HOOK, LINE, AND SINNER (2 OF 12)
by Keith Krell
Scripture: James 1:13-18
This content is part of a series.
Hook, Line, and Sinner (2 of 12)
Series: Put Your Faith to Work
Keith Krell
James 1:13-18
When you see a sign that says, ''Don't Touch-Wet Paint,'' what are you tempted to do? You want to touch the paint just to see if it really is wet. What about the sign that says, ''Slow Down To 25 mph''? You want to continue to travel at a clip of 40 mph. What about an envelope that says, ''Personal and Confidential''? You want to hold that envelope up to the light and read it and if you can't read it, you want to open it. When we're told not to do something, we're most tempted to do it.
British playwright, Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), summed up the attitude of millions when he said, ''I can resist anything but temptation.'' If you've ever read a biography on him, you know he wasn't kidding, because he essentially sinned himself to death by age forty-six. But resistance to temptation is not much in vogue today anywhere in our culture. It is much more popular to succumb, let it all hang out, and then blame someone else. We blame the one who tempts us, like Adam blamed Eve and Eve the serpent. Or we blame our circumstances, our hormones, or our parents for the way they raised us.
Whether it is materialism, pride, lust, laziness, gluttony, anger, bitterness, envy, or lying, we all struggle with temptations that can lead to sin. But sin is human nature, right? It isn't that big of a deal, is it? We all sin and it doesn't seem to affect us too much, right? Wrong! In James 1:13-18, the half-brother of Jesus explains that giving in to temptation is far more serious than we suspect. Furthermore, James will inform us how to stop playing ''the blame game'' and overcome the temptations that so easily lead to sin.
1. Consider what God can't do-sin (1:13-15). These verses argue that God is not responsible for temptation and that the consequences of temptation are severe. James writes: ''Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God''' (1:13a). Notice James say ...
Series: Put Your Faith to Work
Keith Krell
James 1:13-18
When you see a sign that says, ''Don't Touch-Wet Paint,'' what are you tempted to do? You want to touch the paint just to see if it really is wet. What about the sign that says, ''Slow Down To 25 mph''? You want to continue to travel at a clip of 40 mph. What about an envelope that says, ''Personal and Confidential''? You want to hold that envelope up to the light and read it and if you can't read it, you want to open it. When we're told not to do something, we're most tempted to do it.
British playwright, Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), summed up the attitude of millions when he said, ''I can resist anything but temptation.'' If you've ever read a biography on him, you know he wasn't kidding, because he essentially sinned himself to death by age forty-six. But resistance to temptation is not much in vogue today anywhere in our culture. It is much more popular to succumb, let it all hang out, and then blame someone else. We blame the one who tempts us, like Adam blamed Eve and Eve the serpent. Or we blame our circumstances, our hormones, or our parents for the way they raised us.
Whether it is materialism, pride, lust, laziness, gluttony, anger, bitterness, envy, or lying, we all struggle with temptations that can lead to sin. But sin is human nature, right? It isn't that big of a deal, is it? We all sin and it doesn't seem to affect us too much, right? Wrong! In James 1:13-18, the half-brother of Jesus explains that giving in to temptation is far more serious than we suspect. Furthermore, James will inform us how to stop playing ''the blame game'' and overcome the temptations that so easily lead to sin.
1. Consider what God can't do-sin (1:13-15). These verses argue that God is not responsible for temptation and that the consequences of temptation are severe. James writes: ''Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God''' (1:13a). Notice James say ...
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