L.S.D.

Lust, Sin, Death

James 1:13-18

 

INTRO: James takes time in this first chapter to deal with the subject of temptation. Temptation is something we deal with day after day. What is temptation? Temptation can be defined as an opportunity to accomplish a good thing in a bad way. There are many natural desires that can become temptations. Keep in mind that temptation is an opportunity to do wrong. Whether we take that opportunity is up to us.

None of us are exempt from temptation whether young or old, for it is like the rain that falls on the just and the unjust alike.

It is when we resist temptation that we grow strong spiritually.

God does not want us to yield to temptation. If we are to be mature Christians, we must face our trials and yield not to temptation. Temptation is not sin; yielding is. As the old hymn says: "Yield not to temptation, for yielding is sin..." Resist temptation and grow in Christ (II Pet 3:18).

 

I. Vss 13-16, THE PROCESS OF SIN

A. Vs 13, Plain and simple– when you are tempted to do evil, do not blame God.

1. Folks blame God for all kinds of sinful practices. It is not God that led them into sin. God does not tempt men to get drunk, do dope, or leave their spouses.

2. "God cannot be tempted with evil....."

a. God cannot be tempted with evil for evil is contrary to His nature. God is perfect in holiness (Habbakkuk 1:13).

b. "It is unreasonable to conceive how anyone who has not been first tempted himself by evil could tempt another to do evil" (Strauss 35).

B. Vs 14, There are two words in this verse that describe the process of sin.

1. "Lust"– the Greek word is epithumia and denotes desire of any kind. Each of us have God given desires and these desires are not sinful in themselves. It is when we do not control these desires that we sin.

a. Hunger is a good desire and without this desire we would starve. It is not wrong to eat, but gluttony is a sin.

b. Without fatigue, the body would never rest, and it would wear out. It is not wrong to sleep, but laziness is a sin (Prov 26:14).

c. Sex is a good and normal desire, but outside of marriage it is sin (Heb 13:4).

d. We must learn to control our desires so that they are our servants not our master (Rom 6:12, 18-22).

e. Victory is found in the Lord Jesus Christ (II Cor 2:14; I Cor 15:57).

2. "Enticed" – this word speaks of deception. Satan deceives folks. He paints a beautiful picture, but the picture is a lie. No temptation appears as a temptation.

3. James says, "Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed." There are two illustrations from the world of sports in this verse.

a. "Drawn away"– the idea here is of a hunter baiting a trap to draw animals to it. Animals do not deliberately step into traps. Traps are baited and hid, and the animal is drawn to the trap by the bait.

b. Again, we look at the word enticed. Fish are deceived by the bait that covers the hook. Fish do not willingly bite naked hooks. The hook is baited to entice the fish and catch it on the sharp barb.

4. Temptation carries bait with it that appeals to our natural desires. Not only does the bait attract us, it also hides the fact that yielding, taking the bait, leads to the sharp teeth of sorrow and shame. The bait is the exciting thing, but the hook is hidden.

a. Tobacco ads never show the patient with lung cancer.

b. The liquor ads never show the beaten wives, hungry children, and death on the highway.

c. The neon lights of sin do not reveal that heartache, disease, and loneliness the hidden hook brings.

d. David was drawn away by his own lust, enticed by the sight of Bathsheba bathing on the roof top. David swallowed the bait and was hooked by sin. The result was the murder of Uriah, the death of the baby that was conceived, the rape of Tamar by Amnon, and the murder of Amnon by Absalom.

5. When Jesus was tempted by Satan, He turned to the Word of God saying: "It is written." The Bible is our defense against sin (Psa 119:9-11).

C. Vs 15, Here we have the continuing process of sin: lust, sin, and death.

1. Lust when it has conceived brings forth sin or sin is born.

a. "Desire conceives a method for taking the bait. The will approves and acts; the result is sin. Whether we feel it or not, we are hooked and trapped. The baby is born, and just wait until it matures" (Wiersbe 39).

b. When a person feeds on pornography, he will find a way to take the bait.

2. "Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."

a. The child of lust is sin. Sin when it is finished brings forth death.

b. In Romans 6:23, the lost man is told: "The wages of sin is death....," separation from God.

c. Adam’s sin brought physical death to the entire human race (Rom 5:12).

D. Vs 16, James faithfully warns us to be careful not to bite Satan’s baited hooks.

 

II. VS 17, THE GOODNESS OF GOD

A. The Devil does what he can to get us to forget the goodness of God, enticing us to sin. There are four facts about the goodness of God.

1. God gives good gifts only. If it is not a good gift, it did not come from God.

2. The way God gives is good. God gives in a loving way.

3. God gives constantly. "Cometh down" is the Greek present participle meaning "keeps on coming down." God is constantly sending us gifts.

4. God does not change. It is impossible for God to change. He cannot change for worse because He is holy. He cannot change for better because He is perfect.

B. The next time that you are tempted to sin, remember, how good God has been to you.

 

III. VS 18, DIVINELY BEGOTTEN

A. Every born again believer was begotten by the will of God.

1. Salvation is the work of God (Jn 1:12-13). We did not generate our physical birth, and we do not generate our spiritual birth.

2. Salvation is through the Word of God.

a. Without belief of the truth, there is not new birth (II Thes 2:13-14).

b. The Bible is the incorruptible Word of God (I Pet 1:23).

3. Believers are a kind of first fruits of God’s creatures.

a. The Jewish believes that the first fruits of their crops were to be offered to God (Prov 3:9).

b. Christians are special to God, spiritual fruit, a kind of first fruits of His creatures.

 

CONCLUSION: Watch out for Satan’s L.S.D. Because of who we are as Christians, we ought to say no to the Devil’s bait. Give your desires to God; live victorious.

---