Do We Tempt Ourselves??...........

[Tim Myers]

I was reading the first chapter of the book of James today and it started me pondering something.....

James 1:14-16 says.........

"But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.
Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.
Do not err, my beloved brethren."

Do these verses negate the idea of "the devil tempting us"??

Because it clearly says that we are tempted....the thing that tempts us....the temptation to sin comes from.....allowing ourselves to be drawn away by our own carnal desires and enticed.....

....not necessarily by some devil whispering in our ear.

In fact, the entire book of James appears to convey the idea that our sins and our desire to sin come from nowhere else except that grayish-pink, wrinkly thing inside our own heads......

Or am I merely interpreting it wrong??.......

 

[Isolation]

Hello again sir,

Have you read in Leviticus when the Lord tells the priests to separate themselves from the unclean, because they were to be a holy people? In the new covenant made in the New Testaments every person is a Saint, a priest, an ambassador if you will to tell the Good News. In the same manner Master Yeshu also spoke of this indirectly saying what fellowship does darkness have with light? I do not say shut your self up from the world, but rather to not befriend evil people who can cause you to be tempted.

(Leviticus 20:26)
And you shall be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.

(2 Corinthians 6:14)
Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

 

[Bear.Fr00t]

Yes, we are tempted by our flesh, to fulfill the desires of the flesh. We are at war with our own flesh which desires to satisfy the carnal desires of the flesh. Paul tells us to not make provisions for the flesh, but we do it all the time, sometimes even unconsciously, so that we can satisfy these base desires. Thank God he has saved us from ourselves through the blood of Jesus