James 1:13-15 NKJV

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

I was drawn (get it) to this verse today, and could not hep but wonder about a couple of words and their Greek meanings.  It was pretty interesting, walk with me.

We know the author and creator of temptation.  He showed his seductive face in the early chapters of Genesis, when he painted a deceptive picture of the Tree God told Adam and Eve not to eat from.  Yes satan, the devil, Beelzebub, or just the enemy, whatever you call him, he is the villain of all our stories.  So with this as the foundation of our journey let’s look at the text.

Let no one say when he is tempted (g3985; in the Greek; peirazō, meaning-to try whether a thing can be done; or to attempt, or to endeavour; lastly to try, make trial of, test), “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

I think that we can all agree or should all agree that God does not do either of those things to us.  He does not need to try or test to see if something can be done; He can do all things.  He doesn’t attempt anything, He does it.  Therefore, temptation is not aligned with His character.  So if you did not before let’s all agree now.  TEMPTATION CANNOT COME FROM GOD.  

Next, But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.  There is a point when we are all tempted.  Let’s cancel another thought, the devil is not bringing temptation and throwing it at us.  The text clearly states that temptation happens when he is drawn away (g1828, the Greek word exelkō, meaning-to draw out or draw away. To lure forth as in hunting and fishing as game is lured from its hiding place, so man by lure is allured from the safety of self-restraint to sin).  I find this to be fascinating.  If you’ve ever been fishing, (I’ve only ever hunted as a kid if you consider going after black bird with a BB gun near the canal by my childhood home) you have a unique strategy.  You bait the hook, putting something on the hook that the fish wants.  Something that will make the fish come to your bait which is really covering the trap (the hook).  And that is just what the enemy does.  He sees what you desire, what you want and cleverly places it where it can be seen but away from your hiding place or the safety of self-restraint.  You see when the fish is in its hiding place it’s safe.  It has to come out from the protection.  If we stay in our safe place; (Psalm 91:1 NKJV. He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty), we cannot be lead astray, we have to come out from the protection.  

We’re drawn away from safety by his own desires (g1939, the Greek word epithymia, meaning-to desire, to lust after, to crave, have a longing desire for what is forbidden) and enticed.  Lusting what is forbidden.  Going back to Satan’s first deception, isn’t that exactly what he did make what was forbidden seem desirable.  Our lust and desires draw us away from the Safety we’ve been given, have set up for ourselves, even provided by others.  

If only it stopped there we could have a chance.  Because it is here that our desire shifts gears and goes full throttle.  You see when we stray away going after desire, that’s when desire has conceived (g4815, the Greek word syllambanō, meaning-to clasp, to seize (arrest or capture); to catch, or take one as prisoner; and while ot also means to conceive, as of a woman, those other meanings are terrifying because they seem to work together.  Physically capturing taking you prisoner then forcing conception somewhat like rape), it gives birth (g5088, the Greek word tiktō, meaning-to produce (from seed) producing sin) to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.  Like the woman in the book of Proverbs, chapter 7 she gives the perfect example of this process.  

However, God loves us too much to allow even our weaknesses to doom us.  He gave us all a way to escape when our own desires get us into a harmful situation.  

1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

The Lord came to protect us from ourselves and as if dying on the cross to cover all of our sins was not enough.  He has also given us outlets to save us from ourselves and our waywardness that can keep us from living the life freedom He also came to provide for us.

God cannot tempt us it is not in His character.  The devil cannot attack us in our safe places, we have to leave and open ourselves up to him.   When we leave ourselves open, the enemy wants to imprison us but God has given each of us a way of escape.