James 1 – Part III

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires.  Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death.  Do not be led astray, my dear brothers and sisters. All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change. By his sovereign plan he gave us birth through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Temptation finds its root in the desires of man’s heart, ultimately giving birth to sin and later death.  Our desires are broken.  This means that if we are going to be fixed, if we are to be healed, it is going to have to be an inside job.  A job well suited to the maker of our insides.

While desire and  temptation have their way with us, James tells us that the desire, (“his sovereign plan”) is also at work.  Contra to our death-bringing wills, his will “gave us birth”–a recreation–”through the message of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.”  We, having been birthed by the will of God are also made to grow up, so that we too might give birth.  Unlike sin’s grown up progeny, however, the full-grown offspring of the desires of God begets life.