Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
James 1:13-15
Adam did something interesting when he sinned: he blamed Eve and God (Genesis 3:12-13).* It’s easy to blame God when we sin, or even when difficult things happen in life, especially if we don’t understand them. When innocent people die, purity is stolen, sickness takes down the kind-hearted, or injustice seems to reign, we can feel the temptation to blame God.*
Temptation and testing are closely related, but they are not synonymous.* Temptation will come in times of testing because times of testing challenge us.* We may experience a trial in terms of testing, which leads us to perseverance and maturity. Conversely, we may experience the same trial as a temptation, which leads us to sin and death. James warns against the second option.*
In reality, as difficult as life is, and though at times God tests us, the temptation to blame Him for the sin in this world is even more dangerous than the trial itself.* Blaming God is a sin as He does not tempt.* God cannot be tempted and does not tempt others. He is as far removed from temptation as anyone can be.*
Temptation, according to James, comes when we are lured and enticed by our own desire.* Our issue, therefore, is not with God, or even the enemy (though he plays an active role in offering temptation), but our issue is within ourselves.* Our sin-nature cannot be cured without Christ.
In times of pain and lack of understanding, we can fall into blaming the very One who made a way through temptation; we blame the One who made a way to live through the Spirit rather than through the flesh.
In these verses, God, being for us and desiring to help us to run from temptation, gives us the five steps toward death:
Step 1: temptation*
Step 2: sin conceived*
Step 3: sin given birth to*
Step 4: sin maturing*
Step 5: death*
God doesn’t tempt because His goal for testing is not to lead us on a path to death, but to life.
Life is difficult, trials come, and so does testing. God is here for you.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to remember that God is for you. Perhaps God wants you to change the way you think your trial. Maybe today God wants you to run from temptation. Perhaps today God wants you to take a minute to talk to Him about where you might be (Steps 1-5), and let Him lead you through an exit strategy to get out of the path of temptation.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
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*Blomberg, C. L., & Kamell, M. J. (2008). James (Vol. 16, pp. 70–72). Zondervan.
Guthrie, G. H. (2006). James. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Hebrews–Revelation (Revised Edition) (Vol. 13, pp. 221–223). Zondervan.
Stulac, G. M. (1993). James (Jas 1:13–18). IVP Academic.
Moo, D. J. (2021). The Letter of James (D. A. Carson, Ed.; Second Edition, pp. 95–100). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Nystrom, D. P. (1997). James (pp. 72–75). Zondervan Publishing House.