James 1, continued:
James 1:13-18
- James 1:13 – See Matthew 4:1; Hebrews 4:15. How was Jesus tempted if God cannot be tempted? Some argue that this means Jesus was not deity, but that view conflicts with many other passages in the Bible. See John 14:30. Satan tried to tempt Jesus, but there was no desire in Jesus at all to do anything evil.
- James 1:14-15 – We are tempted because of our own lust.
- Lust (restrained) ➡ Sin (unrestrained lust and/or action) ➡ Death (separation from God; Isaiah 59:2; Romans 6:23)
- Sexual desire (I Corinthians 7:3) ➡ Sin (Matthew 5:28 and/or Hebrews 13:4) ➡ Death (separation from God; Isaiah 59:2; Romans 6:23)
- Desire for money (I Timothy 5:8) ➡ Sin (Colossians 3:5 and/or Ephesians 4:28) ➡ Death (separation from God; Isaiah 59:2; Romans 6:23)
- James 1:16-17 – God gave the desire, but we must keep it in check. God gives us all good things.
- James 1:18 – James might be saying they were the first generation of Christians.
James 1:19-21
- James 1:19 – God created our bodies and knows how they work. He says slow down your anger.
- James 1:21 – Remove the bad and put in the good.
James 1:22-27
- James 1:22 – If we know God’s word, but aren’t doing it, that’s a problem.
- James 1:25 – Because of the law of liberty, we are free from sin. Seem James 2:12. We will (I Corinthians 9:2) be judged by this law. Romans 6:18
- James 1:26 – Compare James 1:16, 21. Don’t deceive yourself about your position with God if you are not truly serving Him.
- James 1:27 – In those days, widows and orphans were in particularly dire straits.