James 1:12-18 Testing and temptation - where do they come from? Tempting implies that the motive of the tempter is to cause the one "he" is tempting, to do wrong. Why did God put the "tree of the knowledge of good and evil" in the Garden of Eden? Was it for the purpose of setting up His newly created people to fail and be sinful? If there were a bottle of poison on the shelf that said "deadly Poison" on the label, would a rational person say that whoever put that label on the bottle is just trying to cheat me out of some pleasure that I deserve? Shouldn't they have been able to trust a God who had done nothing but good for them, to tell the truth and not have some hidden motive up His sleeve? God never said, "If you eat it, I'll kill you." No, disobedience and distrust start the death process all by themselves. God was merely saying, "Trust Me" I've always done only good for you, "just trust Me." God never has, nor never will tempt or test anyone to do evil. He allows it, because He honors the free choice that He placed within us. It was man's free will and choice that brought sin and its consequences into God's perfect world. He offers us an alternative life style, "one that says God, I trust You and choose to follow Your plan, because You love me and have provided a way of escape." James tells us that within us is a desire to do evil. Dwelling on that desire results in sinful acts. A continuing lifestyle of sinful acts leads to spiritual death and often premature physical death. So, it becomes not an act of God but an act of our own sinful will. "Shouldn't I know better than God what's right for me, after all it is me, and I should know what's best." Right!!!??? If we're honest we'll have to say, "It hasn't worked yet."

Passing the Test