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 when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.
James 1:14-15
In this section of Chapter 1, James get to the heart of the sin playbook. If we can learn how this process works, we can learn to recognize and defeat it. Let’s examine the process of sin for a moment.
Desire—All sin begins with desire. Not all desires are evil. Often, wholesome and good desires can be perverted to lead us into sin. Desire is not sin, but, desire can be used to begin the temptation process in our lives.
Deception—Once desire is established in our minds, temptation moves to deception. When we are deceived, we have a tendency to get a skewed outlook on life. Our desires lead to us to believe the wrong things about God, about the Bible, and about ourselves. We begin to believe that we know better than God and that we can ignore the Bible. Deception is dangerous and deadly.
Disobedience—The next step is outright disobedience to God’s Word and commands. Sin leads us away from God and towards ourselves. Sin allows us to become our own god! What a terrible sequence this process of sin reveals.
Death—The final stop for the sin process is death. All sin leads ultimately to death. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, it lead to death. They lived for many years after their sin. Yet, eventually, inevitably, they died. Sin leads to death and destruction. (Romans 6:23)
How do we overcome sin and temptation? Realize that God’s Word and God’s ways are best. When desires well up within you, remember what God’s Word tells us. Remember His commands and avoid deception in your life. Recall that God gives us commands and boundaries to protect us and help us to live Godly, peaceful lives.
And then fight it! We are not helpless in this matter. God’s Spirit lives within us (1 Corinthians 6) and He helps us overcome. Trust God to help you endure the temptation and overcome by the grace of God (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Tony French
mrtonyfrench 