THE OUTCOME OF SIN
James 1:13-15

(Isa 5:20)  "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!"

Introduction:     The world has gone tragically astray in its understanding of evil and good. It indulges evil calling it good and avoids good is if it were evil. It is nearly impossible to find someone today who will admit to being evil. To him his actions are almost always good! How mixed up this world truly is!

I.          THE REALITY OF TEMPTATION (V.13a)

            A.        The Certainty Of Facing Temptation

Not “if” – “When”: we cannot get away from temptation

bulletWhat do we do?
bulletWhere do we place the blame?
bulletWhere do we find strength?

(1 Cor 10:13 ) "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it."

            B.         The Correction Of The Source Of Temptation

God is our Heavenly Father. He stands by not to trip us up, but to lift us up!

bulletGod is un-temptable – There is nothing in His nature that responds favorably to evil.
bulletGod does not arouse lustful desires and craving within us and no man is to think or rationalize or justify his behavior accordingly.

II.         THE REASONING CONCERNING TEMPTATION (V.13b)

            A         Distorted Thinking

bulletGod tempts no man to evil – He cannot delight in the undoing of one made in His own image.
bulletGod may chasten, but He never tempts – God does allow us to endure trials but always to mature us, never to entice us to do wrong.

            B.         Deferring Blame

bulletMan always wants someone else to blame for his sin (Gen.3) – We blame God, fellowman, circumstances.
bulletMany say, “This is how God made me.” No, that is the way sin made you!

III.       THE RESPONSIBILITY OF TEMPTATION (V.14)

            A.        Self Desire

bullet“Own lust” – For power, pleasure, or possessions. Temptation can be traced to our own lusts.
bulletSatan cannot make us do anything.

 

B.                 Satan’s Deception

bullet“Drawn away”
bullet“Enticed” = attracted by bait

 

IV.       THE RESULT OF TEMPTATION (V.15)

            A.        Finalizing Desire

bullet“Conceive” = to catch hold of.

"Now desire is something which can be nourished or stifled. A man can...by the grace of God, eliminate desire if he faces it and deals with it at once. But...

•   he can allow his steps to take him into certain places and certain company.

•   he can encourage his eyes to linger on certain forbidden things.

•   he can spend his life fomenting desire.

•   he can use mind and heart and eyes and feet and lips to nourish desire.

"[However, a man] can so hand himself over to Christ and to the Spirit of Christ that he is cleansed of evil desire. He can be so engaged on good things that there is no time or place left for desire. It is idle hands for which Satan finds mischief to do; and it is an unexercised mind which plays with desire, and an uncommitted heart which is vulnerable to the appeal of lust. "If a man nourishes and encourages desire long enough, there is an inevitable consequence. Desire becomes action. If a man thinks about anything long enough if he allows himself to desire it long enough, all the chances are that in the end he will do it. Desire in the heart in the end begets sin in the action"

B.                 Brings Death

bullet“bringeth forth” = to deliver or produce.

Both speak of child birth: just as a child is a child before it is ever born from its mother; even so, sin is present in the heart before it ever gives evidence that it is there.

(Rom 6:23 )  "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

 

Conclusion:       The outcome of sin is death! God is not trying to make you unhappy by giving us instruction; he is trying to protect you!