Do Not Err

James 1:16

16 Do not err, my beloved brethren.(KJV)

This verse looks like a parenthetical statement. And it is either a final statement for concluding the previous 2 verses, or an introductory statement for the next several verses. Looking at it, I can’t tell, but I do see a connection between the verses before it, as if James was saying-make no mistake about it folks, you let your desires rule you and you will sin and it will become your master and you will find death. It is like he is saying, don’t fool yourself when it comes to the subject of temptations and sin.

Don’t make the mistake of blaming God for your temptations or sins. God did warn us temptations would come, trials and tribulations would come. But woe to the person by whom the temptation comes- I give you the following verse in several versions.

Matt 18:7

7 "Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the man by whom the temptation comes!(RSV)

Matt 18:7

7 "Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!(NKJ)

Matt 18:7

7 "Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!(NIV)

Matt 18:7

7 "Woe to the world because of {its} stumbling blocks! For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!(NAS)

Looking at the word in the Greek for "offenses, stumbling blocks, temptations" that the various translators have used, I find that it actually means a trap or a snare. Something used to trap someone, to snare someone. So evidently Jesus is saying "Woe to the world because of its traps and snares. These things must come, but woe to the person who sets that trap." This is what I am understanding about the above verse in Matthew. In James 1:14 we see the word "temptation" being used to mean a means of testing the quality of something.

When you stop and think about it, it all really boils down to the same thing. You are exposed to the traps of this world, the snares of this world. You get tempted. Your response proves what kind of metal you really are. You start giving into these temptations and traps and you are caught. You are enslaved as Paul states in

Rom 6:16

16 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?(KJV)

Rom 8:13

13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.(KJV)

So if your flesh has the upper hand as has been true with me in certain areas, then that makes you slave to that desire of the flesh.

I guarantee you that in Paul and James day there were plenty of people who would not accept that there are consequences to serving the flesh. The people back then were just like us. They dealt with the same basic issues as we do today. The issues just look different on the outside.

But another point-James may be introducing the next subject which has to do with God’s character. I believe in a large portion of this whole chapter James is making it clear to us that what God gives us is always good. But what our flesh wants when temptations comes is the bad thing. He wants us not to make the mistake of attributing to God our sins or our temptations. Remember verse 13? People were making that mistake then just as they do now. James is saying in verse 16, "Let’s make sure we keep our facts straight, folks."

And then just as now, it is important for us to keep our facts straight, because there are times that if our facts are wrong, we end up going the wrong way, and we do it ignorantly. So do not err, beloved brethren.

Next week we will be getting into verse 17.

Have a wonderful Good Friday. Remember this is the day we remember Christ’s suffering and death on the cross brought about by our sins. You might take time to go to church or just take some time in the presence of God all by yourself and with His Word and contemplate all He has done for you by His death on the cross. Blessings be upon you. The Good News Lady