Beware the Sin You Raise
"Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death." - James 1
There are occasions when we fall into sin, an unfortunate reality of living in this flesh, in the world, which is a cage inhabited by a lion who seeks to devour us. Yet, as believers, we have access to an ever-ready advocate who intercedes on our behalf, whose blood covers us, making forgiveness applicable to our account. Because of this, we pick ourselves up, reject sin, ask the Father to make us wise, and to lead us not into the temptation that once captured our attention and imagination. Praise God for his grace and mercy toward us in freeing us from sin's snare - repeatedly. However, if sin should enter into our lives and not face a swift execution, it will become a force that takes our lives.
Sin is initiated by desire. James says, "But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire." The temptation to sin originates as desire in the heart of man. We have to be aware and alert to the type of thinking that says you and I can entertain whatever desire that may be introduced into our minds, since it is not sin. To say it is not sinful is not the same as saying it poses no danger. If you were to introduce an adolescent lion into your home and feed it regularly until it became full-grown, the danger would soon become obvious. The danger of entertaining tempting thoughts, whether of lust or of revenge or slothfulness, may not be immediately obvious, but feed them long enough and they will soon turn to devour you.
Desire begs to be conceived. Desire lives in the same place as Conviction. He is a talkative housemate. He whispers to Conviction until he becomes weary of hearing. Conviction, in turn, is worn down to the point of curiosity or a need to silence Desire's constant nagging. Pretty soon, Conviction is lulled into compliance by Desires persistence. There is no rule in the house (of your heart) that can stave off Desire's influence. There's no religious law that can keep us from the influence of a sinful desire that is allowed to slowly work on our conviction. It must be evicted immediately and given no time to whisper its reasons. This is the picture we get from James.
"Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death." When desire is conceived, turning into sin, and sin is nurtured, it becomes the fully grown adversary, like the lion, living within your home. It wars against your spiritual life. The same pantry that you drew from to feed it as a pup becomes its private hunting grounds where it consumes all it sees - leaving none for the weakened owner of the home. James warns us that the two can not reside together. In no uncertain terms, he says, "sin when it is fully grown brings forth death." It is an inevitability - that the sin you conceive and raise will kill you.
This is not easy to see. James follows this statement with "do not be deceived, dear brothers." God's desire is not to punish you by preventing you from experiencing the joy of housing a cuddly lion pup, but to save you from the inevitable death you will experience at the jaws of the fully grown lion. Don't be deceived into thinking God aims to rob you of joyous experiences - at his right hand are pleasures forevermore. His grace is seen in our recognition of sin's true nature and intention. We reject sin and repent from it, knowing that what seems able to be tamed today will tomorrow, if nurtured and raised within the walls of our heart, will consume us.
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