RPG Adults
GOD IS HOLY
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13
James 1:13
Leviticus 11:45
“…ye shall therefore be holy,
for I am holy.”
GOD IS HOLY
In James 1:13, James uses the word “tempted” in the context of the incitement of man to sin. As believers are still subject to the allurements of sin, they are commanded not to think that temptation to sin is from God. “Let no man say…” (James 1:13) is a command of prohibition. The believer is not to say or even harbour a thought that God can tempt him to sin. He must not even imagine that God can be responsible for it somehow. God does not entice anyone to do evil.
Our God is holy, without sin in Him (Lev 20:7). He is infinite, eternal and unchangeable! He is always pure, just and never involved with sin.
God cannot be tempted with evil: The temptation that was posed to the Lord Jesus Christ when He was on earth was Satan’s attempt to get Him to sin. But being the God-man, He cannot be tempted to sin, meaning he cannot be enticed to sin. He is like firewood soaked in cold water – He will never be lighted! There are no weak points for Him to be tempted. No temptation can gain a foothold of Him. On the other hand, man is like wood soaked in gasoline. We are highly flammable!
God does not tempt man: Being holy, pure and perfect, God does not tempt anyone to sin. God cannot be the source of man’s temptation to sin because God is holy. He cannot sin, and He cannot make people sin. Any temptation that will lead to sin should never be attributed to God. Sin is of the devil. God will never seduce anyone to do evil. God may test people by trials but He will never tempt them to sin. Thus, when allurements of this world pull a man to sin, God cannot be blamed for it. Let us be careful not to entertain the thought that we can get entangled with sin because of God. That is falsely accusing God.
When the devil lures man to transgress God’s laws, he wants God to hate the man who disobeys God. His tactics are the same from the beginning (1 John 2:16-17). However, the believer whom the Spirit indwells will be led to confess his sins before God. And the Lord will forgive his sin.
THOUGHT: (Read Psalm 51:5.)
PRAYER: Father, keep me in the hollow of Thy hands that Satan may not tempt me to sin against Thee.