May 1
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BEGINNINGS OF SIN
12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 No one is to say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15 Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it has run its course, brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers and sisters. 17 Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. 18 In the exercise of His will He gave us birth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
– James 1:12-18
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In this letter of James, he commends those who persists under tests or temptations. He calls them blessed. How are they approved as mentioned in verse 12. Once they have endured such temptations, they become strong in the faith and that’s when they will receive the crown of life that God promised to those who love Him.
In verse 13, he cautions the believers to make sure that they do not blame God for the temptations that come their way, for God never tempts them. God allows it, but it doesn’t come from Him. Do you remember the story of Job? God allowed Satan to tempt Job to test he will continue to be righteous and faithful to the Lord. The temptation didn’t come directly from God. He allowed Satan to test Job.
In verses 14-15, James gives us an explanation of the beginnings and process of sin. It starts with a desire or lust. When he entertains to give in to these cravings, the process of being tempted is conceived. After the conception of the craving has been satisfied, it is now considered sin. When one continues to feed this desire and cravings, the spirit begins to die. The flesh comes to life because it is being fed so much.
In verse 16, James stresses God’s nature. He is very generous and unchanging. He is never fickle. And every good thing comes from him. In verse 18, he gives us an escape from temptation through his word. It is only in the word, that we will have life. With that life, fruits become visible and we become born again in the new life He gave us in Christ.
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REFLECTION
• Why do some people think that temptation is something they cannot overcome?