Trials, Temptations, and the Source of Sin | James 1

When Trials Turn into Temptations
James makes a critical distinction in verses 13–15: while God ordains trials to strengthen and sanctify us, He is never the source of temptation to sin.

“Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.” (James 1:13)

Here’s the location, location, location: the context is still trials of various kinds (James 1:2). Trials are from God and are meant to produce steadfastness, leading to maturity (vv. 2–4). But the temptation to sin within a trial comes from within us — from the remnants of our sinful nature, “the old man” (Ephesians 4:22).

God tests faith to refine it, never to entice us toward sin. That desire comes from our own "lusts” (Geneva 1599) — our corrupted inner cravings. This is a crucial theological boundary line: God is holy, and His purposes in our trials are always pure.


The Lure and the Trap
James uses two vivid hunting and fishing terms to describe the process of temptation:

1. Lured – like bait placed before a fish. The hook may look appealing, but it hides a deadly outcome.
2. Enticed – like an animal caught in a trap. The bait draws it in; the trap holds it fast.

The initial bait — whether lust, greed, anger, or pride — is not sin in itself. But when we linger over it, imagining what it would be like to indulge it, we have already taken the first step into sin.

This parallels the downward progression in Psalm 1:

• Walking in the counsel of the wicked
• Standing in the way of sinners
• Sitting in the seat of scoffers

Lingering leads to capture.


The Four-Step Process of Sin
James outlines a sobering progression:

1. Desire – the corrupt craving of the old nature.
2. Deception – believing the lie that sin will satisfy or that consequences won’t come.
3. Disobedience – acting on the desire in defiance of God’s command.
4. Death – the inevitable outcome of unchecked sin (Romans 6:23).

The Puritan William Perkins warned that “he who boasts in law-keeping shall be broken by law-judging” — meaning that the proud heart, confident in its own righteousness, will fall hardest.

Sin is not a harmless slip; it is a cancer that grows toward destruction if not put to death (Colossians 3:5).


Spiritual Death or Proof of Unbelief?
What does James mean by sin “bringing forth death” for believers? Reformed theologians historically offered two views:

• Proof of an unconverted heart – Persistent, unrepentant sin shows that a person was never truly born again (1 John 3:9).
• Physical death under God’s discipline – Some Puritans saw a connection to cases like 1 Corinthians 11:30, where God took the lives of believers who dishonored Him.

Either way, the point stands: sin’s end is ruin. For the regenerate, the Spirit will convict and lead to repentance (John 16:8); for the false convert (nominal Christian), sin will expose their lack of saving faith.


Guarding the Heart
The opposite of James’ four-step death spiral is this:

1. Desire to love God – cultivating holy affections.
2. Truth replacing deception – renewing the mind with Scripture (Romans 12:2).
3. Obedience – acting in faith, even when it’s costly.
4. Life – the crown of life promised in James 1:12.

Proverbs 4:23 commands us:

“Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.”

The steadfast Christian will be tested, but the one who loves God will respond in faith, not in sinful self-reliance.


A Call to Action
James’ counsel is both deeply theological and extremely practical:

• Stop blaming God – He is never the source of your temptation.
• Identify your bait – know what sinful desires most easily hook you.
• Cut the line quickly – flee before lingering becomes capture.
• Replace sinful desire with love for God – the expulsive power of a new affection (Thomas Chalmers).

Trials will come. Temptations will present themselves. But God has given His people the Holy Spirit, the Word, and the promise of the crown of life. The question is whether we will remain steadfast or be lured away.