Bible Brad

Trials and Temptations (James 1)

5 min read

Context

  • James 1:2-18

    My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything. But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, since he is a double-minded individual, unstable in all his ways.

    [9] Now the believer of humble means should take pride in his high position. But the rich person’s pride should be in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a wildflower in the meadow. For the sun rises with its heat and dries up the meadow; the petal of the flower falls off and its beauty is lost forever. So also the rich person in the midst of his pursuits will wither away. Happy is the one who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God promised to those who Love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death. Do not be led astray, my dear brothers and sisters. All generous giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or the slightest hint of change. By his sovereign plan he gave us birth through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Count it Joy

  • Testing produces endurance
  • Endurance leads to perfect completion

Ask in Faith

  • One must ask without doubting
  • Do not expect anything if you ask with any doubt
    • Think of the centurion (Matt 8:5-13, Luke 7:1-10)
      • Matt 8:6-10

        “Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible anguish.”  Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” But the centurion replied, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. Instead, just say the word and my servant will be healed.  For I too am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to this one, ‘Go’ and he goes, and to another ‘Come’ and he comes, and to my slave ‘Do this’ and he does it.”  When Jesus heard this he was amazed and said to those who followed him, “I tell you the truth, I have not found such faith in anyone in Israel!

      • Luke 7:2-10

        A centurion there had a slave who was highly regarded, but who was sick and at the point of death.  When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave.  When they came to Jesus, they urged him earnestly, “He is worthy to have you do this for him,  because he loves our nation, and even built our synagogue.” So Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof.  That is why I did not presume to come to you. Instead, say the word, and my servant must be healed. For I too am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”  When Jesus heard this, he was amazed at him. He turned and said to the crowd that followed him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith!” So when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave well.

    • Yes, apparent contradiction but no really. Luke wrote to a Gentile audience so leans on the idea of a Gentile being let to Jesus, someone he was unworthy to meet, through his Jewish friends, Luke’s own goal in ministry. Matthew wrote to Jews, who already had a complex about being better than Gentiles
    • Either way, the point stands: do not doubt the authority of God and it will be granted to you without question

Humility

  • This ties back to the centurion, too
  • We should both take pride in our co-heir status and remain humble in the means by which we became co-heirs, the blood of Christ
  • Live a life focused on gaining crowns to cast at Jesus’s feet, not one focused on the world or the trials it presents

Action

  • Take every test not as a trial but as a quest that has a payoff at the end
  • Life isn’t about rewards, its about worshiping God and casting those crowns at his feet is the best form of 1-on-1 worship that we are promised

Important

Question:What do you take from this?In my own life, areas like pride, lust, and anger can rear as areas of temptation. Keeping my eyes fixed on the end goal can help. Does it help you?

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