I was reading in Genesis 22.1 this morning and came across the statement "God did tempt Abraham." When I initially read this, I feared (however brief it may have been) in my heart what the Bible critics would say: "Contradiction!" After all, James 1.13 says that God cannot tempt. So there's any obvious contraction, right?
A study of both respective words reveals that the two have different meanings and interpretations. In James, the word "tempted" is referring to enticement to do evil. "Let no man say when he is [enticed to do evil], I am [enticed to do evil] of God." This kind of temptation is the kind that comes from Satan- who seeks to devour me. The temptation of James 1.13 is an attempt to entice me to do evil with the hope and desire of me falling. This should not be attributed to God.
However, in Genesis 22.1, God did not intend or desire for Abraham to slay his son. As a matter of fact, He provided Abraham a lamb to ensure that he didn't carry out this act. The word "tempt" in Genesis 22.1 simply means "to try." To try what? My faith. Why would God try my faith? Because He knows how it can benefit me and desires what is best for me. "The trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect [complete] and entire, wanting nothing." (James 1.3-4) The kind of temptation in Genesis 22.1 is the kind that only seeks to better me as a follower of God.
Let us not make an uneducated, ignorant assessment that God is anything other than what He truly is: holy, righteous, pure, and just.
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