January 11 Daily Devotional

Scripture for Day 11—James 1:13–16

¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. ¹⁴ But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. ¹⁵ Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. ¹⁶ Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.

Devotional:

If nothing else, our trials force us to face the fact that the Christian walk is much more than ideology, where we merely assent to the right stuff and dot our doctrinal "i"s just so and cross our doctrinal "t"s just so. It is also much more than ethics, where we merely do the right thing and behave just so. "Man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart" (1 Sam. 16:7). And so the Lord summons us to examine our hearts before him.

He has already said that "the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." (1:6–8). It's possible to be two-faced with God, and God isn't deceived even when such insincere motives are well-masked by good doctrine and upright behavior. He has also previously said, "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him" (1:12). Do you love God? When you do, you don't want to be two-faced with him. Instead, your attitude will be,

Dear Lord and Master mine,
still keep thy servant true;
my Guardian and my Guide divine,
bring, bring thy pilgrim through (Thomas H. Gill).^†

Granting that, still, wouldn't it be a whole lot easier to remain steadfast under trial if we weren't continually tripped up by internal temptations? The fact is, trials do make it harder for us to trust God, to love God, and to obey God. When God tests us, we sometimes do stumble into sin. Isn't that God's fault? No! No! A thousand times no! "Let no one say when he is tempted, 'I am being tempted by God,' for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one" (v. 13).

God does test us, but he never tempts us. The devil tempts us; others tempt us; and we tempt ourselves; but God never tempts us, not even in the most severe trials. How do we know? Because first, "God cannot be tempted with evil…" God is holy. He is so holy that he cannot want evil. It goes completely against who and what he is. As a result, second, "he himself tempts no one." Consequently, that voice you hear saying—"You can't take any more. Just throw in the towel. Just give in and please yourself for a change. You need it."—is not God's voice; it's yours! "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire" (v. 14).

We need more, therefore, than simply instruction and exhortation. We need salvation. We need a Prophet to guide us; a Priest to forgive us, and a King to strengthen and renew us. We need Jesus every moment of every day! Look to Jesus! Abide in him!

^†Click here for the full hymn and tune.

Click here for background on the author of Are You For Real?: Meditations in the Epistle of James for Secret or Family Worship.