The Anatomy of Sins Seduction ~ James 1:13-15

March 20, 2016 ~ New City Church of Calgary ~ Pastor John Ferguson
Illus: Miranda catching the same fish a dozen times. Why? Because that fish found enticing about the bait.
When it comes to the choices we make in life, the same principle applies. We choose according to our strongest desires. Thats good, especially when our choices are good. But what about when our choices are bad?
Question: Why do we sometimes think, say, & do bad things?
Bertrand Russell, It is in our hearts that the evil lies, and it is from our hearts that it must be plucked.
For an atheist, thats pretty close to a biblical view of things. And for anyone who is a follower of Christ, or is
interested in what it means to be a follower of Christ, you have to take this reality seriously. Its not enough to
pluck the evil within us, we must kill it.
The NT describes sin as an enemy that dwells within; its the gravitational pull of the power of indwelling sin
that makes us sometimes think, say, & do the wrong things.
If Jesus died for our sins, then that means he died for the things we think, say, & do. So if indeed Jesus died
for our sins, we want to take seriously this power at work within us, and the call to put sin to death in our lives.
The Anatomy of Sins Seduction ~ James 1:13-15
Context: James has been speaking about trials, and the call to see trials as opportunities to grow.

James says, Your faith is being tested like gold being purified. God is developing endurance in your life and
hes aiming at spiritual maturity.

But every trial can also be a temptation.

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted by
evil, and he himself tempts no one.
1. The source of temptation is not God.
(1) We want to blame God for our circumstances

Gen. 1:12, The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree.

Illus: If God didnt want me to cheat on my spouse, then he shouldnt have made me to want to
have sex with as many people as possible.

Illus: Well God should give me more money if he doesnt want me cheating on my taxes.

(2) We activate our inner lawyer and even accuse God.

2. The source of temptation cannot be God.

(1) God cannot be tempted with evil The Greek reads literally, God is unable to be tempted.

Habakkuk 1:13 (NIV), Your eyes are too pure to look on evil; you cannot tolerate wrong.

Psalm 5:4, For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you.

(2) and he himself tempts no one.

Page 1 of 3

 Jeremiah 32:35, They built high places of Baal in the valley of the Son of Hinnom, to oer up their
sons and daughter to Molech, though I did not command them, nor did it enter my mind, that they
should do this abomination.

1 Corinthians 10:13, No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is
faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will
also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.

Summary: To err is human; to blame it on the divine is even more human. We must never saynor must
it ever enter our mindthat God tempts us to evil.

Question: But why are we tempted to evil?

14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.
1. We find sin seductive / attractive. Just like the fish who finds the bait enticing, so too we bite into
temptation because we find it enticing.
(1) Illus: Woody Allen, The heart wants what the heart wants.

But why does the heart want temptation? Why does the heart want sin? Why doesnt the heart want
God?

(2) Paul David Tripp, People, locations, situations, dont cause me to sin; theyre where the sin of my
heart gets revealed. Sin is a matter of the heart before it is ever an issue of behaviour. This means
that your and my biggest problem in life exists inside us and not outside us. Its the evil inside me that
connects me to the evil outside me. So I must confess that I am my biggest problem.

(3) I Timothy 1:15 (NLT), This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: Christ Jesus came
into the world to save sinners and I am the worst of them all.

(4) Why would I ever admit that I am my biggest problem? Why would I ever admit that my heart is evil?
Because until you do that, you cant get excited about Jesus and his grace.

2. Jesus never sinned because he never found sin attractive.

Hebrews 4:14, Since then we have a great hight priest, who has passed through the heavens, Jesus,
the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who was tempted as we are, yet without sin.

Cf. his temptation in the wilderness by the Evil One himself; Jesus never entertained sin for a moment,
but trusted in the Word of the Lord by quoting Scripture. He proved himself to be the one who could
stand in the place of sinners and take their evil upon himself.

15 Then desire, when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth
death.

John Owen, Every time sin rises to tempt or entice, it always seeks to express itself in the extreme. Every
unclean thought or glance would be adultery if it could; every covetous desire would be oppression; and
every unbelieving thought would be atheism. It is like the grave that is never satisfied.
While the source of temptation may come from outside of us,

the seduction of temptation comes from within us.

Application:

Page 2 of 3

1. Reflect on your areas of temptation.

1. CS Lewis The Screwtape Letters: exchanges between Screwtape & Wormwood re: his patient.

What would a file on your look like? What would the tricks of the trade in the art of temptation be?

2. 2 Cor. 2:11, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.

Dont stay ignorant. What if you became wise in spotting temptation a mile away?

3. While the source of temptation may come from outside of us, the seduction of temptation comes from
within us.

2. Diagnose why you find temptation appealing.

1. I want. // Repentance.

2. Repentance vs. Defensiveness by Gavin Ortland.

A defensive heart says, But look at what I did right! (diversion). A repentant heart says, Here
specifically is what I did wrong (honesty).

A defensive heart says, But look at what was done to me! (distraction). A repentant heart says,
Here is how I contributed to the conflict (ownership).

A defensive heart says, It wasnt that bad (downplaying). A repentant heart says, It was a big
deal (admission).

3. While the source of temptation may come from outside of us, the seduction of temptation comes from
within us.

3. Seek superior satisfaction in Christ.

1. Thomas Chalmers, The Expulsive Power of a New Aection, The only way to dispossess [the heart]
of an old aection is by the expulsive power of a new aection.

2. The battle is not against your joy and happiness, but where you will find your joy and happiness.
The call is to fight for your maximum pleasure in all that God is for you in Christ Jesus.

It is only when you are convinced that in Gods presence there is fulness of joy, and at his right hand
are pleasures forevermore (Ps. 16) that you will say no to temptation, and fight the seduction of sin
that lies within.

Jesus is far, far superior, than anything that sin has to oer you.

3. And so you are actually fighting for your maximum joy when you actively kill the sin that kills your joy.

Page 3 of 3