Translations: Chinese GB Big5

JAMES 1:12-18 (web)

Christian Faith Endures Trials

Faith Endures Trials with Hope

Faith Endures Trials, Believing in God's Goodness

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

vs 12 According to this verse, what can a person do to demonstrate his love for God? What does it mean to not persevere? Persevere with respect to what? Examples?
vs 13 Clearly, God does put people through trials. Adam and Eve with the fruit tree was a classic example. Job is another example. What is the difference between those kind of temptations referred to in this section? vs 14 The Lure of Evil Desires - What techniques can we use to resist or avoid the enticement of evil desires vs 15 The growth of sin - Give an example of sin's growth in a person finally leading to death.
vs 16 What is James implying that people tend to be deceived about?
vs 17 How can realizing God's beneficial attitude towards you affect your endurance of faith?
vs 18 Another thing that affects a person's endurance within a group is what he perceives his relationship is with others in that group. What is the positional relationship that the Christian has with God and other Christians? What perspective is given in this verse on our purpose in life?

Cross References

Crown of life
Re 2:10 "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life."
2 Tim 4:7,8 "
God cannot be tempted
Heb 4:15 "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin."
The growth of sin
Ga 6:7,8 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting."
Good gifts
Luke 11:10-13 "For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent? Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?"
Firstfruits
Ps 105:36 "He smote also all the firstborn in their land, the chief of all their strength."
Pr 3:9 "Honour the LORD with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of all thine increase:"

Comments

Persevering under Trials

James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."

To the church at Smyrna Jesus says, "Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life." Rev 2:10 Near the end of his life Paul said, "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day— and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." 2Tim 4:7,8 May this be the case for all of us. For "if we endure, we will also reign with him" 2Tim 2:12 And "consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Heb 12:3
God tempts None

James 1:13 When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;

This is not to say that God doesn't put people - indeed lead people - into circumstances in which he know they will be subject to temptation. Mt 4:1 "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil." And likewise God put a source of temptation in the garden of Eden knowing the Fall would occur. So also abundant like examples of God leading people into temption can be found both historically and personally. Perhaps this also is the reason why Jesus' example of prayer ended, "lead us not into temptation." Luke 11:4

Furthermore while God doesn't tempt people directly, it could be said that he does so by proxy - that is by giving Satan permission to tempt people. Take for example 1Ch 21:1  "Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel." This was so in line with the Lord's will that in describing this incident in 2Samuel the Lord is attributed with this temptation "Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, "Go and take a census of Israel and Judah." 2Sam 24:1 And Satan sought permission to tempt Peter, "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift you as wheat." Luke 22:31 And apparently God granted him the permission to do so. And there are many other like examples.

There is a mystery here. Why is God not culpable for these things? Why is He not culpable for giving permission to others to do so? Amd why is God not culpable for leading people into temptation? If I lead an alcoholic into a bar, am I not culpable for what may follow? But then again when God leads people into temptation he knows the outcome to be ultimately good. Thus with regards to Joseph's brothers attempt to harm him, Joseph later commented to them saying, "You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." Gen 50:20 God's permissive will always has good intentions behind it.

Enticed by Evil Desires

James 1:14 but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.

By "tempted" he is not referring to the attempt to tempt someone. For concerning Jesus it is written, "we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are— yet was without sin." Heb 4:15 Yet James is referring to giving into temptation and not simply being subject to temptation.

Our flesh is innately inclined to sin. In fact the word for "flesh" (sarx in Greek) is often translated "sinful nature" in the Bible. "So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature (or flesh).  For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want." Gal 5:16,17 If one capitulates to the flesh, giving up the battle, such a person will be dragged away and enticed. And why would one surrender to the flesh, but because of evil desires. The reason why people sin is because of the evil desires they have. And while removing sources of temptation may have some impact on behavior, the root cause of sin is not temptations, but evil desires. That's why the gospel offers not simply a change in circumstances, but a regeneration and sanctiication of the person's whole being.
The Product of Evil Desires

James 1:15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

While evil desires themselves are sin, yet "sin" here is spoken of in a different sense. Here "sin" refers to one's outward actions. That is, James is referring to taking action on one's sinful desires. The product of sinful desires is the comission of sin, and the product of committing sin is death. "All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts." Eph 2:3 "The sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in our bodies, so that we bore fruit for death." Rom 7:5b "What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death!" Rom 6:21 

But what does "when it is full-grown" mean? The Greek word "apoteleo" literally means "finished" Matthew Poole comments, "sin is finished, when it is not only committed, but continued in, as the way and course of a man’s life. " But these would all indicate that the death of which James is speaking is not something that occurs immediately upon committing sin. What I think James is referring to is the corrupting effects of sins. Continuing in sin brings forth more sin. It corrupts the mind, the will, the emotions, the conscience, not to mention the body. This is beside the fact that sin, regardless of whether one continues in it, makes one guilty before God and as such subject to eternal condemnation.
God Gives What is Good

James 1:16,17 Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

Deceived about what? Of the many like warnings throughout the New Testament, the primary concerns were right doctrine and righteous behavior.

1Cor 6:9a Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived
1John 3:7,8 Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.  He who sins is of the devil
and even a few verses later James says, "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." James 1:22

In this case James is concerned about the brethren being deceived with respect to giving in to sin. "For certain men whose condemnation was written about long ago have secretly slipped in among you. They are godless men, who change the grace of our God into a license for immorality and deny Jesus Christ our only Sovereign and Lord." Jude 1:4 God does not condone sin. "God is light; in him there is no darkness at all." 1John 1:5b

New Birth through the Word

James 1:18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

The ones he chose to give new birth are those who believe in Christ. For faith precedes regeneration. "To all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12 The word of truth - the Bible - is central to regeneration. Granted that the Spirit of God regenerates a person, as Jesus said, "Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit." John 3:6 But it is the Bible that the Spirit uses to cause a person to be born again, as Petet said, "For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God." 1Peter 1:23 Therefore beware of the modern trend to seek some existentialistic experience apart from the Bible. Beware of those who put the Spirit of God at odds with the Bible.

Those who have been born again we are a kind of firstfruits among God's creation. "Firstfruits" here refers to the tithe given to the Lord under the Law of Moses. "Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God." Ex 23:19a As such "firstfruits" are those God reckons holy to himself. In Rev 14:4 they are symbolized by the 144,000 there spoken of in this way, "They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among men and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb." Rev 14:4

JAMES 1:12-18 RAP

1:12 Those who endure through trials and don't fall down
Will in the end receive a crown.
13 When tempted noone should dare to say,
"God is tempting me", for there is no way.
God cannot be tempted by sin.
Over Him no evil can ever win.
Nor does He cause you to stray.
So you're not really right in what you say.
14 We're tempted by our own desires.
We're dragged away into the fire.
15 After desire does conceive,
It gives birth to sin and so we greive.
And sin when it is full-grown,
Gives birth to death, and so we moan.
16 My dear brothers, don't be deceived.
17 Every good gift is from above I perceive.
Coming down from the Father of light
Who doesn't shift from left to right.
18 He gave us birth through the word of truth,
That we may be a kind of first fruit.

The Berean Christian Bible Study Resources


Nov 02,2011