Title [Text: About 1:13-15] Test (Temptation)
Above we looked at God's test for refinement. Another test today (Peirazomeno temptation)
In other words, let's look at temptation. The first thing to know is that this test is not from God, but from within. In other words, it occurs because a person is deceived by the evil temperament and greed of sin that remain in him. Therefore, you are solely responsible for it. We must keep awake and pray so that we do not fall into this kind of temptation, and we must focus our energy on holiness.
1. You must not make excuses for God while you are being tempted (13).
God cannot be tempted by evil and He Himself does not tempt anyone. However, many Christians try to blame God despite being drawn and deceived by their greed. We do not try to escape from that temptation by turning to God's will. We must not make this mistake. You must know that God does not conduct any tests related to sin. Our first parents made excuses against God after failing in the test. Adam's answer. “The woman whom God gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate” (Genesis 3:12). Under no circumstances should we make excuses to God. We must admit our mistakes and repent.
2. They are subjected to this kind of temptation by being drawn away by lust and being deceived (14-15).
This is not meant to refine me. To be deceived means to swallow the bait. If you swallow the bait, you will catch fish and die in pain. If you are not greedy, you will be indifferent to the bait. Such a person will never be deceived and will not suffer any kind of hardship. There are many people around us who have ruined our lives because of greed. You don't know how many people whose authority and honor are trampled underfoot overnight. There are many people who are tempted spiritually because of carnal greed. Christians should always be on the lookout for this and be on the lookout for it. Saul, the first king of Israel, is a typical king who disobeyed God's word and brought his own destruction because of his greed. Among the characters in the early church, Ananias and Sapphira were the ones who were put to the test because of this greed. Achan also fell because of this greed, and Judas Iscariot also sold Jesus and committed suicide because of this greed.
The text says, “When lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death” (15). These are precious words that should not be forgotten. If you are greedy, you will commit a sin without your knowledge, and that sin will eventually lead to death. The wages of sin is obviously death. All sins are committed because of greed. We must overcome this greed. Greed even prevents us from bearing fruit when we hear the word (Mark 4:19). Greed is indeed a terrifying creature that destroys ourselves.
3. Greed can be defeated when you are filled with the Holy Spirit.