The first hindrance to a walk in the light is worldliness. This is passing away or will pass away, it’s futuristic. This brief paragraph becomes especially meaningful when it is seen as describing dualism as part of the world system.
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
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and… Read More »Downcast and disturbed
Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and… Read More »Downcast and disturbed