“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,”

Let no one even dare. And lest we think we are beyond such a statement, let us take note of the way in which we conveniently excuse ourselves for temptations to sin. It doesn’t take much for us to think (and say) that if so-and-so hadn’t said this, I would not have responded in kind. Or if I had received a better night’s rest, I would have handled things differently. Well, no matter the circumstances, the reality remains: God is sovereign over every circumstance, but never to blame for our sin.

“…for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.”

The reason we must be careful not to blame our circumstances or another person and thus, ultimately the Lord, is because to utter such a statement is to betray the reality of who God is. The Lord, though sovereign over temptation, is never the inherent cause of temptation. He is not the tempter by any stretch. To entertain such a notion is to think wrong thoughts about God and thus, distort reality. In doing so, we might help ourselves feel better for the time being, but we do nothing of the sort. For in order to see our situation clearly and thus, to handle it rightly, we are desperate to think clearly about ourselves and the Lord.

“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.”

And when it comes to clarity concerning ourselves, we need to recognize that we are the problem. As this verse makes plain, God is not the cause of temptation…nor are the circumstances He might ordain. No. We are the problem. The sinful inclinations within our own souls are the issue. No matter what our circumstances might be, they are not the cause of our sin, but simply the means though which our sin within is made plain.

No situation or person can ‘make’ us do anything. Nobody can ‘drive us nuts.’ Our problem is within. And the pressure of external circumstances are simply the means by which we see that which is really within.

“Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.”

And lest we think that this battle is trivial, James shows us the end of desires run amuck. Death. Desire unchecked brings forth death. Even good things desired too much brings forth death. Sin is that serious and all-pervasive. If we allow ourselves to point the finger to anyone but ourselves, we by no means do ourselves a favor. Instead, we mask the real issue of unchecked desires within and thus, keep ourselves from really dealing with the thing that leads to death.

So what can we learn? We can learn first to point the finger at ourselves before we ever put it anywhere else. No matter the circumstance, we are our biggest problem. And the sooner that sinks in, the sooner we will be adequately equipped to the fight against sin with the clarity and wisdom that is needed to win. Secondly, we must learn (even though it is not mentioned here) that through Jesus Christ, we have the power to check these desires and to change. We have the power to face up to ourselves and our own sin and to walk the path of life. Sure sin is all-pervasive. But so is the Holy Spirit. And with His strength, we can fight for right thoughts of God, right thoughts of ourselves, right desires, and the joy-filled life that comes from following Jesus Christ.

“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.”

Now James moves forward to set the record straight on the temptation to sin. His focus seems to be how we respond to trials or how we are tempted to react within. This time, however, he takes on what seems to be an ‘over-spiritualization’ of inward temptations–one which somehow credits God for the temptation to sin itself.

The IVP New Testament Commentary on James introduces these verses with the following,

In the very midst of a trial, when I am feeling fear and sorrow and pain, if I am asked by a friend, “What danger or threat is there in your life now, that I may pray for you?” I would probably answer, “Pray for the deadly disease to be healed, or for my financial needs to be met, or for the people to stop doing the things that are injuring me.” In other words, I would think of the chief injury being inflicted by the trial, and my foremost concern would be for the trial to be stopped. Now, in 1:13-18, comes a word of God that requires a radical change in our thinking. The Bible says that the trial itself is not the most seriously life-threatening factor. The greatest danger to me is not the wrong being done to me, but the wrong that may be done by me. The real threat is that when wrong is done to me, I may be tempted to fall into sin myself.

There are other things to be said, but this is primary in importance and one which we are all incredibly slow to learn. When tempted, our tendency is to point the finger outside ourselves, to somehow imagine that if circumstances were different, we would not be guilty of sin. What this means is not that circumstances are not oftentimes very difficult to face, but that whatever the circumstances, sin is sin.

Here James points us to the inward dynamic of temptation, recognizing that our tendency is ultimately to blame God for any inward struggles we may have. For if believe Him to be sovereign over all circumstances and then speak as if the circumstances were to blame for our failure to trust Him and rest in Him and obey Him, then who are we ultimately blaming but the Lord? The answer is plain.

First and foremost we must understand that no person or thing or circumstance can ever cause us to sin. Sin does not work outside in, but inside out. Our problem is within. It’s an issue of the heart….always. It’s an inner problem of desire. So if we sin, we have no one but ourselves ultimately to blame. Circumstances do not force us to sin, but merely reveal the various idols we hold dear to us in our hearts. Each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. This is lesson number one and one that we must continually learn, for our tendency to point the finger at someone else is incredibly great. We are best to realize….really realize deep within our minds and hearts….that, in one sense, our greatest problem is ourselves.

If that can sink down deep into our souls, we will be much more equipped to fight temptation at its root and, in turn, overcome.

The book of Hebrews sets forth the superiority of Jesus Christ. From the beginning of the book, we learn that He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature and therefore, superior to angels, and Moses, and the people of Israel, and the High Priests of the Old Covenant, and Melchizedek, and Abraham, and the Temple, and all the animal sacrifices of the temple.

He is superior to all these things because all these things are mere shadows designed to point to Him. He is the substance of all those Old Testament pictures. The focus of all of human history. All of redemptive history. He is the Living God, through whom we find reconciliation and atonement. It is impossible to become his superior.

In this chapter in particular, we learn that Jesus is superior to all the animal sacrifices under the Old Covenant not simply because He entered into the true Holy Place of Heaven (the presence of God) with the sacrifice of Himself, but that He did so once and then took His seat at the right hand of God the Father. The animal sacrifices under the Old Covenant had to be offered day by day, year by year. Not so with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

“And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” (v. 10-14)

Words such as these are deserving of years of exposition and should stir us to fall to our knees in adoration of the Lamb. Not only that, but they serve to give us a foundation for full assurance, so that we can draw near to God through faith. This is exactly what the writer of Hebrews makes plain in the paragraphs that end this chapter. The implications of Christ’s sacrifice are very practical. They serve to give us confidence and hope right here and now. They serve to change the very foundations of our lives, moving us from a shaking confidence built upon our own performance (or lack thereof) onto the solid rock of Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ was once for all. The way unto the Father has been opened, so that there is no need for us to make atonement for ourselves. Sure, we might be struggling today. No doubt we have failed the Lord in countless ways. Well then, let us praise Him that our identity is not rooted in our own performance, but in the performance of our Savior. In the performance of Him who is not seated at the right hand of God, always interceding for the likes of us.

Note verse 23: “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering…” Why? “….for he who promised is faithful.” And His faithfulness is made plain in the sacrifice of the Son. O how desperate I am to understand the good news of Jesus Christ. Not only to understand it, but to really have it sink down deep into my soul…so that I might see clearly. So that my perspective might be changed. My identity rooted in that which is irrevocable. My confidence and hope resting not upon my own abilities, but upon the full and final sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

O Lord, give us the grace to really know all that is already ours. Help us to understand….to really understand….what Jesus has done.