Verse 12 reveals the purpose in trials which is maturity. This verse shows us that loving God keeps us faithful to Him through the trials so that we persevere and endure.
In verses 13-18, James shows believers how to resist in temptation. Sometimes the trials are testings on the outside, and sometimes they are temptations on the inside. Trials may be tests sent by God, or they may be temptations sent by Satan and encouraged by our own fallen nature. It is this second aspect of trials—temptations on the inside—that James dealt with in this section. Believers are in danger of falling before the attacks and pressures of trials. But they are also subject to falling before the attractions and pleasures of temptation. Just as a wrong reaction to testing will obstruct spiritual growth and maturity, so will a wrong response to temptation. James outlined three pieces of temptation for the believer to think about: source of temptation (vv. 13-14), the steps in temptation (vv. 15-16), and the solution for temptation (vv. 17-18).
One may ask, “what is the relationship between testings on the outside and temptations from within?” The answer is if we are not careful, the testings on the outside may become temptations on the inside. When our circumstances are difficult, we may find ourselves complaining against God, questioning His love, and resisting His will. At this point, Satan provides us with an opportunity to escape the difficulty. This opportunity is a temptation
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. 13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. 16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (ESV)
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Sin is a process (Desire-Deception-Disobedience-Death)
- It starts with the desire to satisfy our wants outside of God’s will. Temptation carries with it some deception (bait) to attract us but hides that yielding to it leads to sorrow and punishment. Desire conceives a method for taking the bait where our will approves and acts and results in sin. Disobedience gives birth to death (Rom 8:28).
- Four facts about the goodness of God
- God only gives good gifts. The way God gives is good. He gives constantly. God does not change.
- God’s gifts are always better than Satan’s bargains.
- The next time you are tempted, meditate on the goodness of God in your life. If you think you need something, wait on the Lord to provide it. Never toy with the devil’s bait. One purpose for temptation is to teach us patience.
CLOSER LOOK:
Verse 12: Finally, the one who asks for wisdom must be steadfast and infused with love. God blesses someone who perseveres under trial. In this verse James returned to the theme with which he opened this passage in verses 2–3; both refer to “trials,” “testing,” and “perseverance.” The Christian who remains steadfast (hypomenei; endures)[1] under trials (peirasmon)[2] and has stood the test (dokimos genomenos; cf. dokimion in v. 3)[3] will receive “the crown of life.” This “crown” consists of life, that is, the crown is life (cf. Rev. 2:10). There is some debate on whether this crown refers to the current life in the here and now or in the eternal state.[4] Other crowns are referred to in Revelation 2:10; 3:11; 1 Corinthians 9:25; 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 2 Timothy 4:8; 1 Peter 5:4. God promises such life to “those who love Him.” Love for God enables believers who undergo trials to rest confidently in Him. Their steadfastness reveals their love. Part of the reason some say the crown refers not to full life now but to eternal life, is because all true believers do in fact love God (1 John 4:8.). Asking for wisdom with faith (vv. 6–8), hope (vv. 9–11), and love (v. 12) brings not only the blessing of wisdom but also the blessing of victory.[5]
Why do we have a joyful attitude as we face trials? Because we love God, and He loves us, and He will not harm us. When you love someone, you trust them, and you do not hesitate to ask for help. To have the right attitude in trials, James makes the case that one must see the advantage of trials, but if it is difficult to see the advantages. We must be willing to ask for aid and God will give us the right attitude in trials. We can rejoice in trials (v. 2) and be blessed (v. 12) by enduring them. The Christian who loves God, and who knows that God loves them, will not fall apart when God permits trials to come. The believer is secure in God’s love, and not double-minded, trying to love both God and the world
Verse 13: The focus of the chapter turns from trials (vv. 2-12) to temptation (vv. 13-18). James presented a strong rebuke to those who find an easy excuse for their sinning. To free themselves from responsibility and allow themselves to keep sinning, the people would say, “I am tempted by God,” or “from God” (apo theou), denoting the origin, not merely the agency.[6] James made it abundantly clear God cannot be tempted and does not tempt anyone. There is nothing in God to which evil can make an appeal. He is literally “untemptable” (apeirastos; cf. Heb. 4:15). Enticement to sin does not come from God. God will never deliberately lead a person to commit sin because that would not only go against His nature, but it would be opposed to His purpose in molding His creation into His holy image. Yet, God does sometimes place His people in adverse circumstances for the purpose of building godly character (Gen 22:1, 12). God often tests, but He never tempts. These rewards will be our respective capacities or positions of privilege and service to the glory of Christ in His coming reign (Rev 4:10; 5:10).
Verse 14: Turning a test into a temptation to do wrong is only possible when one allows a strong desire to take control. Lured (also carried away and drawn away) and enticed express the intensity with which desire lures an individual until he or she is tragically entrapped. Sin does not force itself on the unwilling, but is chosen because of its “attractions.” James uses a fishing metaphor to describe how this craving works. This inner craving lures or draws a person out (exelkomenos)[7] like a fish drawn from its hiding place, and then entices (deleazomenos, from the verb deleazō “to bait, to catch a fish with bait, or hunt with snares”)[8] them. So a person both builds and baits his own trap.
Verses 15–16: The biological imagery is vivid. The lust or desire conceives and from this conception, sin is born. We can also think about a seed that gets planted in our minds and hearts and all of the sudden “blooms” into a full-grown tree or flower of sin. “The unmentioned father is most certainly Satan. The grotesque child, sin, then matures and produces its own offspring, death.”[9] The steps of temptation are clear: unchecked desire/lust yields sin and unconfessed sin brings death. How strange that sin gives birth to death. The word “conceived” suggests the image of a person’s will bending toward and finally seizing evil. This same idea is vividly illustrated by the path of an addict: a habit once acquired by an individual in the end completely controls that person. James uses the word “full-grown” to suggest bringing a goal to completion. The idea here is that sin has reached its maturity and has possessed the very character of the individual. Also, death in this instance refers to physical death (Prov 10:27; 11:19; Rom 8:13).[10]
It may seem strange, but James warned his beloved readers not to be “deceived” or led astray. Just as a right response to trials can result in growth to full spiritual maturity, so a wrong response to lust will result in a decline to abject spiritual poverty and ultimately to death itself.
Verses 17–18: In stark contrast with the morbid scene of death that descends from unbridled lust is the bright scene of new life that comes from the “word of truth” (v. 18; cf. Eph. 1:13; Col. 1:5; 2 Tim 2:15). The father of darkness—Satan (Acts 26:18; Col. 1:13)—generates the offspring of sin and death. The “Father of the lights”[11] gives salvation and life and is unchanging. Shadows from the sun shift, but not God who made the sun! Since God does not change, this means that we should never question His love or doubt His goodness when difficulties come or temptations appear. God does not tempt with evil (v. 13). He gives good and perfect gifts such as spiritual life (v. 18). The words, “every good gift and perfect gift is from above,” have a poetic cadence in Greek. They are literally, “every good act of giving (dosis) and every perfect gift (dōrēma) is from above.”[12] A little further on the good gift (dosis agathē)[13] and perfect gift (dōrēma teleion).[14] In the Greek text, there are two separate words to describe God’s giving. The first word (dosis) means “the act of giving” and is accompanied by the adjective for good, while the second (dōrēma) denotes the actual gifts received and is preceded by the adjective for perfect. The first expression emphasizes the goodness of receiving something from God, while the second is about the perfect quality of whatever God gives. God’s giving is continuously good; and His gifts are always perfect.
The solution for temptation is to be found in a close relationship with the Father and a constant response to His Word. Believers must rest in the unchangeable Lord of light and rely on His life-giving “word of truth.”
There is no reason why one of God’s chosen “firstfruits,” or regenerated believers, has to yield to temptation. The believer must learn to resist its deadly force, or they can never grow into the spiritual maturity God desires of His children of light (Eph. 5:8; 1 Thes. 5:5).
[1] BDAG – “to maintain a belief or course of action in the face of opposition, stand one’s ground, hold out, endure.”
[2] Has a passive meaning of being tempted. BDAG – “an attempt to make one do something wrong, temptation, enticement to sin.”
[3] BDAG – “to being genuine on the basis of testing, approved (by test), tried and true, genuine.”
[4] “The life which is promised is probably life here and now, life in its fullness, life in its completeness (cf. James 1:4)” Curtis Vaughan, James: Bible Study Commentary, p. 28. “The believer who endures trials demonstrates that he or she loves Jesus and therefore will receive the crown of life (Rev 2:10) at the judgment seat of Christ. The Bible describes the believer’s reward (2 Cor 5:10; Rev 22:12) under various vivid images such as precious metals (1 Cor 3:8-14), garments (Rev 3:5, 18;19:7-8), and crowns (1 Cor 9:25; Rev 2:10; 3:11) from Earl D. Radmacher, Ronald B. Allen, H. Wayne House, eds., Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary (Nashville: Nelson, 1999), 1663.
[5] J. Ronald Blue, “James,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 822.
[6] J. Ronald Blue, “James,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 822.
[7] Strong’s 1828, BDAG – “to drag away, with connotation of initial reluctance, drag away.”
[8] Strong’s 1185. BDAG – “to arouse someone’s interest in someth. by adroit measures, lure, entice.”
[9] J. Ronald Blue, “James,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 822.
[10] θάνατος (thanatos), Strong’s 2288.
[11] i.e., God, who created the starry universe
[12] J. Ronald Blue, “James,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, eds. John F. Walvoord and Roy B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton: Victor Books, 1985), 822.
[13] Strong’s 1394; 18
[14] Strong’s 1434; 5046