Genuine Faith (Progression of Sin)

Good Morning and thank you for being here this morning. If you are new with us today, I am glad you are here today. If you have any questions please find me after church or fill out a connection card with your contact information and I would love to get in contact with you. We have a couple of announcements today. We have a business meeting today after church. I would ask all member to stick around. It will be a short meeting to vote on the interim pastor position. It will be here in the sanctuary.

Announcements

Women's Potluck Brunch. Bible study sign ups in the foyer.

Small groups start up the second week of October

Operation Christmas Child

Prayers

God’s Direction for the Church

Gordie and the family with the passing of Joani

Clara Barker - Hip Surgery Recovery

The Lost People in our lives.

Let us Pray

Introduction

We have been going through the first chapter of James for the last couple of weeks. Feel free to turn there as we will be reading from James 1 in a little bit. James has been walking through and teaching on how Christians grow and mature as believers. He has been walking his readers through this the maturing process that God uses for his children. So far he has taught that when we experience trials that we are supposed to look at the bigger picture. And that when a believer’s faith is tested, they gain endurance and mature. A believer is approved through the testing and because of the outcome of growth of the believer, we are to count these trials and joy.

We all know that this is easier said and done and James continue to teach that in order to deal with these trials in this way, a believer must ask God for the wisdom to live in this way but the person asking must not be divided in their mind and must have confidence that God will provide this wisdom otherwise they will not receive it.

Last week we looked a specific trial that all people deal with in their life and that is the trial of material wealth. That there are people that are seen as poor and there are those that are seen as rich. The poor person should boast in the fact that with Christ they have been put in a high position maybe for the first time. The rich person is to boast in their humiliation or the opening of their eyes to the temporary nature of wealth. James doesn’t teach that money is either good or bad but that the focus of the poor and the rich is to be on the eternal things of God and not the temporary things of man.

He then goes on to say that the one who endures trial will be blessed and receives the crown of life. This is where we will pick up today but first lest open our bibles and read His Word.

James 1:2–18 (CSB)

2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith without doubting. For the doubter is like the surging sea, driven and tossed by the wind. 7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord, 8 being double-minded and unstable in all his ways.

9 Let the brother of humble circumstances boast in his exaltation, 10 but let the rich boast in his humiliation because he will pass away like a flower of the field. 11 For the sun rises and, together with the scorching wind, dries up the grass; its flower falls off, and its beautiful appearance perishes. In the same way, the rich person will wither away while pursuing his activities.

12 Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

13 No one undergoing a trial should say, “I am being tempted by God,” since God is not tempted by evil, and he himself doesn’t tempt anyone. 14 But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. 15 Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.

16 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. 18 By his own choice, he gave us birth by the word of truth so that we would be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

The Blessed...

James 1:12 (CSB)

12 Blessed is the one who endures trials, because when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

A believer who has endured the trials is blessed or in a state of blessing. They have stood the test and have come out the other side. They have used the wisdom of God and have stood the test. Stood the test means that some one has been “approved” because they have made it through the test. Those that are “approved” will be given the crown of life. The crown of life is given to those who love him.

At first glance through this, it looks like there is a subset of Christians that will earn this crown of life by the work that they do while they live on this planet. However this is not what James is trying to communicate. Many of you know that my oldest son Kayson is a black belt in karate. To earn his black belt he had to be tested. It was 3 hours of running and performing memorized forms, more running, move combinations. running, board breaks, more running and more forms. After 3 hours his instructor gave him his black belt. How does this relate. The test was not to see if he could become a black belt it was a test to see if he was already one. It was an approval process and in the end he proved that he was a black belt. James is saying those that are believer, those that love God. Those that obey God love God,

John 14:21 (CSB)

21 The one who has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. And the one who loves me will be loved by my Father. I also will love him and will reveal myself to him.”

John 15:9–10

9 “As the Father has loved me, I have also loved you. Remain in my love. 10 If you keep my commands you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love.

This is one of the most basic definitions of a believer, a person who has put their faith in the saving grace of God by faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus. The best proof of that is the a person who lived a love of love for God. A person who learns what the bible teaches and then lives accordingly to the word. Not out of compulsion but out of love.

A person who loves God will see trials as part of God’s greater good and true believers will endure these trials and they will be approved as one who has been given the crown of life. The gospel of Jesus Christ. The good news of redeeming plan for man. James is not saying a person earns this crown but demonstrates that they have already been given it.

The Inner Man

James continues with one a very challenging set of scriptures. Not challenging to understand but challenging to accept because they are in direct opposition to out human nature. Our natural self.

James 1:13–15 (CSB)

We will walk through this step by step as James brings for the idea of self-deception and the progression of sin in a person’s life. As a person enters into a trial or while a person is going through a trial there are two roads to follow, the one that aligns with God and the road that opposes God. The bible calls actions that align with God a righteousness and actions that oppose God as evil. It was common throughout the bible to see man blaming God for their own shortcomings.

If God is sovereign and all powerful then can I conclude that if I fall into sin then it is God’s fault. Well we know that is not true and this is what James is combating. James brings forth first one of the attributes of God, that he is not tempted by evil. It literally means he is untemptable. There is no part of God that can do anything evil. Evil is incapable of touching God and it would be evil to tempt or draw a person to sin. Though the bible speaks of satan and and demonic forces tempting people in the bible James is going to focus on a very specific source of temptation. Ourselves.

We see from the very beginning that people struggle with this. After Adam and Eve had eaten the fruit of the one tree God commanded them not to eat from. They hid and when God came and said “Where are you?” they said.

Genesis 3:10–13 (CSB)

10 And he said, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid.”

11 Then he asked, “Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

12 The man replied, “The woman you gave to be with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate.”

13 So the Lord God asked the woman, “What have you done?”

And the woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”

Adam was sure quick to say that the it was God’s fault. God had given him a woman and she gave him the fruit. Eve wasn’t far behind in passing blame as well. She blamed the serpent. He made me do it.

How many of you have kids. How often when a child gets in trouble and you ask why they immediately blame someone else? Why are you getting bad grades, well my teacher or why did you say that to your brother, well he said called me a name first. Blame is so natural to us that we don’t even know we do it much of the time.

James says that each person is tempted… This means everyone. No one is free from temptation and he goes on to define what temptation is. He uses the words drawn away and enticed. It is some thing that pulls on a person. Draws them away from the place of safety or they are enticed . Literately baited. For all of the hunters and fisherman out there. What do you do to lure or bait and animal to you. Elk hunters use bugles and antlers, Fisherman use jigs, tubes, and crank baits all designed to lure or bait an animal to be captured.

Like the animal every human being is constantly being drawn away and enticed. They look at at the world around them and desire for something catches their eye. They start to want something and James says that want comes from nowhere else but from inside ourselves.

Is is bad to want something. No. But James is addressing the inside each of our hearts is this place that want things that are not in line with God. They are evil. The selfish desires of man are the first step to sin. We see something that we want and we elevate that high than something God wants for us. Going back to Adam and Eve.

Genesis 3:6 (CSB)

6 The woman saw that the tree was good for food and delightful to look at, and that it was desirable for obtaining wisdom. So she took some of its fruit and ate it; she also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.

What did she want? She wanted wisdom, yes the serpent is there and he is tempting here as well. But it was the evil desire in Eve’s own heart that lead to sin.

We see this in nearly every sinful act of man and women in scripture. Sin starts with a desire or a want.

Cain wanted the approval that Abel got which lead to sin, Sarah wanted a son which lead to sin, Joseph’s brother wanted Jacob’s love, Achan wanted material possessions, Korah wanted the positions of Arron’s family, David wanted Uriah’s wife. The list goes on and on. To the point that the pharisees wanted Jesus to stop that they killed him on the cross.

Bur we also see examples where men and women are not enticed

Abel wanted to please God with his offering, Abraham wanted to obey God with his son Isaac, Joseph wanted to please God through all of his trials and opportunities, Danial in captivity to not eat the unclean food all the way to the perfect example of Jesus. Why did Jesus never sin when all of the temptations of the world were put in front of him. Because he wants nothing more than to follow the will of God.

When a person is drawn away and lured then there desire creates something new and gives birth to sin. Something is created a thought, and action, a feeling, or speech that is contrary or against God. And it continues to grow until it is fully grown or executed to its fullness which leads to death. Inside of each of us is a heart that still has the nature desire to want it our own way to be selfish.

We can see this at work in our society today. Who watches the super bowl every year? Who likes the adds more than the game itself? Well companies try very hard to make sure you like them. Not including the cost to produce a commercial, in 2022 a 30 second add ran for $6.5 million. On average there are 50 minutes of adds. That is $650M dollars spent for one purpose. To put images and sounds in front of viewers to see if they will take the bait. If they will by a product and guess what it works.

Jeremiah 17:9 (CSB)

9 The heart is more deceitful than anything else,

and incurable—who can understand it?

But even though a believer still has this sinful selfish heart we are not without hope.

Galatians 5:16–26 (CSB)

16 I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

19 Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, moral impurity, promiscuity, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambitions, dissensions, factions, 21 envy, drunkenness, carousing, and anything similar. I am warning you about these things—as I warned you before—that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. The law is not against such things. 24 Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Walk though each section of this.

James says we only have one person to blame for falling into temptation and sin. Ourselves. But as we see in Galatians we have the Holy Spirit in us to give us new desires. To be tempted to to good instead of evil. We find ourselves drawn to kindness and gentleness verses bitterness and anger.

The Father of Lights

James concludes the section on trials and maturing with

James 1:16–18 (CSB)

As we are solely responsible for our own sin, God is solely responsible for all of the good that come in our lives. Especially in the context of trial there is good in them and that is from God. He is unchanging and perfectly good. But by his own choice, by his will we are saved. By his power we are reborn. And all of this happens by the holy scriptures of his bible.

For his purposes for James readers to the first fruits of his creatures.

Conclusion

What does this mean for us today?

Maybe you are here and you are exploring whether you believe there is a God or not and who this Jesus is. I would love to sit down with you and answer your questions about it.

For everyone who have been redeemed by Jesus, this is one of the parts of the bible that is universal to all Christians. Every single person will experience trials in their lives. It is just one of the realities of life. Those trials will open the door to temptation. The temptation to do what is right or the temptation to do what is against God.

These temptations have a progression. We encounter something, usually with one of our 5 senses which leads to desire or wanting something. Then we have a choice to pursue what we want or what God wants. If we pursue what we want, then sin is born that leads to action and pain, loss, and eventually death itself.

But the goal is to know that this is at work in us and redirect as soon as possible. This is the truest form of accountability to have someone to call when this is in process. Not afterwards. The sin has already been commited if we only talk to people after sin has developed. We still need people around us to correct and rebuke us when we don’t see what is going on.

Ephesians 2:1–3 (CSB)

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also.

Like sin, there is a process for righteousness. To be in the word, to know what He wants, to know how we work. The bible has to be to focal point of the Christian life. Without it we drift from one action to another. Once we know what the word says we need to ask God to show us what the shinny things of life are that entice us into sin. Then we must follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit to give us other desires.

Let us pray.

Luke 22:19–20 (CSB)

19 And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

20 In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.

Romans 15:5–6 CSB

Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement grant you to live in harmony with one another, according to Christ Jesus, so that you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ with one mind and one voice.

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