When We Are Tempted

by Micky Galloway

James writes, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God; for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempteth no man: but each man is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own lust, and enticed. Then the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin: and the sin, when it is fullgrown, bringeth forth death” (James 1:13-15).

Temptation is not the sin, but yielding to temptation is sinful. Does this mean that we do not commit sin in our hearts? No! We most certainly can sin in our hearts without any overt action! Jesus spoke of the man who looked after a woman to lust after her, that he has committed adultery with her already “in his heart” (Matthew 5:28). There is nothing innocent about this man. This man is not just one who happens to see a person of the opposite sex and admires her beauty. He is one who is “looking,” gazing, staring at a woman with the attitude; if I had opportunity to have her I would. The seventh commandment, “Thou shalt not commit adultery” must be explained in the light of the tenth commandment, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife” (Exodus 20:17; Deuteronomy 5:18). Then it becomes abundantly clear that “out of the heart come forth evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, railings …” (Matthew 15:18-19). Yes, Jesus spoke of sin originating in the heart. We are commanded, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; For out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23). Paul commanded, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honorable, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things” (Philippians 4:8). It does not take overt action to be guilty of sin! There must therefore, be some way to reconcile how one may be tempted, yet not yield to sin. Jesus was tempted, but did not sin (Matthew 4: 1-11; II Corinthians 5:21). Clearly, He “hath been in all points tempted like as (we are, yet) without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

Consider that James says one is tempted when (a) he is drawn away (b) by his own lusts and (c) enticed. James uses hunting and fishing language in this description. Desire, seeking satisfaction, prompts to sin; and the individual is caught, trapped, ensnared, or as we sometimes say, he has swallowed the bait, hook, line and sinker. Indeed, he is hooked! Forbidden pleasures must be excluded from our lives, lest we be caught in Satan's snare (See how the adulterous woman of Proverbs 7 tempted the young foolish man). Just as a fisherman uses the most attractive bait to induce the fish to strike, so Satan tempts us by means of those things which are to us most desirable.

It is interesting to note, that desire must first draw away before there is enticement. The fish is safe as he remains under the rock or in the brush, but when he leaves the safety of his protection, he is vulnerable. This is why we must ALL be careful little eyes what we see, be careful little hands what we do, and be careful little feet where we go, lest we be drawn away and make ourselves vulnerable to sin. Jesus in Matthew 5:29-30 describes how we are to avoid committing sin. “And if thy right eye causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body be cast into hell. And if thy right hand causeth thee to stumble, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not thy whole body go into hell.” Jesus said in a similar passage, “Woe unto the world because of occasions of stumbling! for it must needs be that the occasions come; but woe to that man through whom the occasion cometh!” (cf Matthew 18:7-9). We learn therefore, that the eye and the hand that lead a person into sin symbolize and represent “occasions of stumbling,” or enticements to do wrong. No, we are not to literally cut off our hand or pluck out our eye, but we are to take drastic action in getting rid of whatever will tempt you into sin. That is what it means to “Keep thy heart with all diligence.”

James also notes, “Then the lust, when it hath conceived, beareth sin.” “Lust” is evil desire and when it is united with a yielding will, a conception has occurred. The horrible offspring is sin. James does not affirm that sin springs into life at the moment desire was experienced. Here is where the difficulty occurs. Sometimes fleeting desires, improper thoughts and maybe even questionable ideas come into our mind. These may appear unwanted, unwelcomed and without warning. We must then, at that moment exclude them, controlling our thoughts to bring them into captivity (II Corinthians 10:5). Never allow ourselves to dwell on them.

Someone has suggested that the steps of sin are: (1) temptation begins when one is drawn away from the course of right; (2) that which prompts one to move away from the position of safety and into an area where danger exists is the enticement which Satan dangles; (3) the lust which influences one conceives in the union between the evil desire and the submission of the will to Satan; (4) sin is born; (5) this sin grows to full stature; (6) its consummation is spiritual death.

We must never flirt with sin! It is a very destructive force. In fact, it must be “put to death” (Colossians 3:5). Temptation must be flung aside immediately and decisively. Halfway measures will not work. The surgery must be radical. Right at this very moment and without any hesitation the obscene book should be burned, the scandalous picture destroyed, the computer unplugged and the internet disconnected, the soul-destroying film condemned, the intimate social tie broken, and the deadly habit discarded. He who dwells upon evil, nourishes it in his heart and allows it to settle down in permanent abode, will eventually yield to his desires and translate them into action. In the battle against sin, the believer must fight hard! It will not be easy. Paul said, “I therefore so run, as not uncertainly; so fight I, as not beating the air: but I buffet my body, and bring it into bondage: lest by any means, after that I have preached to others, I myself should be rejected” (I Corinthians 9:26-27).

Sin does not begin with normal desire. It is when this desire gets out of bounds (lusts), continues unrestrained (evil thoughts not brought to captivity), and begs for satisfaction, that sin has begun in the heart of the individual (Matthew 15:18-19). It will press its possessor into a course of action the design of which is to secure satisfaction. Now we have progressed to the “overt” practice of the sin. The end of which is spiritual death (Romans 6:23). Let us take comfort in the promise of God, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as man can bear: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation make also the way of escape, that ye may be able to endure it” (I Corinthians 10:13). Let us prepare ourselves to seek the way of escape for indeed Satan is a formidable foe.