James 2:14ff : Background Information from James 1:14-15 (Post 6)

The more I read Post 5 in this series, the more I see the similarities in thought between James and the thread that I posted in Proverbs. The resemblance is powerful.

Did anyone have any trouble seeing the parallels?

The intimation I gave should be apparent to all:

Sin causes physical death

And

Righteous action saves the life, extends the life, preserves the life

Following the commands of God, being a doer of the Word (can I say yet: adding works to your faith?) will save a person from the deadly consequences of sin. James is talking about saving the life by obedience!

I wish to back up a bit and go over a couple of passages in James.

James 1:14-15

“But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

Before I get into this verse, I want to ask a question. Does it not resemble the verses that we viewed from Proverbs from my last post?

“…the years of the wicked will be shortened” (Prov 10:27b)
“…he who pursues evil pursues it to his own death” (Prov 11:19b)
“…he who is careless of his ways will die” (Prov 19:16b)

Up to the point of 1:14, James has been talking about the trials/temptations (both English words translate the same Greek word “peirasmos” in James) of believers. The principles we gain, and the lead up to our considered verses:

1: Believers are to count it all joy (1:2) when they fall into trials/temptations because the successful overcoming of them has beneficial results (1:3) that grow us toward maturity (1:4).

2: God can be counted on when we go through these trials/temptations as long as we ask (1:5), but the asking needs to be without doubt (which precludes faith) (1:6, 7).

3: The poor brother should glory in his exaltation (which is both present in the trial/temptation itself: God gives us the privilege to be in trials/temptations, and in them we are the object of His loving and gracious concern; and prospective in the trial/temptation’s outcome: his maturity, and the blessing of the crown of life (see vs 12)) (1:9).

4. The Rich brother should glory in his personal trials/temptations as a form of humiliation (1:10). Trials can be used by God to remind the rich Christian of the transience of his own earthly life and how quickly all his material blessings can be lost (1:11).

5. Life will be richer, deeper, and fuller for those who, like Job (see James 5:11!!!), reach the end of their trials victoriously (1:12)

6. We should have an attitude of love for God through our trials and not one of blame toward Him for our being tempted by evil, for He does not tempt anyone with evil (1:13)

Now to our considered verses.

Lets quote them again:

James 1:14-15

“But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

God does not tempt anyone with evil (1:13)! The readers of James’ epistle should not sinfully charge God with responsibility for their temptations. Rather, the responsibility is their own. There is no temptation for us, in the final analysis, except when we respond to some seduction in an inward way and find the evil in some way desirable.

James now goes to trace the potentially deadly consequences into which man’s evil desires can lead him. The language he uses here is that of childbearing. When one is drawn away by his lust, this desire experiences a “conception” and subsequently gives birth to sin.

Desire is the mother of sin! The conception and birth of sin from desire occurs when lust is united with the human will, so that the birth of sin becomes the determination of the heart. But after the sin is brought to birth through desire, it grows (or, is repeated) and reaches maturity (in other words, when it is full-grown). Then sin in turn bears a child of its own – namely death (sin… brings forth [Greek “apokyo” = “gives birth to”] death).

Death is the grandchild of sinful lust or desire! Physical death is the cul-de-sac into which our lusts can lead us. James reaffirms this point in 5:20: “He who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death”. As we have already seen repeatedly in the book of Proverbs, physical death is the ultimate end of sinful conduct.

Since James is talking to his regenerate Christian brothers (see Post 2 in my series, where I prove this), it is plain that even a born-again Christian can flirt with premature physical death by indulging his sinful lusts. This is an extremely serious consideration!

K.C. had asked about repentance. Here is one function of it. Immediate repentance from sin, that is, a turning from the error of our way (5:20), can cut the sin off before it is “full-grown” and thus save the sinning one from death.

Sin, when it is mature, gives birth to physical death! We only need to think about this for a few moments before images and instances come rushing to our mind. Sexual immorality can contract HIV for the person so indulging. Drugs can cause overdose. Speed kills. Anger, when full-grown, can lead to death. If you think about it, can’t you picture and conceive that physical death can be the result of full-grown sin in each example that you consider? I can’t imagine a single sin, that taken to its maturity, could not be envisioned to cause premature physical death.

How does this relate to our study of James 2:14ff? James states that being doers of the word and adding works to our faith can save us from the deadly consequences of sin; can save our lives! This is a salvation by works, and not by grace through faith (as discussed in Post 3). In the next 2 posts, we will be considering James 1:21-22 and James 5:19-20, as preparation to our continued study of James 2:14ff. This post and the next two are setting up vital background information to James’ concept of salvation in James 2:14ff.

Your comments are sincerely welcome, as your questions and objections.

Antonio