“Let no one 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.” (James 1:13-15)
The Trap Is Set
I had a groundhog living under the shed behind our house. We tried to scare it away, but it was a persistent rodent, and made itself at home. So we set a trap. We borrowed a small metal cage from friends, and set it up near the opening to its lair. The key to trapping a wild animal is using the right kind of bait. It’s not going to wander into that strange and scary contraption if there is nothing to lure it. There has to be something enticing, something that stirs its interest, something that causes the creature to let down its guard. Wild animals are spooked easily, so you have to counteract their instinct for self-preservation. If that pesky groundhog could talk he might tell himself, “I’m not sure what to think about that metal box, but those tomatoes inside sure smell good and that lettuce looks delicious! Maybe I’ll poke my head inside to check it out.” And then “CLANK!” The trap has been sprung. Time to go for a ride, little groundhog.
Temptations Abound
James warns his readers that there are traps that can ensnare us. Temptations abound in this world, so stay vigilant, remain alert, be on your guard. You have to be wiser than the little groundhog who had a chance to run but instead took the bait. Or else, “CLANK!”
There are trials we must face in this world (see James 1:2-4). There are also temptations that will come our way. The believer needs to understand that God never sets us up for a fall, “…for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself does not tempt anyone.” God is on our side. Don’t forget that. He allows adversity, but he is never to blame when we stumble. There is a tempter who seeks to lead people astray (Matt. 4:3; 1 Thess. 3:5). But this is the opposite of God’s work. God is perfectly holy. He hates evil with righteous indignation. During his earthly ministry, Jesus faced temptation because he shared in our humanity, and yet he remained sinless in all his ways. As a man, Jesus could be tempted and therefore he identifies with us. But Jesus would not be carried away by evil, even though the devil threw every trick in the book at him.
Sources of Temptation
God is not the source of our temptation, but he will supply the strength we need to experience victory. Temptation comes from within and from our surroundings. We live in a fallen world, corrupted by sin, in rebellion against the ways of God. Everywhere we turn mankind has set up all kinds of idols in place of our Creator. But we can’t blame the world for our struggles. We are good at getting ourselves into trouble, all on our own. Even though the believer is born again, and has the Spirit of God dwelling in us, we can still be drawn to our old patterns and worldly ways. As fallen people, we can allow temptation to stir the selfish desires within us. The old sinful nature is perpetually bent towards evil, and if we buckle under the pressure we will find ourselves following its allure.
A Dangerous Progression
There is a subtle progression. First, we encounter temptation. “Each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.” At that moment we could cry out to the Lord who will always provide a way of escape ( 1 Cor. 10:13). What if we allow it to linger, instead? We might entertain those thoughts and say to ourselves, “it’s okay to walk to the edge, as long as I don’t cross the line.” This is a dangerous place to be. It’s like the person who stands on the edge of a cliff and tells himself he is fine, because he hasn’t stepped over the edge. But the longer you insist on standing so near to danger, the more likely it is that you will fall over. A wise Christian will listen to the Holy Spirit who is telling us to flee. Run from the snares of this world, and run to God. The foolish person allows temptation to linger, until he is carried away by his own desires. “When lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin and when sin is accomplished it brings forth death.” Those desires, when allowed to control our heart, become actions. Those actions spur us carelessly into sin’s snare. Once the trap has been sprung, we are left with the consequences of our foolish choices.
Finding Strength to Overcome
Let us never forget how destructive sin truly is. The great lie of Satan is that the forbidden fruit will bring satisfaction. It might taste sweet in the moment, but it can only poison our heart. One foolish decision can bring a lifetime of pain. James encourages God’s people to see through the folly of temptation and overcome the devil’s schemes.
We will all face various trials and temptations in life, but let us find strength in the Lord to overcome that we might run the race well, all the way to the finish line, as those who receive the crown of life (James 1:12).