12 Blessed
is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the
crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him. 13 Let
no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted
with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when
he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 Then when lust hath
conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth
death. 16 Do not err, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and
every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights,
with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 18 Of his own
will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of
firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:12-18)
At this point in our study of James 1, we might be inspired to look back to the
2nd verse
of the chapter – “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers
temptations.” (James 1:2) I believe we could read that line anew by
including only the first six words, i.e., “My brethren, count it all joy!”
I am not suggesting that the other words do not apply, but I am suggesting that
the first six words apply to an even greater extent to all of the Christian
life than the limiting provisions of the last six words. What is there of the
Christian life that could not be called joyful? The only path to joy is by way
of that divine and gem-studded stairwell called LOVE. Love brings perfect joy
in all circumstances of life. Righteousness, without love, does not exist.
Salvation without love, obedience without love, and all attributes of
redemption without love, is impossible. Even human love is only an echo and
reflection of that divine LOVE that was in the heart of our Lord Jesus Christ –
the kind of love that surpasses every other and without hesitation gives its
all for the object of its love. What is it that is poured into our cup to the
point of running over (“my cup runneth over”)? Whatever blessing
God sends has its ultimate origin in His limitless love for us. Being the
Author of Love, He writes His commandments upon our hearts with the Life-Blood
of our Lord and Savior, if we have believed unto salvation.
So turning now to the beginning verse 12 of today’s text, we observe temptation
being mentioned a second time but with a different sense and meaning to the
first mention in verse 2. In verse 2, the temptation referred to is that which
is common to all Christians in the form of general trials of life. The
temptation referred to in verse 12 is the solicitation to sin that comes from
evil sources. God tempts no man and cannot be tempted because He is Holy; this
temptation never comes from sources of good but only evil. 12 “Blessed
is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the
crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”
Falling into temptations along the way is a bit different from enduring them
with Holy resolve. But enduring and withstanding temptations thrown at us by
the devil and his minions brings a great blessing and confidence. It is the
love for Christ that enables us to stand against the wiles of the devil: “Put
on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of
the devil.” (Eph 6:11) All of the armour of God may be comprehended in
love. Without love, there is no meaningful service to God or man. (1
Cor 13)
Our faith may be tried by many hard
trials, but He never sends temptation before us. The hard trials come when God
may remove Himself by some distance from us and observe our manner of action.
This is like a mother for the first time allowing her child to catch the school
bus for the first time without her being right by his side; however, she is
attentive to watch the child from the front door. If the child encounters a
great danger by the road, she will immediately rush to his rescue. But the
danger was not sent by the mother but from some other source. The child learns
self-reliance in that way, and so does the child of God learn to live by strong
faith. Job was a man of faith who faced many hard trials. God had a purpose for
removing His constant protection from Job. But it was the devil who created the
torments. How encouraged we may be when faced with difficult circumstances and
then remember the trials of the good man, Job! 13 “Let no man say
when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil,
neither tempteth he any man.” God is blameless of every sinful
thought and will not tempt a man to sin under any circumstances.
I am afraid the devil is given more credit than he deserves in the
proliferation of sin. Certainly, he is the author of lies and evil just as God
is the Author of Truth and Righteousness; yet, the human frame is capable of
sins of its own imagination and making as well. The devil loves to present the
temptation, but it is the carnal heart of man that agrees with the devil to do
his dirty work. 14 “But every man is tempted, when he is drawn
away of his own lust, and enticed.” Temptation comes as a result
often as a result of our own created vulnerability. Out of our lust and sinful
minds, we go where we should not go, and associate with those wicked people
with whom we should not associate. We do so claiming that we can withstand the
temptations which we have invited by our careless actions. So we frequent
places of sinful activity by the impetus of lust. When we are then confronted
by the temptation, we give way to it since our lusts grow in strength as we
venture into its estate.
Well do we know from God’s Word that the “wages of sin is death.”
(Romans 6:23). No man with the stain of sin on his
soul shall be admitted to the Kingdom of God. Every sin must be remitted, and
we have that remission of sin made available through the blood of Christ. He
has redeemed, justified and sanctified us as His people. 15 “Then
when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished,
bringeth forth death.” The heart conceives lust as a woman
conceives a baby. The seed of the child comes from her consort. So is lust
conceived in the heart of man, planted there in the Garden at Eden, by that
Serpent of the ill-gotten Tree. Once conceived the child of lust will grow to
maturity. So the very first inkling of lust must be subdued before it develops
in the womb of the heart. If the child of lust is carried to term, the result
is sin, and sin brings death.
16 “Do not err, my beloved brethren.” Do not
misconstrue the source of lust and temptation. It is never sent by God and it
would be a great mistake to claim it so. God is only the Maker of Goodness. 17 “Every
good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father
of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
God is a Great Light to reveal Truth and expose evil. The dark forces of evil
cannot tolerate the Light. God has not changed in His plan and operation from
Eternity Past to Eternity Future. He is not like the ‘fair weather’ friend who
deserts when the billows roll. He is “the same yesterday, today, and
forever.” (Hebrews 13:8) He is a Friend that will never forsake or
leave us. He is a “Friend that sticketh closer than a brother.”
(Prov 18:24) A Christian (true follower of Christ) should reflect the same
nature of their Lord. They should be constant in morals and faithful in
friendship.
18 “Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we
should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.” Our Lord Jesus
Christ bought us into the family of God by His willing sacrifice at Calvary. He
was the Word Incarnate as well as the Truth in all of its immutable
expressions. Each of us in Christ have been made anew and born anew into His
kingdom. We have been born from death unto life eternal. Christ was the very
first fruit of God in His Resurrection, and He has enabled us to follow in that
resurrection life through faith and love of His Person and Word. If you truly
KNOW and LOVE Him, you are not among those who are deceived and destined for
the abyss.
