Lust, Sin, Death -- L.S.D.
James 1:14,15
James 1:14,15, But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. {15} Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
I. This book is written to the twelve tribes scattered abroad.
A. These twelve tribes are God's children.
B. This letter can be applied to all of God's children, (saved people) even though they are not Jews.
1. Lust, in the heart of a saved person, can bring him to death.
2. Just because you are saved doesn't mean you have it made.
3. Satan knows he can't get your eternal life, so he is working very hard to rob you of your life.
II. Verse 14: Does Satan tempt us, or does our temptations come from within us? Temptations come both from Satan, and from within us.
A. Satan's job is to cause us to be tempted and fall.
1. Gen. 3:1 - Satan deceived the woman, she deceived Adam and the whole human race fell into sin.
2. I Chron. 21:1 - Satan caused David to number Israel.
3. Matt. 4:3 - Satan tempted Christ.
4. Satan has an advantage of us if:
a. II Cor. 2:11 - we don't know his devices. We learn about his devices from the Bible.
b. II Cor. 11:3 - Satan is trying to corrupt our minds from the simplicity of Christ.
B. Some temptations Satan gives us:
1. The love of fertile fields:
a. Gen. 13:10 - Lot looked toward Sodom and Gomorrah.
b. Luke 12:20 - The rich farmers life would be required that night, then who would own his riches?
2. An unnatural appetite.
a. Gen. 25:29 - Esau and pottage.
b. Eccl. 6:7 - All the labour of man is for his mouth, and yet the appetite is not filled.
3. Silver and gold.
a. Joshua 7:21 - Achan saw, coveted, and took. This cost him, and his family, their lives.
b. Acts 3:6 - Peter and John had no silver and gold, but gave the gift of health to an ailing man. Health is more precious than silver or gold.
c. Acts 5:2 - Ananias and Sapphira preferred silver and gold above the truth and died as a result.
d. Rev. 3:14-22 - The church at Laodicea thought they were "...rich and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:"
4. Women.
a. II Kings 11:4 - King Solomon. He lost the kingdom because of this.
b. II Sam. 11 - David with Bathsheba. His life as king was changed and his family now began to fight him.
5. Men.
a. Gen. 39 - The wife of Potiphar desired to lay with Joseph.
b. Judges 16:4,14,15 - Samson loved Delilah, but she didn't love him, but no doubt committed adultery with him in order to find out the secret of his great strength. She collected money from the lords of the Philistines because of this.
c. II Kings 9:30 - Jezebel painted her face, and tired her head and looked out at Jehu, trying to seduce him for her own gain. The plot failed, and Jehu gave the command to cast her out the window and she died.
III. The duty of resisting.
A. Prov. 1:10 - My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.
B. Prov. 4:14 - Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.
C. Rom. 6:12-16 - Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies.
D. Eph. 6:13 - Take the whole armor of God.
E. II Peter 3:17 - Take heed, lest we fall from our own stedfastness.
IV. Encouragement not to fall into temptation.
A. I Cor. 10:13 - Common temptation - All the temptations that come upon us have already come upon other people. If they have overcome, so can we - by the grace of God.
B. Heb. 2:18 - Christ was tempted and understands what we are going through. He is able to give us help in all temptations.
C. II Peter 2:9 - The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptation, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.
D. James 1:2,3 - Be joyful when we fall into divers (many) temptations, knowing that God is working in us for His glory and our good.
E. James 1:12 - If we endure temptations, we shall receive a crown of life.
F. Rev. 3:11 - Let no man take thy crown. (This, of course, is done by the grace of God working in our lives, not by our own works.)
Verse 16: Do not err, my beloved brethren.
I don't know if verse 16 applies to verse 14,15 or 16-18, but it seems very appropriate to apply the verse to both verses 14,15 and verses 16-18. If we err concerning temptations we will fall from our own stedfastness. If we err concerning the goodness of God, we will be unable to see how good God is to us, therefore, we will become discouraged and fall from our own stedfastness.