James 1:12-18 gives counsel concerning a right motivation for endurance in godliness, concerning a right attitude toward the Lord our God, and concerning a right understanding of temptation to sin. The first sentence of the paragraph (verse 12) promises a sure blessing upon those who are faithful to endure the trials of life through an obedient love to the Lord. Then the remainder of the paragraph presents a serious warning for those who fall away at sinful temptation through the enticement of their own selfish desires. Through this promise of a sure blessing and this presentation of a serious warning, a contrast is provided between our relationship toward the Lord our God and our relationship toward the lusts of our flesh. Having begun in verse 12 with a fortifying promise, this paragraph continues in verse 13 with a forceful prohibition. Grammatically, verse 13 is a compound sentence. The first independent clause of this compound sentence forcefully presents a prohibition against error -- “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God.” The second independent clause of this compound sentence, joined to the first by the conjunction “for,” forcefully presents a proclamation of the truth -- “For God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.”
1. The Prohibition against Error 2. The Proclamation of the Truth
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Pastor Scott Markle was raised in a Christian home, and received the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior at the age of four. He has served the Lord his God and Savior in pastoral ministry since 1992. He has served as the pastor of Melvin Baptist Church, a small country church in the...