Trials vs Temptations (James 1:12-17)

So very very thankful to be back with you guys this evening Fortunately, I guess it was just a few weeks ago that I had the privilege to teach on Wednesday night so I think the Duration of time there allows for me to sort of build off of what we talked about a few weeks ago and For those of you who were here if you remember we were in James chapter 1 we looked at verses 1 through 4 So tonight or this evening we'll be looking at verses 12 through 17 so we're gonna Fast forward I guess you'd say in the text just a little bit and I hope and pray my prayer has been that this will really Provide a good summary for that lesson plus this lesson tonight So while you are turning to James chapter 1 Let me just kind of remind you Or provide again a brief or high-level overview Regarding James and the book of James Last time I was up here.

We talked about how the author James is the half-brother of Christ and the brother of Jude We also talked about how James was a quote-unquote late bloomer He was a late bloomer if you will at first rejecting Jesus as Messiah Even though he was his half-brother and you can reference that in John chapter 7 verse 5 However, when you fast forward to first Corinthians chapter 15 We see in verse 7 that James is a part of the brethren that actually witnessed firsthand the resurrected Christ James went on to become the key leader in the Jerusalem church and was often referred to as One of the pillars of that church along with Peter and John and you can reference that in Galatians chapter 2 verse 9 James writes his epistle to Jewish Believers who had been dispersed due to severe persecution if you remember last time I was up here.

We kind of talked about the history of the beginning of the book of Acts and up to chapter 7 when Stephen is Stoned and how that sort of I guess you'd say accelerated this scattering of the early church and so James is writing his epistle to Jewish believers who had been dispersed due to severe persecution and last time I was up here I Quoted John MacArthur. So I'd like to read that quote again John MacArthur Comments about the book of James.

He says it has a practical emphasis Stressing not theoretical knowledge, but godly behavior James wrote with a passionate desire for his readers to be uncompromisingly obedient to the Word of God So before we go any further, I guess maybe a rhetorical question. Are you living your life in a way that would be uncompromisingly obedient to the Word of God So that's just a quick refresher on the book of James So as we continue this evening again, we'll be in James chapter 1 we'll be looking at verses 12 through 17 And I'd like to start with sort of a general question Prior to diving into the text this evening if you were to Google What is the most difficult language to learn in the world?

What do you think that would be? What do you think that would be there are a few that sort of surface and rise to the top Immediately some that rise to the top include Mandarin Chinese Arabic Japanese Icelandic and Vietnamese Those are just some of the ones that rise to the top all that said to say this Professionally I work for a global team and so on calls and and and meetings Often hear from others how difficult English can be To learn as a second language English is really one of the most difficult languages to learn in the world The Oxford Royal Academy says this about the English language One of the reasons why English is known for being difficult is because it's full of contradictions There is no ham in hamburger neither is there any apple nor pine in pineapple if teachers taught Why didn't preachers brought if a vegetarian eats vegetables?

What does a humanitarian eat as? Native speakers we rarely stop to think how Illogical many of the things we say really are we're just sort of used to them So that's the reality right for people that must learn English as a second language It can be very challenging the language is very inconsistent if you will one example of the inconsistency Inconsistencies is a thing called homonyms who in here just show of hands remembers what a homonym is Okay, we have one English teacher there we go there we go so homonyms are words that are spelled the same But they have different meanings right so a couple of examples that came to mind when I was putting this together bark right dogs bark But the outer covering of a tree is also known as a tree bark spelled the same two different meanings Maybe pitcher right maybe you keep your iced tea in a pitcher But then there's also people like Paul Steen's the ace of the national championship LSU baseball team Who is a pitcher and was the number one overall draft pick in the MLB draft this year, so?

So again spelled the same two different meanings See context is very important Context it helps to clarify meaning in these situations So now I know you did not come to church this evening for an English lesson, so why in the world are we in English? Class so here's why When you read the New Testament, I'm sure everyone in here this evening understands this when you read the Bible It is written in English, but originally the New Testament was written in Greek and the Greek language has some of these same Challenges that the English language has for example the Greek language has one word that can mean multiple things kind of like a homonym one example of The Greek word one example of this is the Greek word Perosmos Perosmos Perosmos means or translates to temptation Temptation, but it should be noted that the word has broader Connotations than the English word temptation and can also mean something like trial or test The positive sense test or trial and negative sense temptation are functions of the context Not merely the words themselves So it can mean temptation or it can mean trial.

It's all dependent upon the context So here's an example 1st Corinthians chapter 10 verse 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man But God is faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able but with the temptation will also make the way of Escape that you may be able to bear it so Perosmos Temptation in this context see when used in this verse in this sentence.

It's obvious that Perosmos is Temptation I'd like to give you a definition of temptation temptations are opportunities to choose something other than God Temptations are opportunities to choose something other than God That's what temptation is listen, all temptation is rooted in The lie the lie that something other than God and his will can meet your need meet my need bring us satisfaction satisfy your hearts our hearts Another way the word is used is to reference a trial if you remember last a few weeks ago We looked at James chapter 1 verses 1 through 4 and in verse 2 The same Greek word is used here to reference a trial So James chapter 1 verse 2 my brethren count it all joy when you fall into various trials see the same exact Greek word same exact Word however in this sentence.

He is obviously not talking about temptation He's not talking about choosing to do something outside of God's will if you were here when we looked at that Passage of Scripture you might remember the definition of the word trial trials are the inevitable circumstances that make life hard Trials are the inevitable circumstances that make life hard See we will go through circumstances and Situations in life that we had nothing to do with These are not about choice or choosing or opposing God and his will for our life These are inevitable Unavoidable trials in this Context so understanding this difference. It's all about context. Is it a trial?

Is it a Temptation we must understand context to know how to apply these verses Temptations are designed to lure us away from God Trials are designed to deepen our relationship with God See why context matters So let's look at James chapter 1 verses 12 through 17 James will use the word in both ways in this section of Scripture He's writing to help us understand the difference between These two so I'll be reading from the NA in ASB version James chapter 1 verses 12 through 17 starting in verse 12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial.

I want to stop right here just for one second if you have a King James version You'll notice that the word temptation is used here just like in verse 2 in verse 2 how we just read The verse out of chapter 1 verse 2 where James says my brother and count it all joy when you fall into various trials if you Have a King James version verse 2 and verse 12 will have the word temptation here the new King James version Verse 2 will read trial while verse 12 reads temptation I say all that to say every other I guess you'd say significant translation ESV LSB in ASB in IV HCSB the amplified version in Verse 12 uses the word trial here.

I believe that's the correct translation Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial for once he has been approved He will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him No one is to say when he is tempted I am being tempted by God for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself does not tempt anyone But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust Then when lust has conceived it gives birth to sin and sin when it has run its course brings forth death Do not be deceived my beloved brothers and sisters every good thing Given and every perfect gift is from above coming down from the father of lights with whom there is no variation or shifting Shadow so in this text James use uses the word the Greek word in both ways Let's unpack this text by looking at a few distinct differences between trials and Temptations we must understand the differences here The differences can allow us to experience growth and go deeper in our relationship with God Without understanding the differences here the evil one can use that to manipulate us During a trial or a temptation So here are a few differences first difference God can be the source of our trials But he can never be the source of our temptation God can be the source of our trials, but he can never be the source of our Temptations see God can be the source of trials.

He absolutely causes those things in our life. It's a method of Sanctification or refining if you will but God will never ever Tempt us as Our father look at James chapter 1 verse 13 No one is to say when he is tempted I am being tempted by God for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself does not tempt Anyone God never causes us to be tempted God doesn't tempt us. He never does. It's just not who he is Because of this truth we cannot blame God for temptation and sin While God is and can be the source of our trials.

This is used to deepen our faith grow us in our Christ lightness Remember he gives to us we talked about this a few weeks ago. He gives to us During the trial he doesn't take from us But he is not the source of temptation So if you're like me as I'm preparing this I Want to know who is? Right. So then who is the source of temptation? Where does temptation come from?

All temptation is rooted in the lie that something other than God and his will can meet my needs or satisfy my desires listen when you give in and I give in to temptation what we are saying what we are doing is that we believe in a lie we believe in a Lie we trust a lie more than we trust our heavenly father We believe something other than God we choose to trust something other than God the evil one He is the source of all lies He uses lies to deceive Temptations to distract anything he can do to pull us away from trusting in God and surrendering fully to Jesus I believe that the lies of temptation come from three primary sources.

The first source is your heart your heart Your heart will lie to you Let me say that a different way you will lie to you You will lie to yourself my wife and I have talked about this very recently We had some some friends that are going through a difficult time and we were talking about the friendly advice people give even quote-unquote Christians Will give this sort of friendly advice Something like this follow your heart Trust how your heart is leading you wrong wrong That is not biblically sound advice That is actually horrible advice.

It might look good in a hallmark card It might sound sweet and caring but listen that is horrible advice Following your heart can be deadly Listen, I want to say that again following your heart can be deadly Because your heart will lie to you your heart will tell you that This is what you need this thing. This person is what you need If you just get this one thing or have this one person you will be happy you will be complete you will be satisfied This is the lie of Temptation look at Jeremiah verse chapter 17 verse 9 listen to this verse The heart is deceitful Above catch this all things all things and desperately wicked See the the verse doesn't end with the heart is deceitful above all things it continues and desperately Wicked who can know it?

Listen your heart is the biggest liar in your life It is the biggest liar in your life the biggest one your heart your flesh It's bent because of sin it wants to align with the world because of our sin full nature So so let me ask you a question here if you made a list of things are people you trusted a List of things are people you absolutely trusted Would you put yourself on it? Would you put yourself on it? See I Do okay on a diet I do okay on a diet until the ice cream is right in front of me Would you put yourself on it? Can you absolutely trust yourself?

Nothing other than God and his will is the truth I don't know about you, but I can honestly say this I am in a battle. I am in a battle Every single day. I am battling my heart my heart battles for my attention as I pursue God and his will from my life and as I try and Live out the gospel in the workplace in the community as I try and lead my family I Am in a battle against my heart.

It's a battle church The second source is the world The world will lie to you and what I mean by world here is is the sort of Spiritual system right that the system that is made up of values and morals that oppose God and his word See we live in a world that is very materialistic and secular a very relative culture self Absorbed culture.

It's it's polarized right listen to what John says about the world in first John chapter 2 15 through 17 do not love the world or anything in the world if anyone loves the world Love for the father is not in in them For everything in the world the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes and the pride of life Comes not from the father, but from the world the world and its desires pass away But whoever does the will of God lives? Forever do you see how it's a lie? See what John says specifically in verse 17 The world is passing away all of this Everything is passing away All that is of the world passing away.

It's all a Lie, it's all a mirage if you will it's like sand slipping through your fingers The third source the ultimate source is our enemy Satan Listen to what John says about Satan in chapter 8 verse 44 You belong to your father the devil and you want to carry out your father's desires Listen he was a murderer from the beginning Not holding to the truth for there is no truth in him catch this when he lies He speaks his native language For he is all for he is a liar and the father of all lies See Satan is the ultimate liar church When he lies he is just being who he is He is simply speaking his native language the father of Deception that's him That's him.

Listen every sin in my life in your life is choosing to believe a lie Rather than the truth of God see God would never tempt us God would never Tempt us and the enemy does not want us to know this See the promise in the Bible is that God has not forgotten you He has not overlooked you and because of the son's death and resurrection and by the power of the Holy Spirit God can draw you to himself He is capable of meeting you right where you are in this very moment he desires to meet your every need he wants to fully Satisfy you but listen he absolutely hates sin and He punishes those that choose lies above truth Reception over promises from his word while God is merciful and gracious do not forget that he is just church He has to be it is part of his very nature But so often or maybe it's just me I don't know so often we think that our needs can only be met if Fill in the blank Which we often do with something or someone besides God Just because things are not going your way doesn't mean God has stopped loving you not at all not at all listen, the only way to confront the lie of temptation is with the truth of God, let me say that again.

The only way to confront the lie of temptation is with the truth of God I'd like to read a quote from Clyde Cranford here Clyde Cranford and I'm quoting growth in the Christian life is a process whereby we learn to recognize the lies of Satan expose them to the truth of God and decide whom we will believe Satan or God Only as lies are exposed to the truth of God. Can we begin to walk in the truth and really grow as Christians Do not be Deceived that's what James says in verse 16, right? Do don't be deceived my dearly loved brothers and sisters So that leads to a question. How do we keep from being led astray because we are vulnerable? Right.

If you think back to the lesson a few weeks ago, we are vulnerable especially in the trial Especially when we are coming out of the trial when we are still wounded we are very vulnerable So here's how we keep from being led astray in every moment of temptation We must listen for the still voice of the Holy Spirit speaking truth into our lives to combat the very lie be in the word be in prayer look at what John says in chapter 16 John chapter 16 verse 13 But when he the spirit of truth comes he will guide you into all the truth He will not speak on his own He will speak only what he hears and he will tell you what is yet to come here Here's what that means being tempted is not only an opportunity not to disobey God Right.

Let me let me say that again being tempted is not only an opportunity to not disobey God it's also an opportunity to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit and Experience the victory of hearing him say follow me See this I don't know what it does for you every time I've had an opportunity to preach or teach God preaches the word to me first So I don't know what this does for you But for me what it does is it begins to change the way I fight the fight The second difference God uses trials for our good The enemy uses temptation to accomplish evil God always uses trials for our good the enemy uses temptation for Evil go back to verse 17 with me James chapter 1 verse 17 every good thing given and Every perfect gift is from above coming down from the father of lights with whom there is no creation or shifting shadow That verse tells us three things three things God is good He is the source of all goodness.

Look at how James begins that verse verse 17. What does it say? Every every good thing given and what every Perfect gift is from above It also tells us that because God is our father He only gives us good things Look continuing through verse 17 every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above coming down from who the father of Lights listen even in the trial even in the trial The last thing it tells us every trial has been filtered through God And this is terrible English, so I apologize in advance But it's the only good way I could figure out how to say this figure how to say this He has never been and here you go.

You're gonna you're gonna flag me on this he has never been more good Than he is right now He has never been more good than he is right now and he will never be less good Look at verse 17 every good thing given and every perfect gift It's from above coming from who down from the father of lights, and then what else with whom there is what no? variation no variation He has never been more good than he is right now, and he will never be less good Temptation listen church temptation is exactly the opposite of these truths Exactly the opposite listen you will never experience a temptation that has been designed with your good in mind Never See this should change how we see temptation it should be less tempting knowing that it is not for your good only evil Outcomes look at first Peter chapter 5 verse 8 Be alert and of sober mind your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour Your enemy your enemy he is against us always against us our enemy hates us hates us He is your he is my adversary adversary and Listen he wants to destroy you Destroy you see as I was putting this together I'm gonna be a little graphic here, so I apologize in advance, but Some of you know that our eight-year-old son Samuel He is he is kind of on the borderline of being an avid outdoorsman or potentially a Serial killer I don't know okay.

I'm not sure the jury's out He likes to shoot things It's you know Like the other kids in our house they pick cartoons to watch Samuel picks like hunting shows and how to clean a hog and discovery Channel Documentaries and so anyway so as I'm putting this together I'm I'm I'm praying over and reading verse First Peter verse 5 and 8 I Thought about Samuel and I remember sitting Watching one of those discovery Channel documentaries and it was on lions and These lions are out and they're hunting and they corner not really corner, but they kind of isolate this gazelle right, and they just Get on this gazelle and When I think of devour When when Peter writes that in that verse looking for someone to devour My mind goes to what those lions did to that gazelle see that's what the enemy wants to do to us He literally wants to Rip you apart He wants to rip you apart, so listen do not be deceived The final difference By persevering through trials we experience life By yielding to temptation we experience death Let me say that again by persevering through trials we experience life by yielding to temptation We experience death look at James chapter 1 I'm gonna read verses verse 12, and then I'm gonna read verse 15 verse 12 Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial for once he has been approved He will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who?

Love him see life in that verse life church Look at verse 15 then when lust has conceived It gives birth to sin and sin when it has run its course brings forth death death church Is this Illustration is this picture life verse death remember this church God uses trials to bring life He doesn't take in the trial he gives he gives he gives he gives Even though it's painful even though it's uncomfortable He is giving in the trial on the other hand the temptation brings death the temptation takes and takes and takes it always takes He gives to us during the trial.

He doesn't take from us temptation your heart the world Satan takes always takes Listen there is some incredible work that God wants to do in you in me and our families in this church There are some deep longings that he wants to satisfy But he cannot do this without the trial Even though we would not choose it even though it doesn't feel good we have the opportunity the blessing of choosing joy That's what we talked about a few weeks ago and by going through this with God it represents his goodness And he will use it to bring life to bring life But James says every time we yield to temptation it leads to death death Lot of smart people in this room this evening But listen death is the end of life Don't lose sight of that death is the end of Life what is the very thing we have been promised through our relationship with God life Eternal life with him is the promise temptation death it brings an end to life Listen the enemy cannot take away your salvation He cannot take away your salvation But what he can do is hinder your sensitivity to God's work in your life Your credible credibility your influence for the kingdom He will steal your joy your peace your love your usefulness for the kingdom God will allow the trial But he is never the source of temptation never the source of Temptation whether you are facing trials or temptation listen God's grace is Sufficient you know what you need in the trial you know what you need in the temptation?

Grace you need grace Second Corinthians 12 9 says but he said to me my grace is sufficient for you for my power is made perfect in weakness so in closing Let me read to you this excerpt from Matthew Henry's concise commentary. I think he does a much better job than I do in summarizing sort of these two teachings so I'm gonna read this to you and then we'll pray and I quote Christianity teaches men to be joyful under troubles such exercises are sent from God's love and trials in the way of duty will brighten our graces now and our crown at last Let us take care in times of trial that patience and not passion is set to work in us Whatever is said or done let patients have the saying and the doing of it When the work of patience is complete it will furnish all that is necessary for our Christian race and warfare We should not pray so much for the removal of affliction as For wisdom to make a right use of it