James Expounds on Faith Volume 9

 Receiving Wisdom from God Part 6

James 1:14-16 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren. KJV Note: CEV=Contemporary English Version

The temptations to do evil never come from God to any of His children, nor is He the One who tempts the unbeliever into sin as it was declared to us by the Apostle James in the previous verse. Therefore, with that being the truth then where does and why does sin occur in the 🌏 world and even within the 🧒 children of God? The answer is simple, singular, and straightforward because sin is an inside job (as Dr. Adrian Rodgers put it) which is exactly what the Apostle James declares with these words, "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren." (James 1:14-16) (KJV). The long English phrase 'when he is drawn away' is translated by the one Greek word exelkō (used this one time only in the New Testament) which means to drag forth, that is, (figuratively) to entice (to sin): - draw away. The English word 'lust' is translated by the Greek word epithumia meaning a longing (especially for what is forbidden): - concupiscence (a desire for sexual intimacy; physical attraction), desire, lust after. The English word 'enticed' is translated by the Greek word deleazō meaning to entrap, that is, (figuratively) delude: - allure, beguile, entice. In other words, we human beings (men and women; believers and unbelievers) are drawn away from what is the truth of God into 🤥 lies when we are allured by a longing or physical attraction or desire for sexual intimacy with someone who is not our wife and yielding to these desires can cause serious problems in ones life by making such choices and not seeking the wisdom of God when we are 😔 faced with these scenarios. We see in the sports 🌏 world that the Head Coach of the Boston Celtics has now been suspended for an entire year from his position with the team for having a sexual relationship with a woman also in the Celtic's organization. The Word of God commands us (as believers in Jesus Christ) to yield not to these desires in our flesh and it is not because God wants to keep us from fun, or feelings, or fulfillment, but because He wants to keep us from the often times detrimental, dirty, and damaging consequences of our yielding to temptation. What has played out in the sports media over the last few days that has been extremely damaging to the personal and professional life of the Boston Celtic's 🏀 Basketball Coach was already known and seen by God and it could have been avoided if the Coach would have sought the counsel of God. Everyone of us have made similar choices that have had very bad consequences that could have been averted if we had gone to God for help. This is what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Colossian Church ⛪, "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry." (Colssians 3:5) (KJV) and he also wrote these words to the Thessalonian ⛪ Church, "Finally, my dear friends, since you belong to the Lord Jesus, we beg and urge you to live as we taught you. Then you will please God. You are already living that way, but try even harder. Remember the instructions we gave you as followers of the Lord Jesus. God wants you to be holy, so don't be immoral in matters of sex. Respect and honor your wife. Don't be a slave of your desires or live like people who don't know God. You must not cheat any of the Lord's followers in matters of sex. Remember, we warned you that He punishes everyone who does such things. God didn't choose you to be filthy, but to be pure. So if you don't obey these rules, you are not really disobeying us. You are disobeying God, who gives you His Holy Spirit." (1 Thessalonians 4:1-10) (CEV).

Here is what Matthew Henry had to say of James 1:14-16, "In other scriptures the devil is called the tempter, and other things may sometimes concur to tempt us; but neither the devil nor any other person or thing is to be blamed so as to excuse ourselves; for the true original of evil and temptation is in our own hearts. The combustible matter is in us, though the flame may be blown up by some outward causes. And therefore, if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it, Proverbs 9:12. Observe here, 1. The method of sin in its proceeding. First it draws away, then entices. As holiness consists of two parts - forsaking that which is evil and cleaving to that which is good, so these two things, reversed, are the two parts of sin. The heart is carried from that which is good, and enticed to cleave to that which is evil. It is first by corrupt inclinations, or by lusting after and coveting some sensual or worldly thing, estranged from the life of God, and then by degrees fixed in a course of sin. 2. We may observe hence the power and policy of sin. The word here rendered drawn away signifies a being forcibly haled or compelled. The word translated enticed signifies being wheedled and beguiled by allurements and deceitful representations of things. There is a great deal of violence done to conscience and to the mind by the power of corruption: and there is a great deal of cunning and deceit and flattery in sin to gain us to its interests. The force and power of sin could never prevail, were it not for its cunning and guile. Sinners who perish are wheedled and flattered to their own destruction. And this will justify God for ever in their damnation, that they destroyed themselves. Their sin lies at their own door, and therefore their blood will lie upon their own heads. 3. The success of corruption in the heart (James 1:15): Then, when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin; that is, sin being allowed to excite desires in us, it will soon ripen those desires into consent, and then it is said to have conceived. The sin truly exists, though it be but in embryo. And, when it has grown its full size in the mind, it is then brought forth in actual execution. Stop the beginnings of sin therefore, or else all the evils it produces must be wholly charged upon us. 4. The final issue of sin, and how it ends: Sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. After sin is brought forth in actual commissions, the finishing of it (as Dr. Manton observes) is its being strengthened by frequent acts and settled into a habit. And, when the iniquities of men are thus filled up, death is brought forth. There is a death upon the soul, and death comes upon the body. And, besides death spiritual and temporal, the wages of sin is eternal death too. Let sin therefore be repented of and forsaken, before it be finished. Why will you die, O house of Israel! Ezekiel 33:11. God has no pleasure in your death, as He has no hand in your sin; but both sin and misery are owing to yourselves. Your own hearts' lusts and corruptions are your tempters; and when by degrees they have carried you off from God, and finished the power and dominion of sin in you, then they will prove your destroyers. Do not wander, that is, from the Word of God, and the accounts of Him you have there. Do not stray into erroneous opinions, and go off from the standard of truth, the things which you have received from the Lord Jesus and by the direction of His Spirit. The loose opinions of Sinon, and the Nicolaitans (from whom the Gnostics, a most sensual corrupt set of people, arose afterwards), may perhaps, by the Apostle here, be more especially cautioned against. Those who are disposed to look into these may consult the first book of Irenaeus against heresies. Let corrupt men run into what notions they will, the truth, as it is in Jesus, stands thus: That God is not, cannot be, the author and patronizer of any thing that is evil; but must be acknowledged as the cause and spring of every thing that is good."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…