Temptation's Inner Chain

Neville's Inner Vision

James presents temptation as an inner process, not an external force. The lust described is an image formed in the I AM, a belief you entertain about yourself and your world. You are not pulled by fate; you are drawn by the identification you give to a moment of desire. When a thought of self-centered pleasure invites involvement, the danger is in dwelling and agreeing with it; the “conception” is your assumption that the image is real within you. Once entertained, it hardens into action—sin—then, when lived, its consequence appears as death, a sense of separation and limitation. The cure is not effort but rearrangement of mind: turn away from the image and assume a new inner state. Remember that God is your awareness; imagine yourself already free, whole, and in unity with All. Do not resist with force; close the door to the tempting image and open one that confirms your oneness and abundance. Your reality is the I AM that never changes. By dwelling in that state, you prevent conception and death from taking root in your life.