessings!!!