James Expounds on Faith Volume 7

 Receiving Wisdom from God Part 4

James 1:12 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. KJV

The coming of trials, test, and temptations for a redeemed, regenerated, and resurrected child of the Most High God who has now become Abba/Father to us is very much a reality, however, it still never comes to us without our feeling dread, dispair, and discomfort because as long as we are in this tent/house/body our souls reside in, then we will be constantly bombarded with the temptation to go back to being the old 👨 man and allow our old nature to rise back up and take over our tent/house/body. The Apostle Paul knew of this reality within himself and therefore wrote about such strife, strain, and struggle to the Churches he had planted throughout the regions of his missionary work, for example he wrote these words to the Church @ Ephesus, "That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." (Ephesians 4:22-24) (KJV). So, we can see then why the Apostle James is now declaring that the man or woman who has been redeemed by our Lord Jesus Christ is blessed when they/we face temptations head on and come through them by yeilding to the Power of the Holy Spirit to enable, equip, and energize our new man to walk through the test or trial victoriously, as it is written here, "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." (James 1:12) (KJV). The trying and testing of our faith is the primary form of temptation the Apostle James is referring to here, although the temptation to do evil (which is what all sin against God ultimately is) can also be what James is referring to as well.

The English word 'endureth' is translated by the Greek word hupomenō meaning to stay under (behind), that is, remain; figuratively to undergo, that is, bear (trials), have fortitude, persevere: - abide, endure, (take) patient (-ly), suffer, tarry behind. The English word 'temptation' is translated by the Greek word peirasmos meaning a putting to proof (by experiment [of good], experience [of evil], solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication adversity: - temptation, try. The English word 'tried' is translated by the Greek word dokimos meaning properly acceptable (current after assayal), that is, approved: - approved, tried. You see, just like silver and gold must be tried or tested by 🔥fire to see if it is real/genuine and not phony or fake, so does the professing child of God's faith need to be tried and tested by 🔥 fire because not all visible Christians or Churches actually are real/genuine, remember the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ when He said, "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not Prophesied in Thy Name? and in Thy Name have cast out demons? and in Thy Name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity." (Matthew 7:21-23) (KJV). Those of us who are real/genuine will receive a 'crown of life' from our Lord Jesus Christ Himself which is not to be given to us for our accomplishments, but an incorruptible eternal crown for enduring our sojourn and pilgrimage home to our Lord Jesus in Heaven, as the Apostle Paul wrote of it with these words, "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) (KJV).  

Here is what Albert Barnes had to say of James 1:12, "The Apostle seems here to use the word 'temptation' in the most general sense, as denoting anything that will try the reality of religion, whether affliction, or persecution, or a direct inducement to sin placed before the mind. The word temptation appears in this chapter to be used in two senses; and the question may arise, why the Apostle so employs it. But, in fact, the word 'temptation' is in itself of so general a character as to cover the whole usage, and to justify the manner in which it is employed. It denotes anything that will try or test the reality of our religion; and it may be applied, therefore, either to afflictions or to direct solicitations to sin - the latter being the sense in which it is now commonly employed. In another respect, also, essentially the same idea enters into both the ways in which the word is employed. Affliction, persecution, sickness, etc., may be regarded as, in a certain sense, temptations to sin; that is, the question comes before us whether we will adhere to the religion on account of which we are persecuted, or apostatize from it, and escape these sufferings; whether in sickness and losses we will be patient and submissive to that God who lays his hand upon us, or revolt and murmur. In each and every case, whether by affliction, or by direct allurements to do wrong, the question comes before the mind whether we have religion enough to keep us, or whether we will yield to murmuring, to rebellion, and to sin. In these respects, in a general sense, all forms of trial may be regarded as temptation. Yet in the following verse James 1:13 the Apostle would guard this from abuse. So far as the form of trial involved an allurement or inducement to sin, he says that no man should regard it as from God. That cannot be His design. The trial is what he aims at, not the sin. In the verse before us he says, that whatever may be the form of the trial, a Christian should rejoice in it, for it will furnish an evidence that he is a child of God. In any way - if he bears the trial. It is possible that James had that passage in his eye. The sacred writers often speak of such a crown as promised, or as in reserve for the children of God. A common expression to denote those who are truly pious, or who are his friends. It is sufficiently distinctive to characterize them, for the great mass of men do not love God."

If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ and His amazing healing power, pray this from your heart to the Lord Jesus Christ (you speaking directly to Him), Dear Lord Jesus, I confess to You that I am a sinner and I need Your forgiveness. I believe You shed Your Blood and died for my sins. I believe that You rose from the dead proving that You alone are God. I repent of my sins. I want to turn from my sins. I ask You Dear Lord Jesus to come into my heart and take control of my life. I want You to be my Lord, Savior, and my God. Amen...


Sincerely in Christ,


Clifford D. Tate, Sr.


Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul - Are you Broken by Pornography and Masturbation? You can be Restored by the Lord Jesus Christ and brought into Deliverance, Freedom, and Victory! A Guide for Men and Women in the Enemy’s Crosshairs” e-book available now @ Amazon Kindle, @ Apple I Bookstore for IPod, Barnes and Noble for Nook, Reader Store for Sony Reade, Kobo, Copia, Gardners, Baker and Taylor, and eBookPie…