“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
Summarize in a Word: Does the Devil make you sin?
Main point of the Passage: You are
responsible for your sin!
Illustration: Young
man struggling with Pornography
Exhortation: Be humbled knowing you are responsible for
your sin. But be encouraged knowing you can overcome in the Spirit.
TMAI Promotional Issue: By John Doe
These verses
lay out for us the complete cycle of personal sin—from beginning to end. To
defeat sin, we must understand it properly and, yet, sadly there is much false
teaching today on the nature and origin of our sin. So where does my sin come
from? Does God tempt me to sin? Or maybe the saying is true that “the devil
made me do it?”
James 1:13
tells us that God never tempts us to sin and our verse today starkly refutes
the false notion that Satan can make us sin. Instead, the only person
responsible for your sin is…you. Satan cannot make you sin. He can tempt
you, he can accuse you, he can dangle the fish hook of sin in front of your
mouth, but he cannot force you to take the bait. This verse puts the
responsibility for sin squarely on our own shoulders. But it also clarifies a
major misunderstanding for many believers.
I personally
witnessed the hopelessness and fear that a young man had because of his wrong
understanding of sin. Struggling with pornography, he believed that Satan had
the power to force him into this sin. He was fearful of what he saw as a
sovereign devil. However, when he understood that the sin in his life was a result of his own lust, he then
could deal with the issue at its root—his own heart.
Be humbled by the reality
that your sin is born out of your own lust. But be encouraged knowing
that if you walk by the Spirit, you will not carry out the desire [lust] of the
flesh (Gal. 5:16).
Thanks for the time of Reflection,
R. Solomon
(Today’s Friday Issue is taken out from
upcoming TMAI Devotional Writing
from Pastors across the Globe. If you enjoy the styles and contents,
you may want to buy when it is released.)