Don’t Take The Bait!!! (Conquer Sin!)

Can you isolate THE most important idea or concept in the Bible? I can’t; but there are some real “biggies”! The death, burial and resurrection of our Savior, Jesus Christ, definitely at the very top of the list. For the christian, someone who has “put on Christ” in baptism (Gal. 3:27) there is a concept that is of extreme importance. Avoiding sin, conquering sin, to the degree we can. It is a constant battle. How can the christian beat back sin?

Peter and Paul both give us information telling us that even though Jesus forgives us, we as individuals, must do much of the work needed to reach the holiness that God demands of us. Paul said, in Romans 7:7-25, that he struggled with sin at times and in

1 Corinthians 9:27 he said that he had to exercise self discipline to conquer sin, he had to discipline his body. We struggle in a spiritual battle Eph. 6:12-13, and must use the tools God has given us through Jesus to win the battle. One set of verses, for the christian, is a major key to success in the battle against Satan. It is a daily struggle, but with thought and awareness, the battle can be less a struggle.

The verses are James 1:12 -15.

James 1:12-15

“Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 13 Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

Temptation, the temptation to sin, must be endured. I would say, based on the word of God, it is a lifelong endurance, but it can become a more successful struggle over time. Verse 12 even says that we can be approved by God and receive our own eternal reward if we love Him, if we endure. (Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”, John 14:15.).

There are some words of great interest and importance in James 1:12-15, they are:

Temptation.

Crown.

Drawn away.

Lust or desire.

Enticed.

Conceived.

Sin.

Finished.

Death.

Jesus said to some early christians, and it applies to us, that they were to be faithful even to death and that they would receive a crown of life, Revelation 2:10 and 11. This is the same crown promised here in James 1. Our reward as christians will be eternal life, but to receive our reward we must endure temptation. The key is to understand how sin and temptation work against us. God does not tempt us. God cannot tempt us because God cannot be involved in or with sin. God is holy. That is why Jesus is our mediator, because God cannot experience in any way, sin. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” 1 Timothy 2:5.

So how does temptation happen? YOU make it happen!

“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” , vs 14. Temptation happens in YOUR mind. It is a product of allowing yourself to be “drawn away”. The terms 'drawn away' and 'enticed' are related to fishing terms. Jesus said that He wants us to be fishers of men. Jesus was the greatest fisherman. Satan is a fisherman also. He wants to fish for YOU, for your heart and mind in order to destroy you!

>Drawn away = exelko (ἐξέλκω, 1828), ek, “out of,” and No. 2, “to draw away, or lure forth,” is used metaphorically in Jas. 1:14, of being “drawn away” by lust. As in hunting or fishing the game or prey is “lured” from its haunt, so man’s lust “allures” him from the safety of his self-restraint.< Every person has his own lusts. Some lust for or have temptations in regard to lasciviousness (sexual sins), others steal, lie, covet other people's things, they are prideful, gossips, have impure language, and many other sins. Jesus said these things come from the mind, Mark 7:14-23. Enticed is also related to fishing, >deleazo (δελεάζω, 1185), primarily, “to lure by a bait” (from delear, “a bait”), is used metaphorically in Jas. 1:14, of the “enticement” of lust.<

Our problem with sin is dwelling, in our mind, on the things that God forbids. The “lusts of the flesh”.

Galatians 5:16-21

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. 18 But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance (contention, strife), emulations (envy, jealousy), wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings (in modern terms: “partying”), and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

So, there are things that are temptations for each of us. They act as lures just as a fishing lure attracts a fish. When a fish takes the bait he dies, he becomes dinner! When we take the bait we sin and sin brings death! When does sin bring death? Immediately! All of this can happen very quickly. Sometimes it happens slowly. But, it happens EVERY time we allow lust to conceive or take hold of us, then we sin, then death or separation from God is our state. We as christians must repent when we sin. We must ask His forgiveness. We should reduce our weakness and not sin, as our goal. The word encourages us to be better, to even be holy, 1 Peter 1:15-16

What can you do? How can you avoid being lured by your lusts? You do it by changing your mind. Ephesians 5:15 “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise.”

You must enthusiastically, with great desire, accurately, work daily, to understand God’s will for you and put your own lusts aside. You must gain as your own way of living the fruits, or way, of the Spirit. In the previous verse Ephesians 5:14, Paul says to WAKE UP! It is time to be part of the light that only Jesus can bring, but you must do the work. The Spirit of God will not change you by some unknown mysterious action. YOU MUST BUT IN THE WORK AND STUDY TO CHANGE YOURSELF! 2 Timothy 2:15, says “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” The Spirit will only change you if you study the teaching that He has given in the written word, the Bible. The Time to start is now, we need to be “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.”, Ephesians 5:16.

One last thing. The idea of “walking circumspectly” from Ephesians 5:15 is extremely important. Everyday and at every moment you can, everything should be examined in your life. There are people who we run into, christian and non-christian who are temptations. They are lures. They are also opportunities. Don't let them change you for the worse, teach them about Jesus! Are you an example of christlikeness to those around you? Do some people temp you to say or do things you should not? Are you having trouble, constant temptation at work or home and you keep falling into sin? I know you do because we all do. We need to strengthen our own minds and warn ourselves. We need to see temptation coming because we have trained ourselves in the fruit of the Spirit. We need to work at being righteous. We need to show others the high standard that Jesus calls us all too. It is a full time job and takes constant examination.

Paul and Peter both said they had to practice self discipline. In 1 Cor. 9:24-27 Paul said he had to keep himself under self control. That encourages me to know that even the great evangelist and apostle, Paul, had to put in the work to please the Lord.

Don’t be lured. Don’t be a lure.

I can help you find a scriptural church of Christ local to you, email me!

Clint Little

Balaam’s Donkey.

kindersir@gmail.com