The True Source of Temptation to Sin James 1:14

The True Source of Temptation to Sin
James 1:14

"...but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed."

If God is not the source of our sin temptation then where did it come from?  James reminds us the source of our temptation can be Satan, but often comes from ourselves, ...from our own desires.  As believers we know we have been saved and become new creatures in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17) but we still live in what the Bible calls “the sin nature” (Romans 7:21-25), or “the flesh” (KJV; ASV), meaning as long as we live in a body born to sin we will still battle the desire to sin. 

Let me give you a very simple example to explain the desires stemming from our flesh.  I have often tried to lose weight and eat healthy.  I also enjoy ...really enjoy eating ice cream.  As a matter of fact I just had ice cream last night!  We all know ice cream clashes with weight loss and healthy eating, so I decided to stop eating ice cream.  After a few days without ice cream, something inside my body started crying out for ice cream.  This is called a craving. In my mind I know ice cream is not going to help me reach my healthy goals, but the cravings began to grow and overtake any concept of common sense.  The cravings grew stronger and I began to rationalize saying to myself, "A little bit of ice cream will not hurt me."   All of a sudden I found myself eating ice cream and my goals of healthy eating were "rescheduled" for another time.  Sin, in the same way, causes us to step away from God and choose rationalized, temporary alternatives, to resolve or endure trials.

There are some key phrases we need to understand here in James’ explanation of how we are tempted.  First we are tempted when a person “is dragged away”.  This term is defined as a baited trap that lures you in close to the sin.  What happens when a hungry mouse smells peanut butter on a mouse trap?  The aroma fills his nose and his mouth begins to salivate as he "dragged away" from the safety of his nest toward the danger.  The second term James uses is the word “enticed” which is the second stage of the trap. The mouse comes upon the trap and his mind can’t focus on anything but the food.  He wants it so badly that he is “enticed” to come closer to the trap.  It would be nice to say the mouse still has a chance to change his mind, but the power of the craving has cast all sense of caution to the wind, and the choice has already been made.  Sadly, we are not different from the mouse when it comes to these "evil desires".

We all have forms of desires, or weaknesses within us.  Do you know what your weaknesses are? Internet pornography, alcohol, and drug use have become an increasing craving for many people in today's society.  According to JF Men, a christian ministry website, pornography is a serious problem among both men and women. Consider the statistics below:

The web article also reveals:

• The average American is exposed to over 14,000 sexual images and message each year.
• According to Google, sex and porn are both in the top 6 of most searched terms.
• 43% of addictions start during the teenage years, yet 75% of parents have never discussed pornography with their children.
• 88% of porn scenes include physical aggression & abuse.  This is warping teenager’s minds of sexual intimacy and creating a war zone in the dating world for teenage girls.

Additionally, according to statistics from the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, most teens have turned to other sources to deal with problems in today's society.
 

This does not include other addictive types of activities including video games, sports, food, sexting, and social media, etc.  There are many, many, things drawing us away from the Lord and preventing us from learning through the trials God sends.  People are not maturing and growing in their faith.

Our society is in desperate need of Christian role models and mentors.  Our children need to see adults who reject the cravings of the world and cling to Christ.  They need to see, first hand, believers who have found victory over trials and temptations.  They need to see that prayer works, studying the bible is profitable, and a relationship with God is better than anything this world can offer.   

Can one person change the world?  Many would answer, "No" to the question, but we are asking the wrong question.  The real question is, "Can God change the world?"  And, the answer is a resounding yes.  You and I need to focus on our part, as a servant of God, working in the area of ministry He has placed us in.  Jesus focused his attention on twelve disciples and kept the majority of His travels between Galilee and Judea.  Who has God given you to focus on?  Who are you influencing? 

Chuck Swindoll said this on the question of making a difference in today's society:  

"One person cannot beat the odds. There will always be more to reach than time or energy or commitment can provide. But the truth is that each one of us can touch a few. How wrong we would be to stop helping anyone because we cannot help everyone. Don't panic. Count on the Lord to honor and multiply even your smallest efforts. Last time I checked, He was still rewarding faithfulness" (2015, para. 5-6).

References

JF Men. (n.d.). Pornography | JF Men. Retrieved from https://jfmen.org/pornography/

National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcholism. (2015). Underage drinking. Retrieved from pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/UnderageDrinking/UnderageFact.htm

Swindoll, C. R. (2016, March 26). You can make a difference. Retrieved from http://www.insight.org/resources/daily-devotional/individual/you-can-make-a-difference-1