Condemned
But each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desire. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.
James 1:14-15 (CSB)
The fallen nature of humanity comes with a death sentence. Sin in one’s life cannot be escaped without salvation. James, the half-brother of Jesus, clearly states that sin draws us away from the Lord and entices us to participate in things that oppose Him. This approach to life carries an eternal penalty, as humanity is condemned because of sin.
HUMAN DESIRE BRINGS SIN
James addressed the progression of sin that leads to death in his letter. He explained that sin arises from unchecked and uncontrolled desires of the flesh. These fleshly desires give rise to sin because the flesh is inherently fallen. The flesh pursues and craves what is contrary to the Lord, which ultimately leads us down a path of sinful separation from Him. Humanity's fallen nature serves as the breeding ground for sin.
SIN GROWS
Sin grows as the individual engages in it. The sin that once offered momentary satisfaction no longer delivers the same sense of fulfillment. Consequently, we find ourselves pushing the boundaries of sin in pursuit of that same feeling. As sin expands, our distance from the Lord increases, and our ability to feel the conviction of sin diminishes. Sin grows by numbing our senses to its wrongness, which causes our hearts to harden.
SIN BRINGS DEATH
The consequence of sin is death. Death results from a sinful state because disobedience to the Lord necessitates punishment and payment through death. This death has a two-fold reality. Physical death exists due to our fallen nature. It is a reality for all people since everyone lives with this fallen nature. The second form of death is spiritual or eternal death, which is the everlasting experience of Hell where we endure God's eternal punishment and wrath.
FALLEN NATURE leads to SIN which GROWS and demands DEATH.
QUESTIONS
What is an example of how sin grows?
How would you explain how sin numbs our senses to obvious sin and leads us to a place of no longer experiencing conviction?
