“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed…”
—James 1:14
Greetings, Friends!
Remember a time you were challenged to do something (you wanted to do for a while), but you knew it was not good … yet it was still the very thing you wanted to do? Well, you were tempted to be drawn away of your own lust. You were enticed to be caught off guard and entrapped by the bait also known as the desire to do what was forbidden.
The Objective—
Draw you away from the admonition to strive to do the right thing; dangle the carrot of ‘do the wrong thing’ in front of you; spark the lust to commit sin without concern of shame; ignite the charmed flame to finish what is against your belief and faith in God—to cross the line.
The Response—
Temptations will continue until we die or the rapture—the difference is the response—to endure or succumb. How well do you respond to the natural desires in your own flesh to do what is contrary to the word and will of God you have learned? Please be mindful that, it will determine whether you abort the irregular excited desire to sin, or you will finish the sin to achieve its natural purpose—DEATH!!! Know yourself and your limits. DON’T CROSS THE LINE!
Do you refuse to allow sin to reign in your mortal body? It will be proven by how long you endure temptations. Are you renewed in the spirit of your mind? It is confirmed by your faith, not your sight. Do you love God greater than sin your mortal body craves to indulge? Or, do you blow off the warnings God sends across His pulpit? If you think … what’s the harm in a little sin? …. KNOW THAT IT IS DEATH!!! 😡
Sin or Obedience—
Folks, a little sin is the same as “a little leaven that leaveneth the whole lump.” (Galatians 5:6). The word ‘leaven’ refers to the pernicious influences of our flesh; it is a precept to “one sinner destroyeth much good” (Ecclesiastes 9:18); and “evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Corinthians 15:33). The escape from the drawn away experience is obedience to the truth, i.e., to obey God’s word.
Obedience is the fruit of God’s word by virtue of discipline, conformity, submission:
- His word teaches us to fight the good fight of faith (but it cannot be done disobediently);
- to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts (but the disobedient cannot live soberly, righteously, and godly);
- not to let sin reign in our mortal body (but we will not accomplish it if naughty);
- to keep under our body, and bring it into subjection (but cannot be executed if we refuse to obey);
- to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God (but will not come close to proficiency without meekness);
- to make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof (but will fail time after time without godly conformability);
- etc.
(1 Timothy 6:12; Romans 6:12; 1 Corinthians 9:27; 2 Corinthians 10:5; Romans 13:14).
Key Definitions—
The word ‘tempted’ in our focal verse (according to Strong’s) means, to test, endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline. This word comes with many pressure points and temperature adjustments. For we are new creatures in Christ and the tests increases in pressure as we grow and mature in Him.
The ‘tests’ draws the same concept with children as they age—the responsible levels of maturity increase and the tolerance levels decrease … children are chastened and rebuked for their errors and immortalities as they age. You would not expect a matured 21 year old to live as an immatured 12 year old.
In the church, the same concept applies to our walk in the Lord. As we grow in Him … the more the Lord requires of us; the more we suffer for His name sake; and for some of us, the more our focus will be to “…know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death…” (Philippians 3:10).
Today, many in the church are not mature in the Lord though they are numbered in the congregation for years. It may be their failure in discipleship; or neglect to obey those who rule over them by mandate of God; or they may be under a pastor either not appointed by the Lord, or walks disobediently, or have fallen away by seduction and deceit.
The next word from our focal verse to define is the phrase ‘drawn away’ … it means, to drag forth, i.e., (figuratively) to entice (to sin).
According to Barnes’ Notes—
The fountain or source of all temptation is in mankind. It is true that external inducements to sin are placed before one, but they have no force if there is not something in them to correspond, and over which they might have power.
There must be some lust; some desire; some inclination; something which is unsatisfied now, which is made the foundation of the temptation, and which gives it all its power.
- If there was no capacity to receive food, or any desire for it, objects placed before us to appeal to the appetite could never be made a source of temptation.
- If there were nothing in the soul regarded as the love to acquire or possess, gold would furnish no temptation.
- If there were no sensual propensities, we would be above the power of temptation.
In each case, and in every form, the power of temptation is laid in some propensity of our old nature….
~End reference
Tempted by Malice—
When you are tested maliciously by someone who intends to do you harm, you are tempted. When you must prove your own self and take a stand against your own feelings to obey God’s judgments, you are tempted.
Remember to hold fast to your faith in the Lord and do not by any means allow sin to reign in your mortal body to obey it in the lusts thereof….
Drawing Power—
What actually draws a person away of their own lusts is to be ‘tempted’ and to fall for it—not only by intent but by failure to prove one’s faith. That’s right, folks! Again, be reminded, our faith is tested daily (and continuously) by our old nature, our own intellect, objects or images, other people, and of course the devil—to entice us to conceive and finish the sin we especially and ‘naturally’ lust after.
It is done in the same light as the beginning when Eve looked at the tree in the midst of the garden differently for the first time after the serpent said “…Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” (Genesis 3:4-5). Many in the church world fall for the same okey-doke as Eve was first to be drawn away of her own lust to eat of the tree in the midst of the garden AND to die after she ate of it as God said.
Friends! It might sound good on the surface to ‘be as gods to know good and evil’ but in the depth of truth there is death (i.e., separation from God in the spirit, first). According to the passage in Genesis 3:5, the word ‘gods’ refers to Lucifer demoted to Satan; an host of angels demoted to devils; and all were cast out of heaven with a bang. Many devils are in chains of darkness until the day of judgment and the others roam the earth to seek whom they may devour. That doesn’t sound good, huh? Well, it isn’t! But what is good? Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with God (Micah 6:8). In other words, don’t cross the line!
Friends! It was the subtle nature of the serpent (motivated by the devil, and his cronies) to withhold truth so his prey might fall into the (‘gods knowing good and evil’) trap that led (and leads) to eternal judgment.
That’s right, the sinner will also ‘be as gods knowing good and evil’ like the serpent said to Eve if they cross the line, which caused them (the devils) to be separated from the presence of the Lord for ever … Not good! Don’t cross the line!!!
The serpent was rewarded for his subtle act—the Lord took away his legs … “And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life…”
—Genesis 3:14
Obey God’s word—you will live AND be with Him forever.
Don’t Cross God’s Line—
Please, folks! Don’t take a chance with your life to cross God’s line. Even though we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and we can confess our sins … He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness—don’t cross the line of God’s word, faithfulness, and mercy. Why? Because those who sin willfully (will eventually) have no more sacrifice for sin AND those who live presumptuously will not be prayed for by God’s leadership … He will not give ear to their cry.
Consider these critical references:
- (1 John 5:16) If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it.
- (Hebrews 10:26-27) For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
- (Jeremiah 7:16) Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.
- (Jeremiah 11:14) Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.
- (Jeremiah 14:11-12) Then said the LORD unto me, Pray not for this people for their good. When they fast, I will not hear their cry; and when they offer burnt offering and an oblation, I will not accept them: but I will consume them by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence.
Don’t cross the line, folks! Stay safe on the Lord’s side where there is eternal life and peace.
In Christ We Do Remain
Click to visit my Facebook Page