Trials and Temptations

James 1:2-18

2 Count it all joy, my brothers,[b] when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
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.

By Lifeway

One thing you need to understand in order to feel the weight of what you’re about to study is the fact that the Book of James (AD 48–52) was the first book to be written in what’s now the New Testament. Nearly five hundred years had passed since Malachi had written the final words of Old Testament Scripture.

You don’t just pick up parchment and decide to write a letter to God’s people. This wasn’t the age of blogs, social media, or talking heads on news networks. What would prompt somebody to address people he had never met?

The Spirit of God had an urgent yet eternal word for the church in that moment as well as for us today. So the first details we need to know are who James’s audience was and why God spoke to them.

James, the half brother of Jesus, wrote this letter to believers outside Palestine. This was a decade, maybe less, after the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ.

Let’s put this time frame in context. If we’re tracking the early church’s progress as recorded in the Book of Acts, we’re not even halfway through the book yet. In fact, believers were just starting to be called Christians (see Acts 11:26), which was originally a derogatory term opponents used to mock and belittle believers. Christians had scattered, but Paul hadn’t gone on his first missionary journey yet.

Peter was literally facing a trial of the legal kind. Many Christians were literally facing life-or-death situations. Persecution is still a reality for Christians throughout the world today, but these aren’t the only kinds of trials worthy of mention in Scripture or worthy of the Spirit’s comfort through the Word of God. James said trials of various kinds. Family, finances, health, work, and neighbors can all be trials.

We shouldn’t be surprised when we face trials. Trials come just because we live in a fallen world broken by sin.  The good news is that vindication and victory are also guaranteed. Jesus Christ, who suffered unjustly to the point of death, was not only resurrected but is also coming back to judge the righteous and the unrighteous. Fiery trials will shed light on the truth: Jesus is Lord. He’s worthy. He’s good.


*  This devotion was found at Bible.com titled “James: Faith/Works” by Lifeway.