“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.”
(James 1:12)
The first time we looked at James we looked at the notion of faith and asking for things like wisdom with certainty because God wants you to come to Him, and He wants to give you such gifts (re: 8th Aug, James 1:5-6). But in the same chapter James also discusses endurance. The term “carrying the cross” doesn’t mean easing Jesus’ burden, but in following Him you take up one of your own. The path of the Christian is one of challenge, persecution and judgement. You are challenged by friends, bosses, family; made out to look foolish in classes or even over dinner; and you are judged sardonically by non-believers…sounds appealing right?
But the Bible says blessed are those who “persevere” through all of this for they will receive “the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him”. Or as Romans 8:17 puts it “if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory”. We are not promised a life of ease but one of the greatest reward imaginable when we have poured out our lives in service on this planet. Paul and James noted (as Jesus repeatedly told the disciples) that inevitably following The Way would lead to a number of struggles and challenging experiences. But as co-heirs of Christ, in sharing in His suffering, in suffering in His name, we would also jointly inherit His glory.
This isn’t like the employer who still owes you a couple weeks pay, God’s good for His promise and His promise is the crown of life ! (For those of us who’ve forgotten our rightful inheritance is death, this is a serious change of events !!) We aren’t toiling for nothing and at times when we may feel fed up it’s well worth reminding ourselves why we do. Or perhaps more importantly what it is that we are toiling for.
I brought this up for another reason. A lot of young Christians struggle between discerning what is testing and what is temptation. As Christians put on this earth for but a season we expect to be tested by God, but how do we know what are lessons and what aren’t?
James straight up rules out a link between God and tempting (1:13-18). Instead he says when we are tempted it is because of our own base desires, which lead us into a horrific downward spiral should we appease them. In contrast, God is “good and perfect”, He would not bring things of a tempting nature about even to give our spiritual maturity a check-up.
“Bad company corrupts good morals” (1Cor 15:33). As you grow in your walk you will inevitably come into interaction with people acting in a more worldly way than you would envision for yourself. Take stock of this and remember this verse. Meeting such a person is not God trying to see if you start mimicking their sin too. Think about the nature of God. With the best intentions in the world we can still mess up, so it can be sensible to try to offset our chances. In such a scenario, God may watch the way in which you do or don’t compromise but never would He act with the intent of let’s see if he/she falls to temptation ! Such behaviour is not of The Lord Our God. Paul knew it, James knew it and you need to know it.
God bless and keep you always x
Working Towards Calvary 