Tempted by His Own Lust James 1:14

James, “the servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”, told his readers not to “say when” they are “tempted” that they are “tempted of God”. He told them “God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts he any man”. In chapter one and verse fourteen of his letter, James declared “every man is tempted” by their “own lust” where we read:

But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.

The verse begins, “But every man is tempted,...” James began with the word, “But” which is a disassociation conjunction which means what is about to be written takes precedence over what was previously stated, “every man” or “each and any person whether male or female” “is tempted” which means “tried and made trial of for the purpose of ascertaining his quality, what he thinks or how he will behave”. James set up the reason that every person is “tested” with “trials”.

The verse goes on to say, “...when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” James continued, “when he is drawn away” or “lured like as in hunting or fishing for game and allured from the safety of self-restraint to sin” “of his own lust” which means “ one's own and pertaining to and belonging to one's self”, “lust” which means “concupiscence, desire and craving for what is forbidden”“and enticed” or “caught by a bait, entrapped and beguiled by blandishments and deceptions”. The “bait” or “lure” for sinful behavior is “one's own cravings and desires”.

When we meditate upon these words of James, we understand God is not the origin for our “temptations”, we are. Each person has an area or areas where they “crave and desire” that “which is forbidden”. When we allow those “cravings” and “lusts” to fully develop, we are lured into sinful behavior. Jesus Christ came not only to “forgive us” for our sins, but also to “cleanse us from all unrighteousness”. (1 John 1:9) Our part is to “confess” our sins, and we should begin by knowing and admitting our “own lusts”. May the Lord lead us to obey Him and turn from our sinful desires.

Next time James declares how “conceived lust” “brings forth sin”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.