August 1, 2010- James 1:13-18

With a full class (praise the Lord!), we briefly looked back for a review of what had been covered.

^13When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. ¹⁵Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

¹⁶Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. ¹⁷Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ¹⁸He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

• Do trials and temptations we encounter come from God? James says no.
• Can God be tempted? Again, James says it is not possible. God cannot be tempted by evil because evil is the very thing that opposes God and His will. Likewise, God cannot tempt us with evil because God is pure and holy.
• Temptation are a result of our own sin nature and pull us away from fellowship with God. Our temptation result from our own lust which can lead to sin. James restates the price for sin is death.
• Trials we encounter in life are the result of A. Our own sinful thoughts or actions, or B. The sinful thoughts or actions of someone else. But trials are beneficial to the Christian that perseveres because as they overcome those trials it builds character and maturity in their spiritual walk. As character continues to build and develop, the understanding of the true Hope that Jesus provides Christians is revealed and helps better prepare us for future trials and temptations.

Are lies sometimes easier to believe than the truth?

• There are a number of situation where a lie is much easier to believe than the truth.
• God never lies, and James again punctuates that God would never tempt us because (v18) "He chose to give us birth through the word of truth."
• God is only the giver of every good and perfect gift.

The term firstfruits in verse 18 refers to the first portion of the harvest given to God. It seems that James is referring to the fact the early Christians he is addressing are to be the beginning of all people in the future that would be born again (spiritual birth).

Outstanding class today that really was a blessing to me. Next week: Finish Chapter 1