Friday, August 16, 2019

James the Just - Part 5 - The Downward Spiral of Sin

Monday, August 19, 2019

God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation.  Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.  And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.”  God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else.   James 1:12-13

Temptation is the seed of sin, and Satan plants it.  We cannot control the thoughts that enter our minds.  However, as Martin Luther pointed out, though we cannot prevent the birds from circling over us, we can stop them from nesting in our hair!  Satan may plant the seed as a temptation; growing it to a bumper crop is our fault!
THE DIRECTION TEMPTATION TAKES TO BECOME SIN       
There are dozens of examples in the Bible of this pathway – however, David’s sin with Bathsheba is striking.  Let’s use that as our roadmap to compare it with what James is teaching us about the way sin defeats believers.
Desire (James 1:14)
Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 
David (2 Samuel 11) saw Bathsheba, a very beautiful, but married woman.  God created desire in us; it’s necessary that we be interested in the opposite sex if our species is to continue.  However, just like fire, which is a good thing – if you handle it in a way God didn’t intend, you will suffer the consequences.  Someone once said that lust is what develops with the second look.  First is desire, then…
Decision  (James 1:15a)  
These desires give birth to sinful actions.
Once the decision is made in the heart to abandon what is known to be right (that which is approved by God), the line is crossed between Satan’s work, and our receiving sin into our lives.  David saw Bathsheba, and it was only a temptation.  The minute he began inquiring about her, wanting her, (knowing she was married, and therefore outside of God’s approval), the desire was intensified to lust.  There is a play on words in this verse and verse 13 – desires is like the cravings of a pregnant woman.  They are exceedingly strong, as any husband and father who has ever made a 2am trip to WalMart for pickles can tell you!  A woman great with child can exert great control over a man of average intelligence and reasoning.  It is that way with our God-given desires.  If Satan places a temptation before you – something outside of God’s approval – and when you stay, lingering, wondering, the lure has a hook attached, and you are very close to being reeled-in!  The hand’s disobedience is only a thought removed from the heart’s disobeying!  Desire, Decision, then…
Disobedience (sinful actions)  
The word in this text for giving birth is actually a military word; it means take prisoner.  The long look created lust; the lust carries you away and you are its prisoner!  Satan’s work is successful.  He handed off the temptation, you accepted it, and are now running down the field.
Annie was our American Pit bulldog/lab mix.  She was only about 65 pounds, but when the bulldog mentality in her took over, she had the strength of Samson!  Our daughter Carrie and her husband Shannon had a young Rottweiler named Magnum who outweighed Annie by a ton and a half.  Once when Elizabeth and I stayed at their apartment to dog-sit, I was told to walk the dogs.  Just like an unsuspecting child, I accepted the leash from that temptress I’ve lived with for over 50 years.  Bulldog and bad-dog in tow, I never saw the lady coming, the one with the two Huskies, the ones Annie really didn’t like!  Magnum decided to join Annie’s attitude, and when they took off after them I was dragged along like a sack of dirty laundry.  I couldn’t have held them back with a brigade of Storm Troopers.  Now, the analogy is clear.  The leash was offered to me, and I accepted it.  But once I had the leash it was mine; or so I thought!  Sin is always like that.  You start off thinking, Man, this is great, I willthen, the hook sets, and you get dragged along; you get reeled in, scaled and cooked!  Desire, Decision, Disobedience, and…
Death!  James 1:15b   
And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. 
It’s the payoff!  The payoff for King David’s sexual affair was the blowing-apart of his family and the kingdom God entrusted to his leadership erupted in civil war.  The leash led him to places he never intended to go!  And we don’t have a leg to stand on either.  The Devil SUGGESTS sin; he cannot MAKE us sin; that is our choice.
For You Today
James has the last word: 

Sin grows up to adulthood, and becomes a real killer.  James 1:14-15(TMNT)

You chew on that as you hit the Rocky Road; have a blessed day.

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[1] Title Image:  Courtesy of  Wikimedia Commons
                          Unless otherwise noted, Scripture used from The New Living Translation©

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