Manifold Temptations
A. JAMES WRITTEN IN THE 60’s DURING HARD TIMES THAT WILL GET WORSE.
B. OTHER LETTERS TO JEWISH CHRISTIANS ADDRESS THE SAME THING.
C. Chapter 1 DEALS WITH HOW TO HANDLE THE MANIFOLD TRIALS AHEAD.
A. STRANGE BUT COMMON REACTION.
1. Peter and John (Acts 5:41).
2. Peter’s encouragement (1 Pet. 1:6).
3. The last Beatitude (Matt. 5:10).
B. WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU MAKES YOU STRONGER (vs. 3-4).
1. Patience, hupomonee, 1. steadfastness, constancy, endurance James 5:11; 2. a
patient, steadfast waiting for; 3. a patient enduring, sustaining: 2 Cor 1:6 (Thayer)
2. Patience – endurance and steadfastness needed (Heb. 12:1-2).
A. GOD ANSWERS PRAYER (Matt. 7:7-8; James 5:16).
B. WE ARE TO ASK FOR WISDOM.
1. “the practical use of knowledge” (A. T. Robertson's Word Pictures in the N T),
“wisdom, broad and full intelligence” (Thayer).
2. “Power of judging rightly and following the soundest course of action, based on
knowledge, experience, understanding … good judgment” (Webster).
C. FAITH – TRUST IS NECESSARY (vs. 6-8).
1. Faith is trust – confidence (Heb. 11:6).
2. God is faithful (2 Tim. 2:11-13).
3. The shame of not trusting (vs. 7-8).
A. GOD REGARDS NEITHER WEALTH OR POVERTY (vs. 9-10; Luke 12:15).
B. ALL SUFFER THE SAME FATE (vs. 10-11).
C. ALL SUFFER THE SAME TRIALS (1 Cor. 10:13).
D. NO RESPECT OF PERSONS, NO SHADOW CAST (Rom. 2:11; James 1:17).
A. MEANING OF TERMS USEFUL:
1. Endureth – “ hupomeno, "to abide under, to bear up courageously (under suffering)" ( Vine)
2. Temptation – “an experiment, attempt, trial, proving a. universally, trial, proving:
b. specifically, the trial of man's fidelity, integrity, virtue, constancy, etc.(Thayer)
Same family of words found in vs. 12 and vs. 13-14.
3. Lust – epithumia, “desire, craving, longing: Luke 22:15 (Thayer)
“… craving either good (Phil 1:23) or evil (Rom 7:7) as here” (A. T. Robertson)
a. It is argued that the word for lust, epithumia, means evil desire. This is based
on the fact that it is only used 3 times in a good sense. If so, it disproves the
assertion, for its use is admitted (Luke 22:15; Phil 1:23; 1 Thess. 2:17).
b. According to Englishman’s concordance the verb form is 15 times, 9 of
which describe a desire for that which is good or neutral.
c. See Vine article.
d. When does lust become evil – when it masters us (Rom. 6:12).
4. Drawn away– "to draw away, or lure forth," “As in hunting or fishing the game is
"lured" from its haunt, so man's lust "allures" him from the safety of his self-restraint
(Vine).
5. Enticed – As a fish with bait (Vincent).
B. THE PROCESS OF TEMPTATION – SATAN KNOWS WHERE YOU LIVE!
1. Internal – our desires. Satan uses our desire as a motivation to act.
2. External – He provides the means and an opportunity without regard to God’s law.
C. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE OUT COME:
1. Lust, when it conceives – takes control (Rom. 6:12) – bears sin (6:23), then death.
2. The man that endures
a. Is approved of God (Heb. 11:16; 2 Cor. 6:17-18).
b. Has a crown coming (2 Tim. 4:5-8; 1 Pet. 1:6-7).
God’s Bait
A. WE ARE SPECIAL TO GOD BECAUSE OF OUR FAITH IN HIM (vs. 18).
(brought us forth by the word – sons of God thru faith (Gal. 3:26-27).
B. HE HAS BLESSED US WITH WONDERFUL GIFTS DEMONSTRATING HIS CARE.
C. ONE GIFT IS HELP IN TIMES OF TEMPTATION (1 Cor. 10:13)