02 - James 1:9-15

 

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James 1:9-11

⁹”Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, ¹⁰ but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. ¹¹ For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits.

After writing about wisdom, James then addresses another important aspect that the new believers need to get a new perspective on. It’s the perspective of riches. As is the case today, so it must have been back then, where riches were seen as a status symbol, and one’s identity stood or fell on it. The more you had the more you were, and the less you had, the less you were. James gives a different perspective here, and later on in his letter as well.

He tells the believers that if someone has come from a financially deprived background and the Lord blesses that person financially, so that he is no longer financially deprived, then that person needs to give God glory for that financial exaltation. He goes on to add, that if a rich man comes to a stage in his life where he is suddenly financially deprived, for whatever reason, that person too needs to give God glory, despite the losses he’s incurred.

Just like his suggestion earlier, to “consider it all joy when you fall into trials of various kinds,” might have sounded strange at first, so also his suggestion to a rich man to glorify God when he loses his wealth, might sound equally strange. Let’s read on for the reason for him writing this way.

He goes on to say that just as a flower of the field fades away over time, so will the rich man pass away in time as well. None of us will remain alive in the flesh with our possessions forever, and this is a great perspective for us to live with, especially when there’s so much temptation around to become obsessed with wealth, and with this earthly life.

He goes on to explain that the fading away happens due to a natural process – the sun rises with a burning heat, then it withers the grass, then the flowers fall and its beautiful appearance perishes. Just as the beauty of the grass and flowers last only for a while, and then disappears, so also will the rich man fade away, even while he is busy with his pursuits to make more money. He seems to be telling his readers to look at riches with the right perspective, and not get deceived by its luring and attraction. He also reminds the rich believers to remember that not only are their riches temporary, but so are they, while here on earth. Nothing, and no one will remain on earth forever.

If this is the case where riches and rich people are concerned, then we need to live with this perspective every day of our lives, and learn to give God glory in all circumstances. The apostle Paul said in Philippians 4:12-13, ^“I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.  I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” What Paul was saying is that he had learned to be content in all circumstances – whether he was rich or poor; whether he possessed much or not.

Just as Paul and James did not get their identity from wealth, but rather from God, so also we need to remember that our true identity comes from God, and not from anything else – leastways from money, which is here today and gone tomorrow.

James 1:12

¹² Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 

He then turns his attention to another issue that still needs addressing even today – temptation. He says that the person who endures/overcomes temptation is blessed. Temptation itself is not sin, but yielding to it is sin. Every believer will continue to face temptations of various kinds as long as we live on the earth.

Earlier he had talked about trials that come from outside, now he’s addressing temptations, which are like trials that come from within. He says that the person who overcomes temptation is blessed, because such a person is approved by God. As believers, we’re not supposed to live seeking the approval of man, but rather the approval of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

James goes on to say that a person who is approved by God will eventually receive the crown of life. The phrase, ‘crown of life,’ could mean that every believer will literally receive a crown called the crown of life. The ‘crown of life’ could also refer to being crowned with eternal life itself.

He goes on to say that this crown of life will be given to those who love God. This reminds us of the words of Jesus in John 14:15, where He said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” In other words, those who obey Jesus’ teaching because they love Him, and therefore also overcome temptations, will be approved by God, and receive the crown of life from God. Jesus reminded us of a way of obedience that was not new actually – but one that was forgotten. He taught love-based obedience, at a time when fear-based obedience was popular. Sadly, fear-based obedience is still popular to a large extent even in today's world, but once we truly come to understand and experience the love that God has for us, then we will want to obey out of love, and not out of fear of punishment or consequences.

James 1:13

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. 

How often we’ve blamed someone else for the temptations we face, and sadly, sometimes, even God is blamed as the source of temptation. James says that when one is tempted to sin, one should not blame God as the source of temptation. As long as we live on the earth we will all face various kinds of temptations at different times, and James says in no uncertain terms that God is never the source of temptation, and he goes on to give a reason why.

The first thing he says, is that God cannot be tempted by evil. No one can tempt God to sin – it’s an impossibility. God cannot be tempted to sin. The second thing he says is that God does not tempt anyone to sin. Why would a good God tempt someone whom He sent His Son into the world to save from sin, to commit sin all over again? It’s illogical a thought to hold that God would tempt anyone to sin.

James 1:14-15

¹⁴ But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.”

He then goes on to explain the source of temptation, and the process it takes to lead from temptation to sin, and eventually to death. He says that the process of temptation involves a coming together of desire and enticing, resulting in sin. Every one of us have sinful desires lurking inside of us. The desires we have, vary from person to person and with varying intensity and vary over time as well. I believe that these desires were nurtured by the environment in which we were brought up in, and presently live in as well.

It’s when these desires draw us into the direction of fulfilling them, and when they then encounter enticement from another source; when it yields to the enticing, then sin takes place. If the desire did not encounter the enticing, perhaps the sinning would not have taken place. If one continues on in this lifestyle of sinning, then one is choosing the thing that they were saved from, when they came to know Christ – death.

By the word, ‘death,’ he is not referring to physical death, because all of us will die physically one day (unless the Lord returns before we die), but he’s referring to eternal death where one will be eternally separated from God in a place which was prepared only for the devil and his angels. But this choice would be that of the person who chooses a life of sin and rebellion against God and rejects his offer of eternal life.

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Michael Collins