|
|
|
- Preaching the Living WORD through the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4:2
- |
|
|
|
THE IMPETUS
BEHIND TEMPTATION AND SIN (James 1:13-15) 9-26-12 Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. GOD IS NOT RESPONSIBLE
FOR MAN’S TEMPTATION AND SIN A. God Tempts No One (13) 1. Again,
one might think that James has injected a different subject altogether.
However, determining where “temptation” (peirasmo,s - same word as vs. 2 translated
“trials” (positively), but here in vs. 13 “temptation” (negatively) comes from and who is responsible for giving into
it is an extremely important question to answer. James continues to deal with
the subject of temptation and the agent and impetus behind it. 2. No matter what man’s ideas are, there are
certain notions about God that are absolutely incorrect. Therefore James
emphatically begins with “no one” (mêdei,s - no one or nothing) can say that temptation comes from (“by” - apo,
sometimes source or origin, i.e. “from”) God. 3. The implication is that some had been
tempted and quite possibly succumbed to it, and claimed that if God is
sovereign in all things, He is ultimately responsible for their fall (cp. Pro
19:3). 4. James gives two major reasons that reject
such a theory: 1) “God cannot be tempted by evil” (God’s holy
impeccability) and 2) “He Himself does not tempt anyone” (God’s holy
intentions). a) God’s
holy impeccability means that God’s nature is so completely holy and so
completely absent from sin that He cannot even be tempted to sin. God’s
impeccability is in connection with His holiness (Heb. qadosh - lit. “cut”
or “separate”) which means that God is separated from all that is sinful
and unholy (cp. Hab 1:13; Job 34:10 cp. Exo 26:33; Lev 16:16-17). b) God’s holy intentions fall under the
category of His holiness. Because He cannot sin, “He Himself” (emphatic
use of auto,s) cannot directly cause anyone to sin. God is
neither the primary agent in temptation nor is it His ultimate purpose for
anyone to sin. 5. Therefore
when individuals claim that they have been tempted by God and subsequently
sin, they are contradicting the very holy and impeccable nature of God. We
can deduce that God tests but does not tempt, and that any contrary ideas
must be ruled out of the believer’s thinking. B. The Directive and
Permissive Will of God 1. There
are still a few questions that have to be answered such as, “If God is
separate from sin, and God is sovereign and all powerful, how can He not be
responsible for temptation and sin?” 2. In God’s sovereign will, there are two
aspects” 1) His Directive Will and 2) His Permissive Will. a) God’s
Directive Will (sometimes called Prescriptive or Perfect will) means that God
directed (or decreed) certain things to come to pass or not come to pass of
which no one or nothing can thwart Him (creation, control, events, salvation
etc.) (Isa 46:10; Psa 103:19; 115:3; 135:6). b) God’s Permissive Will means that God
sovereignly allows certain things to come to pass that would be against His
nature, originating from another agent(s). However, God determines the
exercise and extent of these things and includes them in His sovereign
purposes (Satan, temptation, sin etc.) (Exo 7:3 cp.
Exo 8:15; Pro 16:4; Rom 9:22; Gen 50:20; Rom 8:28; 9:22-23). 3. Temptation
fits within the scope of God’s Permissive Will. A believer may be tempted but
God is not the agent of the temptation. A believer may be tempted but it is
not God’s will for that a believer succumb to temptation. God has provided
all things for a believer not to succumb (2Pe 1:3) including a way out (1Co
10:13). If a believer or any created being succumbs to temptation and sins,
God is not morally responsible, they are. 4. In fact, James proceeds to teach that it
is because of man’s sinful nature that he is tempted and if he succumbs, man
is fully responsible. 5. To blame God for temptation and sin is to
deny God’s holy nature and deny man’s personal responsibility. C. Man is Tempted By His Own
Sinful Nature (14) 1. Sin
originated in the heart of Satan (who was created blameless Eze 28:14-15)
when he rebelled against God (Eze 28:16-19; Isa 14:12-14). A third of the
angels chose to follow Satan and sinned (2Pe 2:4; Rev 12:4; Mat 12:24-26).
Satan tempted Adam and Eve and they sinned (Gen 3:1-6). Sin and a sinful
nature came upon all mankind (Eph 2:3; Rom 5:12). 2. James explains where temptation comes
from and how it works. “Each” (he,kastos)
person is responsible for their own sin when tempted. Each person sins
because they have a sin nature. Jam 1:14 literally reads, “but each one is
tempted by his own lust.” “Lust” is the Greek word epithumi,a and
means impulses or desires. Man’s sinful nature produces these sinful impulses
and desires. 3. It is man’s sinful impulses and desires
by which he is “carried away” (exe,lkō - “drag out” or drag away, draw away, carry
away, cp. Jam 2:6) and “enticed” (delea,zō - lit. “bait” i.e. fish, lure, allure). Man is beckoned by, baited by, allured by, and
dragged away by his own sinful nature when confronted by temptation. Though
Satan, the world, or people may bring a temptation, it is man’s own sinful
flesh which finally betrays him. 4. Christ was tempted by the Devil but did
not give into temptation or sin (Mat 4:1; Heb 4:15). Christ did not give into
temptation or to sin because He did not have a sinful nature, because He was
righteous, because He was obedient to God, because He embraced the Word of
God, and because He possessed the divine attribute of holy impeccability (i.e
“Christ was not able to sin,” though some hold to the peccability of Christ,
“Christ was able not to sin.”). D. Man’s Sinful Nature Brings
Sin and Sin Brings Death (15) 1. James
instructs that “when lust has conceived it gives birth to sin.” The
word for “conceive” is sullamba,nō and
means to “take with” or “catch hold of.” It is used of a trap that seizes
shut upon its prey. It is also used of conception inside the womb. 2. Temptation, in and of itself (as in the
case of Christ), does not constitute sin. What constitutes sin is when a
person’s will is joined with their sinful impulses and desires (inwardly or
outwardly). 3. This union “gives birth” (ti,ktō - give birth or bring forth) to sin. Sin (hamarti,a - “miss the mark”) is anything that violates or fails to meet God’s
righteous Law or righteous nature (Rom 3:23). Note that Man is not a sinner
because he sins; rather he sins because he is a sinner (sinful nature). 4. When sin has run its course or is
“accomplished” (apotele,ō - bring to end or completion) it brings forth death. “Death” (tha,natos - death)
refers to both physical (Joh 11:3) and spiritual death (Joh 5:24; Rom 1:32). II. OBSERVATIONS AND
APPLICATIONS A. God is not responsible for
our temptations or our sin. When God allows temptations, it is with the
purpose that we respond righteously, obediently, and victoriously like
Christ, our example. If we sin, we do so out of our own volition and in
accordance with our sinful nature and full knowledge. B. The sad reality for the believer is that
the enemy (sin nature) is still within the believer and he continues to
struggle until he goes to heaven (Rom 7:18-21; 1Jo 3:2). However, the
believer has positional forgiveness (Eph 1:7) and conditional forgiveness
(1Jo 1:9). Furthermore, the believer has been given a new nature and the Holy
Spirit with which to gain victory over sin in this life (Rom 6:1-4; 8:4). |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
