IT’S ALL YOUR FAULT
Text: Gen. 4:1-7; James 1:13-18
Introduction
A. Read Gen. 4:1-7
1. Have you ever said to God, "Forgive me, but I just couldn’t help myself!"
2. God’s response to that is "Fooey!"
3. If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."
a. Imagery: "sin is crouching at your door" like a wild animal.
b. If it were not possible to master sin, why would God tell him to?
B. Read Rom. 6:14
1. Paul affirms that sin shall not rule over us.
2. Therefore, we can rule over it. Victory over sin is not only possible, but expected.
3. You can help it!
C. Read James 1:13-18
1. The problem is that we want to blame somebody else.
2. Just like in the Garden.
a. Adam: "It was the woman’s fault!"
b. Eve: "It was the serpent’s fault!"
Transition: Solomon was right, there is nothing new under the sun.
I. Some People Say It’s God’s Fault (13)
A. Let No Man Say
1. First let us notice what James is talking about, "Let no man say when he is tempted..."
a. James then passes from the outward trial to the inward trial or temptation, ‘from our holy trials to our unholy ones’ (W. Kelly). The former must be endured, the latter resisted. New International Bible Commentary, Pradis CD-ROM
b. Again notice that he says not "if," but "when."
c. Illustration: Historian Shelby Foote tells of a soldier who was wounded at the battle of Shiloh during the American Civil War and was ordered to go to the rear. The fighting was fierce and within minutes he returned to his commanding officer. "Captain, give me a gun!" he shouted. "This fight ain’t got any rear!"
2. Then he says that when we are tempted we shouldn’t say "I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:"
3. He gives two reasons why we cannot blame God. First, God cannot be tempted with evil.
a. Sin does not appeal to God.
b. God hates sin.
c. Prov. 8:13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverse mouth I hate.
4. The second reason that James gives why we cannot blame God is he doesn’t tempt anyone.
a. "Tempting others to evil would require a delight in evil, of which he himself is incapable" (Adamson, NICNT, 70).
b. For God to tempt us to sin would be totally contrary to his nature.
c. God tests people, but he does not tempt them by trying to seduce them into sin. —Life Application Bible Notes
B. Placing the Blame on God
1. We don’t want to admit that it is our fault so we place the blame on God.
a. "God if she wasn’t so beautiful I wouldn’t lust after her."
b. "God if he had his act together I wouldn’t gossip about him."
c. "God if it wasn’t for the fact that I was going to be late for church I wouldn’t have been stopped for speeding."
d. "God if I had more money I would be faithful in my tithes."
2. A person who makes excuses is trying to shift the blame from himself or herself to something or someone else. —Life Application Bible Notes
3. You can blame your father, mother, brother, sister, cousin or neighbor if you want to, but you cannot blame God because he didn’t do it!
4. We don’t want to own up to it so be blame God, but...
Transition: However, in reality...
II. It’s Our Own Fault (14-15)
A. Every Man is Tempted
1. James makes it clear that when we sin it is no one’s fault but our own.
2. He says, "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed."
3. He uses two words that are actually hunting and fishing terms.
a. Drawn Away: ’to draw away, to lead away, to lure away to.—Louw & Nida: NT Greek-English Lexicon
b. This inner craving draws a person out (exelkomenos) like a fish drawn from its hiding place—Bible Knowledge Commentary
c. Entice: ’to lead astray, to lure into sin.’ —Louw & Nida: NT Greek-English Lexicon
d. “to bait, to catch a fish with bait—Bible Knowledge Commentary
4. James pictures man’s "evil desire," first, as attracting his attention and persuading him to approach the forbidden thing and, second, as luring him by means of bait to yield to the temptation - Expositor’s Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:
5. The source of the temptation doesn’t come from Aunt Bertha or Uncle Frank, no, it comes from inside you.
6. Temptation works because we let it work.
7. Illustration: On the TV show "Hee Haw," Doc Campbell is confronted by a patient who says he broke his arm in two places. The doc replies, "Well then, stay out of them places!"
B. When Lust Has Conceived
1. James goes on to say, "when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."
2. The lust or desire conceives and from this conception sin is born.—Bible Knowledge Commentary
3. The Bible is very clear what happens next: death!
a. Gen. 2:17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."
b. Rom. 6:23 For the wages of sin is death,
4. The pleasure of sin is never worth the price that you have to pay for it.
a. While my wife and I were shopping at a mall kiosk, a shapely young woman in a short, form-fitting dress strolled by. My eyes followed her.
b. Without looking up from the item she was examining, my wife asked, "Was it worth the trouble you’re in?"
c. Drew Anderson (Tucson, AZ), Reader’s Digest.
d. The pleasures of sin last only for a season, but the death it causes lasts for eternity.
Transition: We must choose life!
III. God Gives Us the Power to Overcome Sin (16-18)
A. Do Not Err
1. James tells us "Do not err, my beloved brethren."
a. "Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren" (NKJV).
b. The Devil wants to deceive you and make you believe that you don’t have a choice but to give in.
c. From the moment Jesus gave up his spirit and said "It is finished," you have a choice.
d. You can say NO to sin!
2. Not only has Jesus given you a choice, but he has given you the tools to make the right choice.
3. James says "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."
a. Instead of sending temptation, God is the giver of "every good and perfect gift." - Expositor’s Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM
b. The gifts that God sends enables us to fight temptation.
c. Eph. 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ (NKJV).
B. Word of Truth
1. Furthermore, not only has God not given us death through temptation and sin, but he has given us new life by the word of truth.
2. 1 Pet. 1:23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever (NKJV).
3. God has also given us the power to overcome sin through the power of the word. When tempted we must be like Jesus and speak the word.
a. "Turn this stone into bread...," "It is written..."
b. "Throw yourself down...," "It is written..."
c. "Fall down and worship me...," "It is written..."
Transition: We have power over sin because of the blood of Jesus and the Word of God.
Conclusion
1. Don’t make excuses for sin.
a. Admit it
b. Confess it
c. Forget it
2. Don’t give into sin.
a. Take authority
b. Speak the Word
Proposition: Don’t make excuses for sin; take authority over it in Jesus name.
