What is the origin of sin? v.14

tempted when carried away and enticed by his own lust, desire

even though your desire is for Jesus you may find another law within you making war with the law of your mind. Rom 7:23 Only becoming converted even allowed me to see that these sinful desires. It is a false expectation to think that for the Christian there will never be another desire.

What does happen? New mind, but still feel promptings of sin in flesh. The beautiful thing for Christians to understand is that the mind has the power when strenghtened by the spirit to do what? Control the body, but tragedy of tragedies, many are letting the body control the mind. God works on the controlling factor. It is a miracle to have a new mind in a body that is still feels the pull of sin. This leads to a serious conflict! Lesson? We don't have to be bound by our desires. Why not? You can choose a new master. Slave of Christ or of sin. Good news is that whoever is trusting in the death of Jesus, what will God give them? New mind. = Jesus is my Master.

What does desire do? dragged away and enticed, when desire has conceived! (Pregnant issue)

Desire and now the verb! Conceived.

What can you ladies out here tell me about the verb conception

something harbored

two things have to come together

what does it mean spiritually? I would have to agree with the temptation for conception to take place.

You can have the desire, but you have not sinned until conception takes place.

What are the two things that come together?

What would Christians want to become very intelligent about?

Desire, but the question is will I permit it to conceive?

Another conception, not of lust, but of ? Truth and purity

See the process: Desire, conception, gives birth to sin

When conception takes place it is almost inevitable that what will take place.

If you want to not sin, where to break up process, before conception, spiritual contraception!!

Don't think that you are going to change this process all that easily. Most of you are all too familiar with this process. It keeps springing up. Does that mean you are cut off? No, it is desires springing up, but they do not have to lead to conception.

Desires are the root of what? What can they lead to?

Conception. If we permit a desire to conceive it can give birth to what? Sin, Sin can lead to death.

What is the one thing God gives to Christians? new desires! Does that mean another kind of thought could never come to a Christian? Unless there is someone who's about to be raptured, they're so holy. Those desires have made little patterns in our minds, they pop out at the least desirable time.

Today's passage addresses the issue of changing these patterns.

Is it possible to establish new patterns? By the grace of God, the Christian does something to establish new patterns.

Look at verse 22. What two things must go hand in hand together?

hearing and doing. Notice what two aspects of our being, mind. Doing involves action, body. Many have become Christians, but haven't addressed this issue, heard lots of things, but haven't always acted. That leads us to what condition that James has already identified. Which leads to instability. This is a dissection of double-minded, hear and not do.

Double-minded people are in what condition.

and he brings in an illustration here. v.23 This is remarkable!

mirror

How is it possible for a person to look in a mirror and to go away and to immediately forget what they look like. Serious question 'cause many are doing it today. 2 minutes

What are the factors? Whole condition is called, ______ (self- deception) and a vital issue is at the root of it!

has to do with quality of look superficial or intent

one more factor

Mirror is law, yes.

One more minute to look. some have not yet focused on v. 25 to break this open.

One looks superficially in law and sees only self

One looks intently and continues to look, sees perfection and liberty. If you see perfection and liberty in the law, who are you seeing

What does the avg person see in law? bondage

How do they feel? Might want to forget what you've seen, why? It comdemns.

What is 2nd seeing differently? Perfect law. Many of us think law is flawed--what sort of law is it that is impossible to keep?

What is a person seeing when the look into law if they're finding liberty?

(What is blessing if one is blessed in what they're doing)

The only way to be blessed in doing law is to see it not as a list of requirements, but as something that gives freedom, and the only way to see law as something that gives freedom is to see the Perfect Life of Jesus in my place so I am not trying to keep the law as a list of requirements to be saved!