He Didn’t Do It

James 1:12-17

When all the homes were heated with wood stoves, there was a constant danger of little children being seriously burned. The stove, especially one with glass so the flame was visible was a constant source of temptation. Parents would tell their child “no, it’s hot” over and over. It was not the parent’s fault the stove was such a temptation. Children want to do what their parents do, they are attracted by bright colors, and sometimes they just decide to disobey. Sometimes they decide their parents are just trying to keep them from enjoying something.

In an effort to teach the child not to touch the stove, some parents would allow the fire to die down to where the stove was still hot enough to be painful, but not enough to inflict a severe burn, then pretend not to see the child reaching out to touch the stove. When th pain was felt and the hand jerked back, they’d say “hot” so the child would understand. In this manner they were able to teach the child while controlling the seriousness of the injury.

Most children who were taught this way learned to trust their parents warnings about other things as well. Though they might be tempted, they believed their parents warnings, and hesitated to take the chance, avoiding many dangerous situations. Since it is impossible to protect the child from every danger, the quicker he learns to trust his parents judgment, the better for all concerned. Rewarding a child for doing what he’d been told encouraged further obedience. God uses similar means with us, because they work.

Just as the parent controlled the fire to limit the pain the child might experience, God controls the temptations we are exposed to, according to I Corinthians 10:13. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” Like the parent, he may allow us to be tempted to see if we have learned to obey, rewarding us if so or letting us experience the consequences if we haven’t.

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.” (James 1:12)

On the other hand, God does not shove our hand against the hot stove or force us into a position where we cannot avoid sin. Some Mormons believe that in Genesis 3, the forbidden fruit involved sex in some way, and that Adam had to choose whether to have sex, in disobedience to God, or to not populate the earth as God had commanded them. They refer to this as a “paradox,” Because you have to choose which wrong is better. James is very specific that God does not put us in such a position.

“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: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” (James 1:13-15)

God never brings us into a position where our only choices are sin. In fact, our temptation is always a result of our own desires. It is popular in our society to blame some one else for our sin, and has been since Adam blamed Eve. We cannot legitimately blame God for sin, nor can we blame Satan. Though Satan presents something that he has found tempting to people, we are only tempted as we choose to consider the thing. That consideration becomes intent, which leads to action. It is this process that Jesus referred to in Matthew 5:27-28. “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”

When the person begins to consider how it would feel and how he could do it, the intent has formed, although the action has not yet been taken. The old idea, “the Devil Made me do it” is completely bogus. We chose to consider and to do the sin. God promised to make ways available to us so we can escape temptation in I Corinthians 10:13. There are two main ways to escape temptation that are always available.

When we become aware that our lusts are being excited, Paul advised “Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart,” in II Timothy 2:22. Instead of concentrating on the pleasure the sin would produce, focus on what is right, on love, and trusting God, and what makes for peace and contentment, associating with those who serve the Lord. Our choice of associates will greatly affect our success.

The second way is by walking in the Spirit, letting him control our thoughts. Galatians 5:16 promises, “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” The desires and lusts of the Spirit are antithetical to those of the flesh, so as our thoughts are controlled by him, the lusts of the flesh lose any attraction, even becoming repugnant. Galatians 5:17 states, “For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.” The fruit of the spirit is manifested in our attitude.

To blame God for our temptations is to deny his very nature. He is a holy and righteous God. He cannot lie. He loves, and as Hebrews 12:9-10 tells us, unlike human parents, who sometimes punish for their own benefit, God never acts except with our best interests at heart. “Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.” It is a serious mistake to blame God for our temptation, and even more so to blame our sin on him.

“Do not err, my beloved brethren. 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.” (James 1:16-17)