Here's another Sunday School Lesson from Lifeway that my church did a few weeks back. Enjoy!
The Point: God won't tempt me, but He will provide a way to resist temptation
The Passage: James 1:13-18
13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when the lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of he own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures.
James wrote to first-century Christians who faced the pressures of temptation; he outlined the truths about temptation and how to handle it. In Session 1, we explored the pressure of trials, but temptations are different from trials in several ways...
1. Temptation always promises you some gain . It may be some fun, more money, sexual satisfaction, a satisfied palate, or some other pleasure.
2. Temptation suggests that you are going to be much better off because you indulge . The grass of temptation will always appear greener than the other side (resistance)
3. Temptation says you won't get hurt . You can get away with it, nobody will know, or it's no big deal. You won't get burned like others. You are different. You can handle it. Temptation never hints at negative outcomes.
4. Temptation focus on short-term "benefits"--not long-term consequences. God focuses on the big picture; so should we.
5. Temptation presents the opportunity to sin (by giving in ) or to grow (by resisting). The choice is ours.
Temptation may be as simple as feeling pressure to tell a lie to avoid trouble or as sordid as "cooking the books" to avoid paying taxes. Advertisers pressure us to drive a certain make of car, and we may be tempted to do so. We may feel pressured to buy a house we can't afford in the best neighborhood in town.
QUESTION: What are some of your thoughts or feelings after you realize that the temptation you gave in to was a lie?
Temptation makes promises it can't deliver--because they're not true--but in James 1:13, we discover 2 principles that are true:
1. Temptation is inevitable . It's not a matter of IF we are tempted, but WHEN we are tempted. Temptation comes to all of us; it even came to Jesus in the wilderness immediately following his baptism, in the garden of Gethsemane, and at many other times in between. Temptation comes to a missionary on the mission field as surely as it comes to a mom who stays at home with her kids...
2. Temptation never comes from God . Regardless of the types of temptation we face, one thing is certain; God isn't the source of it. We know this to be true because of the nature of God. First, God is not able to be tempted. The Greek word literally means that God is "untemptable." God is holy and fully self-sufficient. God lacks nothing nor does He need anything, so no offer from the evil one tempts Him. Second, God is not able to tempt us because He is good, loving, holy, righteous, perfect.
QUESTION: In what ways are we tempted to satisfy a God-given desire in a sinful way?
In the context of James 1:13-18, God's command in verse 16 warns us to not err in our thinking about the source of temptation. In verses 13-15, James reveals that the source of temptation is our own evil desire; and that the source is not God. Since God doesn't send us temptations, what does He give us? Verse 17 makes clear God gives us just the opposite--good and perfect gifts--whatever we need to accomplish God's purposes in our lives.
Let's consider three ways we deal with the pressure of temptation. Consider the good and perfect gifts god gives to us. Instead of leading us to evil, God provides what we need to do good and live righteously.
1. A relationship with Christ . All Christians are children of God--saints-- and we are called to be holy and blameless (Eph. 1:14). All believers are children of the king with full authority over the enemy and with the power of Christ in us (1 John 4:4). At the moment of conversion, the instant we believe God and trust in Him to forgive our sin, Jesus Christ takes up residence in our lives and empowers us by His Holy Spirit. Because we are children of God, sin is not an option. So we need to repent and to live as followers of Christ.
2. God's Word . When Jesus was tempted, He used Scripture to respond to the pressure of temptation (Matt. 4:1-11). Since Jesus, who is God, used Scripture in resisting temptation, how much more should we?
3. An escape route . One of God's greatest gifts to us is the promise from 1 Corinthians 10:13: God will provide a way of escape and help us stand up under any temptation we face.
QUESTION: What are some other gifts God has provided that could help a person resist temptation?
That's it! Hope you enjoyed it.
Blessings,
Ohana
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