Fact Three

This is worth repeating. The fully human Jesus, who lived in flesh among us, had a fully human will and fully human desires, which He had to deny.  Let’s reason together here. If Jesus did not have a human will that was contrary to His Heavenly Father’s will, what reason would He have for making statements such as this one. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. John 6: 38. However we care to interpret this verse, one cannot deny the fact that Jesus is talking about two distinct wills or two definite and separate, orders and plans within Him. He speaks of, not coming to earth to do His will. Jesus had a will. He also made it abundantly clear that His choice was, to do the will of him who sent me.

Who sent Jesus to earth? We take this reference from Jesus Himself as He prays to His heavenly Father. Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 17: 3. Indeed! Jesus had a choice of wills, His will or His Father’s will and He was clear about denying His own will to do the will of His Father.  We listen again to Jesus, as He shows His total denial of all that is of His human nature, His flesh nature. For I do not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say. John 12: 49 – 50. Had Jesus not taken on a strange nature, a different nature, He would never  have to speak in such tones, for Jesus, who is God the Son, and God the Father, are One.

It is with ever expanding minds and thankful hearts that we approach our third fact. Here’s a reminder of the first and second facts, related to this Bible verse. God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1: 13 – 15.

The first of the three facts stated that God cannot be tempted by evil. The second said that each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Let’s carry on with the third and final fact upon which we will focus, as taken from the text.  

Third Fact – Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. What has James revealed to us that helps us to accept truth about our Brother Jesus and therefore truth about ourselves? I believe that what we are to reason through will certainly bring Jesus closer home to you as it has done for me. It gives us hope, and plummets us into a sea of grace and thanksgiving, where we see our Heavenly Father’s indescribable Love for us. We see how deep and how vast, beyond all measure is His Love.

What is the enabling, teaching, quickening Holy Spirit, working out in us? What wonderful knowledge and personal inspiration is He weaving in us and through us? It is this. When the work of the tempter is conceived in us, it gives birth to sin, which, when fully grown, gives birth to death. In other words when we are tempted through our human desires, the desires of the flesh, if at all we obey the temptation, if at all we give it conception by yielding to it, it is sin. Where is the grace and hope for us? It is that no temptation is sin. Jesus, our human Brother, has ripped to shreds this lie that the evil one keeps pounding in our heads. The deceiver, knowing our utter weakness and vulnerability in the flesh, tempts us on our weakness, not his. Always remember James’ words to us. We are tempted when, by our own evil desires, we are dragged away and enticed.

The deceiver always tempts us on our human weakness. For example, the Lord tells us that we sinners, who have died in Him, can live with Him without sinning, as He lived. Contradicting our Lord, we say that it is not humanly possible and our human minds - our ways of thinking and speaking – keep us locked into our own ways. That is evil and it is what the devil uses to tempt us with. Softly and quietly, he comes with tender voice saying that he agrees with us and that we, as sinners, cannot be perfect as Jesus lived perfectly in the flesh. He assures us that Jesus’ flesh was different from ours.

He tells us that Jesus took on flesh, alright, but it was not sinful flesh, that is, flesh that was prone to sin as yours and mine. He brings these ideas and teachings to us and we listen. They hold union with what we have in our minds and hearts, what we desire in our human nature and so we receive them all. We yield to each lie which seems so like truth in our native ears. Alas! As soon as we yield, we have sinned. We have sinned, for we have denied the Word of God and chosen to keep the deceived word. 

 Lord, have mercy! Free us from our disbelieving, doubting minds please.