Rev. David Holwick O Book of James series
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
May 1, 1994
James 1:13-18
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I. Different views of temptation.
A. Trivial or serious.
1) Hot fudge sundae, oozing with whipped cream.
2) A lottery ticket dispenser.
3) Your beautiful young secretary.
B. Severe consequences.
1) Not just minor habits we wish we could avoid, but don't.
2) Ruined lives.
3) Eternal separation from God.
C. For good or evil?
1) Temptation in itself is not sin.
a) Jesus was tempted, but did not sin. Heb 4:15
2) Temptation can be used for our good or for our harm.
a) Same word used in "trials" earlier in James.
b) Difference is the evil thrust of temptation.
3) The outcome depends upon our response to the temptation.
a) Temptation which is overcome leads to spiritual strength.
II. Where temptation comes from.
A. It cannot come from God. Jam 1:13
1) God produces good, not evil.
a) He does allow evil to exist, because freedom demands it.
b) God doesn't tempt, and can't be tempted.
2) God tests us to develop our faith, but he does not tempt
us to make us fall.
B. Satan can tempt.
1) He uses people and things to entice us to fall.
2) According to Bible, he is more prevalent than we give credit.
3) But easy to give Satan too much credit.
C. Our inner self is ultimate source. Romans 7
1) Romans 7.
2) James - our inner desires "lure" us out. (not drag away) 1:14
3) Excuses we make. 1 Cor 10:13
a) We are not perfect.
b) It is hopeless: there is no end to the struggle.
1> Even failure can educate us, but throwing in the
paddle makes destruction only a matter of time.
c) My sin is not that extreme.
4) We are responsible. We can't always blame Satan.
III. The lifecycle of sin. Jam 1:14-15
A. Desire lures us.
1) At what point does temptation become sin?
a) Luther -
"We aren't able to stop birds from flying around our heads but
we are able to stop them from building nests in our hair."
#1522
b) Bible - considering how far we can go without sinning is
wrong focus. Better: how can I be more like Christ?
2) Be careful of grey areas.
a) How far can I go in dating, drinking, drugs...?
b) When we find out, we "camp out" there. (Stanley)
c) When we develop lifestyles close to the edge, Satan
has to do very little to push us over into sin.
B. Sin brought forth.
1) Literally, sin is "spawned."
2) Whenever we allow our desires to control us, we put
ourselves on the same level as animals.
3) Few sins are spur-of-the-moment decisions. We think
it through a thousand times before doing it.
C. Death results.
1) Sin always results in a death of some kind.
a) Kills your sensitivity and spiritual joy.
b) Kills your relationships.
2) Kills you. Literally.
a) Janis Joplin.
b) Jimmy Hendrix.
c) Jim Morrison.
d) Judy Garland.
e) Elvis Presley.
f) Jim Belushi.
g) Kurt Corbain.
3) Each of these had tremendous talent. But since they
couldn't control their desires, each of them met a
gruesome, untimely death.
IV. The solution to temptation.
A. God wants us to have good things, not death. Jam 1:17
1) The best gift of all is spiritual rebirth. 1:18
2) If we truly love God, there won't be room for sin.
B. Misunderstandings that get in the way.
1) Spiritually mature people are not harassed by temptation.
2) Once a sin or habit is truly dealt with, temptation in that
particular area will subside.
3) We fall into temptation.
4) Temptation is overcome by running.
C. Victory over temptation. 1 Cor 10:13
1) You are not alone.
a) Psychologist Mark McMinn says that Christians are well-
trained at hiding temptations.
As a result, many feel alone and unspiritual.
Temptation plus isolation often produces sin.
CT,11/18/88,p29.
b) Find someone you can be open and honest with.
(Accountability)
2) There are limits.
a) God will not allow us to be tempted beyond our limits.
b) Your limits may be much higher than you realize.
3) Avoid temptation.
On the TV show "Hee Haw," Doc Campbell is confronted by
a patient who says he broke his arm in two places.
The doc replies, "Well then, stay out of them places!"
We cannot regularly put ourselves in the face of
temptation and not be affected.
When faced with the problem of temptation, we need to
take the good doctor's advice and
"stay out of them places." #1793
4) Resist temptation.
a) When you can't avoid it, toughen yourself.
b) Don't make excuses.
c) God will make a way of escape for us.
5) Put failures behind you.
a) Nixon failed 3 times, came back 3 times.
b) The only unforgivable sin is locking God out of your life.
======================== STUDY NOTES ==================================
Communicator's... Paul Cedar
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I. Trials.
A. Profitable ones.
B. How to overcome other ones.
1) Temptation can be used for our good or for our harm.
2) The outcome depends upon our response to the temptation.
3) Temptation in itself is not sin.
II. Three vital truths.
A. What temptation is not.
1) We cannot blame others (like God).
2) God is the source of only good.
3) God allows trials, but not with evil intent.
B. Four step process by which temptation takes place.
1) We are drawn away by our desires.
2) We are enticed by sin.
3) Sin is born.
4) Sin is full-grown, results in death.
C. Temptation can be overcome. James 1:2-4; 1 Cor 10:13
1) Every temptation we face is common to others.
2) God is faithful and can be trusted.
3) God will not allow us to be tempted beyond our limits.
4) God will make a way of escape for us.
a) (Maintain eye contact with dogs - and God)
Charles Stanley, "Temptation"
I. The reason to struggle against temptation.
A. It will give you a desire to share with others the power of God.
B. Choosing not to deal with sin leads to a "hard heart."
1) God will turn us over to that sin.
C. One sin always leads to another.
1) Sin becomes entrenched.
D. Sin always results in death of some kind.
1) Physical death.
2) Death to relationships.
a) Respect, loyalty, life itself.
II. Excuses. 1 Cor 10:13
A. We are not perfect.
B. It is hopeless: there is no end to the stuggle.
1) Even failure can educate us, but throwing in the paddle
makes destruction only a matter of time.
C. My sin is not that extreme.
III. Developing a self-defense.
A. God, our great defender.
B. Avoiding the danger zones.
1) There will always be grey areas.
2) The Bible doesn't address itself to the question of how far
a person can go toward sin without actually sinning. That
was never a concern of the biblical authors as they wrote.
They were addressing an entirely different question, "How
can I become more Christlike in my character? How can I
be used to encourage those around me to become more like
Christ?" When we develop lifestyles close to the edge,
Satan has to do very little to push us over into sin. p.102
C. Spiritual armor.
D. The power of Scripture.
E. Accountability. (no Lone Rangers)
IV. Misunderstandings.
A. To be tempted is to sin.
B. Spiritually mature people are not harassed by temptation.
C. Once a sin or habit is truly dealt with, temptation in that
particular area will subside.
D. We fall into temptation.
E. God is disappointed and displeased when we are tempted.
F. Temptation is overcome by running.
V. Why we continue to fall.
VI. After we fail, what then?
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