“But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”
James 1:14-15
Understanding ourselves, how we can lose self-control, can better help us understand how to have/maintain self-control.
I’m not aware of any passage in scripture that better lays out the descent of mankind into sin than the simple explanation of James 1:14-15. Verse 13 clearly absolves God of responsibility and verses 14-15 clearly demonstrate and emphasize our personal role and responsibility when it comes to our own sin and the ultimate consequences thereof. But the language here is what’s so striking to me.
“Each one” - Ἕκαστος (Gr)- Hekastos - Hek'-as-tos -As if a superlative of ἕκας hekas (afar); each or every: - any, both, each (one), every (man, one, woman), particularly.(Strong) Why is this important? Because it’s universal. It applies to all people in all places for all time. No one is exempt from the truth about to be revealed.
“Tempted” - Πειράζω (Gr) - Peirazō - Pi-rad'-zo -From G3984; to test (objectively), that is, endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline: - assay, examine, go about, prove, tempt (-er), try.(Strong)
“Carried Away” - ἐξέλκω (Gr) - Exelkō - Ex-el'-ko - From G1537 and G1670; to drag forth, that is, (figuratively) to entice (to sin): - draw away. (Strong)
“Enticed” - Δελεάζω (Gr) - Deleazō - Del-eh-ad'-zo - From the baes of G1388; to entrap, that is, (figuratively) delude: - allure, beguile, entice. (Strong)
Looking at these last three words we can see that “Each one is enticed (tempted) when he is enticed (carried/drawn away) and enticed (baited) by his own lust.”. A notable use of language here is how “carried away” and “baited” are “out of order”. We think of the bait first and then being led away by it; but here, the being carried away is put first. Why? Perhaps the key is the word “and”. “And” does not always mean “in addition to”, but sometimes means “that is to say”. In other words, “Each one is carried away, that is to say, baited, by his own lust.”
“Lust” is translated in some thought-for-thought bibles as “evil desire”; however, “evil” is not inherent in the original greek word and can only justly be rendered as such by context. More importantly, it’s our lust that is the issue. This is where self-control is or is not. Plain and simple. Control your lusts, control your outcome.
Of course, we have all failed to control our lust. We have all sinned and fallen short and faced spiritual death. Thanks and praise and glory be to God that He has loved us to save us through grace from ourselves when we could not. “Could not” as in “did not”, not “could not” as in “impossible”. For when lust (desire) has conceived with choice (action), it brings about death. The choice is ours. The ability is ours. May we lean on God for wisdom to better control our choices.
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