Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. No one, when tempted, should say, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil and he himself tempts no one. But one is tempted by one’s own desire, being lured and enticed by it; then, when desire has conceived, it engenders sin, and sin, when it is fully grown, gives birth to death.
In this part of James, the point seems to be one wrongly blaming of God for the temptation or giving into it. That reminds me of the saying, “Boys will be boys.” Often males are left off the hook as those who simply can’t control themselves. In the disaster of “purity culture,” all the responsibility and blame is placed on the girls and women. Shame on us.
We have only to look in the mirror. Guess whose fault it is when we give into temptation and sin? None other than “yours truly.”
The idea of testing seems clear enough in the text. We might say that temptation comes our way as sort of a testing to help us see our weakness or how far or not we’ve come along. A key here is to take full responsibility ourselves for not giving into temptation, or when we do to own that, and quit blaming God or anyone else.
Yes, in God’s love out of love for God. And out of the desire for goodness, for the good of all, including our own good.
So no more excuses. We should never excuse ourselves or blame someone or something else; whatever temptation comes our way. We bite our tongue, or hold ourselves in check, etc. Period.
This post is not about addiction which needs special help through (psychiatric or psychological) counseling and sometimes medication.
Jesus community 