James 1:12-15

1. James 1:12-15 12Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13 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. 14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

2. Dealing with Carnality

3. The Perpetual, Internal Struggle… • Romans 7:1-25 – A detailed and graphic picture of the struggle each and every one of us faces every day, with every temptation • Will we be ruled by our fleshly desires or will we be ruled by the Spirit of God?

4. The Perpetual, Internal Struggle… • Two players in this struggle… • Flesh – the body – cannot choose good or evil, it simply has lusts that are fulfilled or denied • Spirit – the mind and heart – can choose good or evil, it determines the boundaries for our flesh • Two catalysts in this struggle… • Law of sin – evil – characterized and personified as indwelling sin • Law of God – good – characterized and realized by the indwelling Spirit of God

5. The Perpetual, Internal Struggle… • Two fundamental principles… • The impact of the law upon our flesh results in sin because our flesh so often lusts against what the law of God requires of us! Satan appeals and tempts us through our flesh – cf. 1 John 2:15-17 (note Gen. 3:1-6 and Luke. 4:1-13) • The impact of the law upon our spirit is righteousness because our spirit knows and desires to do what the law of God requires of us! The Word appeals to our spirit through God’s Spirit! – cf. Rom. 7:14, 22

6. The Perpetual, Internal Struggle… • Two realities… • It is possible for a carnal man to do something good, but that is the exception, not the rule! • It is possible for a spiritual man to do something evil, but that is the exception, not the rule!

7. The Perpetual, Internal Struggle… • Two states of consciousness… • Without the grace of God and the continual renewal of our spirit, the flesh will win in the struggle against sin because we let sin rule in our lives – cf. Rom. 6:12-14 • With the grace of God and the continual renewal of the spirit of our minds, it is easier to put on the new man and live blamelessly before Him – Eph. 4:21-24; cf. Psa. 51:10

8. The Perpetual, Internal Struggle… • What do we take away from this? • An understanding of the struggle we face—knowing how temptation works—helps us to know how to not only face it, but to endure it victoriously! • That which we render ourselves slaves to—which rules and reigns in our lives—will become the driving force in our lives! • There is no miraculous cure for this struggle. The only cure is the grace of God through the body and blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, given on the cross of Calvary!

9. Romans 8:1-4 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, 4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.