Name: _______________________________
Date: _______________________________
Open your Bible and read James 1:13–18 slowly.
Mark what James says about God, temptation, desire, sin, death, and good gifts.
Temptation does not come from God.
It is an inside job. Desire pulls, sin grows, and death follows. James exposes the path of temptation so believers will stop blaming God, stop excusing lust, and run back to the unchanging goodness of the Father.
The tempted person cannot shift blame upward.
“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God.’”
The problem is not God.
The problem is desire that has been welcomed, followed, and allowed to grow.
James 1:13
God is not tempted by evil, and He does not tempt anyone.
James 1:14
Each person is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust.
James 1:15
Lust conceives, gives birth to sin, and sin brings forth death.
James 1:16
James warns the brethren not to be deceived.
James 1:17
Every good thing given and every perfect gift comes from the Father of lights, who does not change.
James 1:18
God brought believers forth by the word of truth so they would be a kind of firstfruits among His creatures.
| Stage | What Happens |
|---|---|
| Desire | Sin begins with a desire inside the person. |
| Enticement | The desire lures and drags the heart away. |
| Conception | Desire is welcomed instead of resisted. |
| Sin | Desire gives birth to action, choice, or inward rebellion. |
| Death | Sin, when finished, brings forth death. |
| Deception | The sinner lies to himself about the danger. |
| Truth | James exposes the chain before it finishes its work. |
| False Thought | Truth from James |
|---|---|
| God is tempting me. | God does not tempt anyone. |
| My sin is someone else’s fault. | Each person is tempted by his own lust. |
| Desire is harmless if it stays hidden. | Lust conceives and gives birth to sin. |
| Sin will not cost me. | Sin brings forth death. |
| God is withholding good from me. | Every good and perfect gift comes from Him. |
| God changes with my circumstances. | With Him there is no variation or shifting shadow. |
| I belong to my desires. | God brought believers forth by the word of truth. |
Use this space to write down the main points from class.
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James will not let a man blame God for temptation.
God may test faith, but He does not entice anyone to evil. Temptation comes from desire inside the person. That desire pulls, conceives, gives birth to sin, and sin brings death.
The warning is blunt because deception is part of temptation’s power.
James says God is not tempted by evil and does not tempt anyone.
Why is blaming God for temptation spiritually dangerous?
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James says each person is tempted by his own lust.
Why is it easier to blame circumstances than to admit the problem inside?
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Lust does not stay still. It conceives and gives birth.
What kinds of sins often begin long before anyone else sees them?
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James answers temptation by pointing to the Father of lights.
How does trusting God’s goodness help a believer resist temptation?
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One desire I need to stop excusing:
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One temptation I need to resist earlier:
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One truth about God’s goodness I need to hold onto:
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Temptation lies about God.
James tells the truth about the heart.