Bible Verse of the Day Tuesday September 19th, 2023

God Cannot Tempt, Nor Can God Be Tempted Part II

James 1:12-15  Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God, cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Even given that our trials and tribulations come about because of the fallen nature of the world around us, God still uses these tests to affect our lives positively because it is the only way we will ever put our faith into practice. God shows our faith's true character and quality during and because of these trials. We must never forget that a Christian's faith is not genuine until a trial or tribulation proves it. Only when we come out of the other side of prosecution will we comprehend our faith's true quality and sincerity. These trials, as uncomfortable as they may seem at the time, will allow God to work in our lives. These times of tribulation will let us use what we have learned through the study of God's Word and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit placed into action for the glory of our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus. The bottom line here is that when these trials and tribulations come our way, it is not because of God but because of the fallen nature of our world. This biblical truth also includes the effects of sin and the spiritual warfare around us.

The fall of humanity in the Garden of Eden caused sin and disharmony in our world. As a result of the fall, humans fell into complete and total sin and discord—Disharmony with God, disagreement with others, and disharmony with creation. Corruption and conflict can be difficult to comprehend because we are inclined to compare ourselves to others instead of God's perfect standard. God's Law is perfect, just, and holy, showing us our need for a Savior. God's Law reveals our sin to us; without it, we would not know the true nature of our sinful state.

There are two types of sins in the life of every person. There are the sins of commission, the things we do that violate God's Law, and the sins of omission, which are those good deeds we have in our power to do but do not think to do them. These two types of sins also work in concert with the disharmony caused by the fall. James is reminding us in this verse of scripture that it's the desires of our sinful nature that, when Satan tempts us, mature into thoughts or ideas, giving birth to acts of sin. And these acts of evil contribute to the losses we suffer, or what our sins cause to others.