Tested By God, Not Tempted

July 6th, 2026
by Lance Waldie

James 1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.

Since the Greek term behind “trial” (peirazō) can also translated “temptation,” context must determine the English translation. Trials are clearly the topic of vv. 2-4 & 12, but in v. 13 the context shifts to temptation, James distinguishing between the two. Whereas God certainly ordains trials in the lives of His people to draw out the hidden nature of their hearts and mature their faith, He never tempts His people to sin. For example, God may test a man by allowing him to lose his job through no fault of his own. In response, the man might question God’s love or even His existence if his unemployment is prolonged. Likewise, God might ordain that a mother be bereaved of her child, prompting her to be tempted to believe that God has forgotten her or that He is not truly good. Like the Teacher (Heb. Qohelet) in Ecclesiastes who observed the vanity of life (1:2; 12:8) in light of how unfair life can be, man can be tempted to blame or question God for all the seemingly unfair things that happen to him. James, like Qohelet, desired that true believers persevere under these trials (v. 12). This of course entails remaining faithful under trial, finding joy in the midst of them while praying for wisdom (1:2-5).

In reality, our inward temptation to sin is congenital from our conception. Our will is free to choose, but our will is also depraved. Even our good decisions are made for selfish reasons, for when given the opportunity to do the right thing, if we succeed, we expect something for our efforts—either recognition or payment or both. Even when we make the wrong decision for right reasons, we blame someone or something else for that decision. Nothing is more common among mankind! But this is not so with God. He is holy and pure, unable to sin or tempt us to sin.

James deduces that since God cannot be tempted by sin, He could therefore never tempt anyone to sin. Donald Burdick comments, saying, “[God] cannot be successfully tempted. His omnipotent, holy will fully resists any invitation to sin. Furthermore, in Him there is not the slightest moral depravity to which temptation may appeal. Therefore, it is inconsistent to think that God could be the author of temptation.”

So, since there is no moral depravity inherent within God to which the devil may appeal, Satan’s efforts to snare God to sin are worthless. This can be seen in his efforts to tempt Jesus—God in flesh—to sin in the 40 days in the wilderness (Matt. 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13). Though Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness for testing, the devil used the opportunity to tempt Him to sin. This is a perfect illustration of what James is talking about. Christians are obviously led by God’s Spirit into times of testing, but in those situations satanic temptations abound.

Food For Thought
Since it is clear that God tests His people—from Abraham (Gen. 22:1) to Joseph (Gen. 40-50) to Job (Job 1:12; 2:6) to Israel (Judges 2:22) to Hezekiah (2 Chron. 32:31; cf. 2 Kings 20:12-19)—believers must pray as Jesus taught us: “Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil” (Matt. 6:13). But why pray this if in fact God cannot tempt us? Answer: so that while God is testing us, we fervently seek His mercy that He not allow Satan’s temptations to prevail upon our weaknesses (cf. Prov. 30:8-9). Paul thus assures us that “no temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13). Therefore, our prayer is that God be true to His word and assure us that the sins we most fear succumbing to will never overtake us during our trials. Such a prayer is guaranteed to be answered in the affirmative, just like the prayer for wisdom in 1:5.