This testing we go through is to approve us, it is the dokimos word that I wrote about a few days ago. God’s ultimate desire for our life is to bring us through it having stood the test of time and to stand before Him approved, mature in every way in Christ Jesus. Job understood this: “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10) James continues to reveal an aspect within the testing that we must look out for and that is the temptation that latches on to the testing.
“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.” (James 1 v 13-15)
So the testing time is God approving us, placing a value on us, maturing us. God is there at the centre of your trial. But we see something else is possible and we know it all too well in our life. That is of temptation. The temptation that says “I am justified because of this testing to go and do whatever I want to do. I deserve this.” The testing may be God leading you into a huge disappointment to mature you but then comes a temptation that says, “I am going to respond angrily” or “I am going to go and get drunk” or “I am going to go and overspend to make me feel better”. God has nothing to do with this temptation. There is no aspect of the testing that involves this. “Let no one say God is tempting me” for the reasons:-
- The Message uses the word impervious to show us what James is saying. God is incapable of being damaged by temptation.
- The source of temptation isn’t from God. He tests but He doesn’t tempt. He never entices.
- The temptation happens because we drag ourselves away from the testing or within the testing into a fantasy moment. Let’s look at that for a moment.
Since the first lie in the garden the devil has continually worked at destabilising who you are in God. Every sadness he has exploited; every accusation he has magnified; every mistake he has echoed; he has continually reminded you of what you don’t have and who you are not. You need to work harder and better. He is the father of lies. He is the tempter. And if you are going through a test watch out today because he will not be far away.
The sinful desires are easy to list as a Christian.
But what are we grasping for? We reach, we long and we chase. These false dreams, deceptive satisfaction and poisonous fruit are by their descriptions dangerous. And we never get what we hoped for. In turn they attack us to steal, kill and destroy our lives and James says it gives birth to death.
So I encourage you today if you are in a testing period of time. Have a proper and right view of God. He does the testing but the tempting has nothing to do with Him. He does not want you to be lured by the use of bait even if you are hungry and it looks a needed response to give.
Missions Paul 