God the Tempter?

O Preacher In the 1970s comedian Flip Wilson provoked laughs: “The devil made me do it.” In the mid-40s A.D. Jewish Christians provoked correction from James with: “God made me do it!”

James. leader of the Jerusalem church, is writing to Jewish Christians dispersed by persecution among the nations. He reminds them of God’s character and their own sinful nature, calling them to morally upright living in a hostile world. He begins with a promised blessing . . .

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him (1:12). James knows his readers are “under trial” (payrasmos), potentially persecuted for their faith. But persecutors haven’t gained the upper hand; the devil hasn’t grabbed dominion. This is a God-test. And James promises the test-stander “will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

In the Greek games, at the start-line athletes poise. The signal sounds. For the finish they sprint all-out. A head-wreath for the winner—the conqueror’s crown So, promises James, endure the trial, stand the test. At the end you’ll be crowned with eternal life. What more motivation do Christ-believers need?

“Love” is an interesting term here, don’t you think? James didn’t write, ” . . . promised to those who believe in him” or ” . . . to those who obey him” but ” . . . to those who love him.” The Greek is agapooin. Not merely love as a feeling, but love as a matter of will and action. Not a husband bringing flowers home, but remaining faithful when tempted by a younger woman. Not a wife kissing her husband, but caring for him in his poor health.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (1:13-15).

I’m most prey to temptation when tired or stressed. Not surprising, then, that these dispersed and persecuted Jewish Christians would be tempted. But why blame God? Because God is sovereign in this trial/test, and they’re being tempted to sin. God must be the ultimate tempter. Or, like the ancient Israelites in the desert, blame God, Moses, Aaron, anybody but themselves.

Don’t say it, James demands. Why? Because, as James Adamson writes in The Epistle of James, “Tempting others to evil, would require a delight in evil, of which [God] in himself is incapable.” God’s “tempting” is actually a test in which, unlike the devil, he wants the believer to succeed! God entices no one to sin.

What, then, are temptation’s sources? ” . . . each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.”

Brock Turner, a Stanford University student, was recently found guilty of sexual assault (and received an unbelievably unjust six-month jail sentence). Turner blamed the female victim, blamed alcohol and blamed an unfamiliar-to-him permissive college environment. Not only did he not repent; he refused to accept any responsibility.

James rejects such arrogance. It’s our morally evil desire that hooks and drags us off. Young man sees a drunken, desirable young woman. He’s hooked. His desire explodes with lust and births the act of sin. Make no mistake: when this becomes life’s pattern, it ends in death apart from God.

Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created (1:16-18).

Echoing the prophet’s words (“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?—Jeremiah 17:9), James warns Jewish Christians not to be deceived. Not by their own sinful heart, nor by scheming Satan. God gives good and perfect gifts, not evil ones to hook you on your lusts.

He is ” . . . the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” So Adamson comments: “God’s benevolence is like a light which cannot be extinguished, eclipsed, or ‘shadowed out’ . . . The light of the sun may be blocked, for example, by some material object, so as to cast a shadow: indeed, for a time in an eclipse, the direct light of the sun . . . may be shut off from the observer. Nothing like that can block God’s light, interrupt the flow of his goodness, or put us ‘in shadow,’ so that we are out of the reach of his ‘radiance” (The Epistles of James).

Look what goodness and perfection he has poured out! He willed “to give us [new] birth through the word of truth (the Gospel of Jesus Christ).” A new start! A do-over, this time with Spirit-power! And what does James explain is God’s purpose in rebirth?
” . . . that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” Despite dispersion and distress, these Jewish Christians are the first of a multitude like the sea’s sand who will be rebirthed and brought to complete perfection one day (James 1:2-4). Therefore . . .

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you (1:19-21).

Because they are God’s “firstfruits” living among unbelieving opponents, they must live morally upright lives—especially with their tongue. Be quick listeners. Be slow speakers. Be slow temper-tantrum-ers. (How hard in a world where we’re bombarded with voices and long for someone to hear us!) But believers (them and us) mustn’t react to hardships and frustrations with angry words, because anger corrupts the righteous life God wants.

Moral manure and unbridled evil—get rid of it! Like stinking clothes, strip it off! Instead, welcome God’s Word implanted by memory and the Spirit in you. It’s there, a grace-truth “invasion” of your fallen nature. Embrace it. Believe it! Do it! And on the Last Day, unlike sin which corrupts you forever, it can save you!