James 1:12-18 Understanding Temptation Our previous lesson looked at facing trials; this lesson looks at facing temptations. We see in verse 12 that God notices and blesses us as we display faith when we are tested. Let’s see what this means concerning handling temptations. Who is to be blamed when we choose to sin (vv. James is explaining that good works do not save a person but are the result of having been saved. Gook works do not save us but flow from a life that has trusted God's word. The natural result of being saved is the production of good works and James cites Abraham as an example of a man who had been justified by faith. And whose works.
| A Study of James - Lesson 2 - James 1:1-8 |
Address (see Overview): (1:1)
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.
Endurance: The Benefit of Trials (1:2-4)
Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Consider (Grk: hegeomai) a key concept in the Christian faith is to consider, judge or evaluate things from a heavenly perspective. Our very justification before God is based on God's 'considering' us to have Christ's righteousness, rather than condemning us for our own sins. Similarly, our sanctification is largely dependent upon applying God's truth to our earthly lives so that we see (i.e. consider) them from the perspective of God's wise sovereignty and His unmerited kindness in Christ
| Acts 11:9 But a voice from heaven answered a second time, 'What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy.' |
| Romans 6:11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. |
| Romans 8:18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. |
| Colossians 3:5 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. |
To 'consider' in this way is to apply Biblical doctrine to the trials of life. This is how God's Word moves from the theoretical to the practical. We must not only 'know' the truth intellectually, but we must also see its connection to the events of our daily lives, interpreting, analyzing, judging and forming conclusions about them based upon the truths we know. The Word of God must transform how we think about the world in which we live. We must endeavor to respond to trials and afflictions in a Bible-informed, spiritual way, rather than merely reacting according to our natural, inborn, sinful inclinations.
Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.joy (Grk: chara) signifies joy or gladness. Difficulties or trials would not normally be considered an occasion for joy, but James exhorts us to look beyond the immediate pain and discomfort of trials to the lasting effect they have on the character of the Christian. This serves as a yardstick of our sanctificationhow much joy do you experience in the midst of trials?
trials (Grk: peirasmos) the usual word for 'temptations' or 'trials', and encompasses both meanings. We will explore this distinction when we examine verses 13-16. In verse 2, trials are meant. God places trials (i.e. difficulties, hardships, testings) in our lives to produce patient endurance (perseverance). To benefit from these trials, we need to respond to them properly, seeing God's providential hand in them and realizing that His purpose is to test and strengthen our faith.
Trials are integral to our earthly existence. There are no heroes when there are no challenges. God uses trials to display and develop the godly character His grace is powerfully producing in our lives.
Even in the Garden, God put a test for Adam and Eve, and although it was the simplest test imaginable, they still failed the test. Our Lord was tested by Satan in the wilderness, but His greatest test was His obedient willingness to go quietly to the cross without complaint. Indeed, James teaches us that our Lord faced the agony of the cross with joy! And so does the author of Hebrews
Hebrews 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.We should never try to avoid the tests God has appointed for us. We should not complain about them. Rather, we should realize that God sends such trials into our lives to display His grace working in our hearts (2 Corinthians 12:10). This manifests His glory while it causes us to become more fully conformed to our Lord's image (Romans 8:29). This should give us cause for great joy when trials arise.
many kinds (Grk: poikilos). Trials come in many shapes and sizes. It may be the temptation of fleshly desire, a day of unceasing pressures and crises, the death of a loved one, or perhaps, like the victims at Columbine High School, being threatened at gunpoint to renounce your faith.
Once we have successfully endured a trial, this should not be an occasion for self-congratulation or arrogant pride. We endure by confident faith in God's grace, not by our own strength of will. The next trial could catch us entirely off guard by its type, degree or timing. We will succeed only so long as we trustGod for the grace we need, humbly asking Him for the wisdom and strength to endure.
perseverance (Grk: hupomone) to remain steadfast to your beliefs and principles despite great trials or sufferings. James teaches us that the testing of our faith produces perseverance. Without such testing, our capacity to persevere is not developed. God supplies both the faith and the trials as He brings forth patient perseverance in our lives. James says that 'Perseverance must finish its work', which means that we must remain steadfast until the trial has passed, in order to become mature in our sanctification.
mature (Grk: teleios) complete, brought to its intended end, finished, mature. James uses this term twice here in the same sentence. If we wish to be made 'perfect, mature, complete', we must let patience run its course, so as to have its 'perfect, mature, complete' work.
And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. Note that sinless perfection is not what James means by 'perfect'. Rather, he has the idea of reaching Christian maturitybecoming people who patiently remain faithful and obedient, even under trials.
complete (Grk: holokleros) a compound word from holos (whole, entire) and kleros (lot, part, allotted portion). Literally 'complete in all its parts.' Whereas teleios emphasizes a completion of the purpose or process, holokleros focuses on the thoroughness of the process.
Prayer: Acquiring Wisdom for Trials (1:5-8)
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
This passage must be kept in its context of perseverance through trials. Trials come in many varieties, and we don't always know how to respond to them properly. James teaches us to seek from God the wisdom we need to endure each specific trial. It is God who sends the trials that test our faith, and it is thus most appropriate that we should seek from Him the wisdom we need to endure the trial.
On verse 5, John Gill writes:
in the first, and primary sense of the words, it intends wisdom to behave aright under temptations or afflictions. Saints often [lack] wisdom to consider God as the author of them, and not look upon them as matters of chance, or impute them merely to second causes; but to regard them as coming from the hand of God, and as his hand upon them, as Job did; who does not ascribe his calamities to the thieving Chaldeans and Sabeans, to the boisterous wind, and to the malice of Satan, but to God: they [lack] wisdom to observe the sovereignty of God in them, and bow unto it, and be still, and know that he is God, who does all things well and wisely; and likewise to see and know that all are in love, and in very faithfulness, and for good; as well as to see his name, to hear his rod, and him that has appointed it, his voice in it, his mind and meaning, and what he designs by it; as likewise to learn the useful lessons under it, and particularly to take the cross well, to bear it patiently, and even to count it all joy, and reckon it to be right, necessary, and useful: it requires much wisdom to learn all this, and act up to it.wisdom (Grk: sophia) is used in scripture both of the speculative, philosophical 'wisdom' of the Greeks (1 Corinthians 1:21-22), and of the practical, godly wisdom of the Jews (Proverbs 2:6-22). James uses this term in its Hebrew sense of practical wisdom to live a godly life. God is not promising us the wisdom to make sound investments in the stock market, nor even the wisdom to get a passing grade on tomorrow's history exam. This promise has often been abused by Christians, but it remains a trustworthy promise that God will graciously provide the wisdom we need to persevere through life's trials.
John Gill's Expositor, on James 1:5.
How does God reveal wisdom to us? Not usually in an overtly miraculous way, but by giving us a clearer understanding and discernment of the spiritual and moral aspects of the situation and a sensitivity of the conscience to take the appropriate action. This may come to us as a flash of insight, while meditating upon God's Word. Or it may come through the godly advice of a Christian brother, weighed by the Scriptures. God is sovereignly creative in the various means He uses to impart wisdom to us.
ask (Grk: aiteo) to ask, beg, call for, desire. This is the usual word for 'ask' (see Matthew 5:42; 6:8; 7:7-11; 27:58; etc.). We are to ask our heavenly Father for the good things we need to live for His glory, just as a child asks his earthly father for food when he is hungry (Matthew 7:9-10). God promises to answer our prayer for such wisdom because He is honored when we persevere through trialssuch a prayer is clearly within His preceptive will.
generously (Grk: haplos) simply, openly, frankly, sincerely. This word occurs only here in the NT.
he must believe and not doubt Gill expounds on this
Ver. 6. But let him ask in faith, &c.] Not only in the faith of the divine Being that God is; but in the faith of the promises he has made; and in the faith of his power and faithfulness to perform them; and in the faith of this, that whatever is asked, according to the will of God, and is for his glory, and his people's good, shall be given.Nothing wavering; about the thing asked for, whether it is right or no to ask for it; for that should be settled before it is asked for; nor about the power of God to do it; nor about his will, in things he has declared he will do; nor about his faithfulness to his promises; nor at all questioning but what is proper, suitable, and convenient, will be given in God's own time and way.
John Gill's Expositor, on James 1:6.
The 'undoubting' faith required for receiving wisdom includes the resolve to act upon the wisdom God gives us. We must not balk at doing what we know to be right, out of fear of the consequences, or a distaste for the thing that we must do.like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind Mature faith is one that has clear understanding and strong convictions. Such a man is steadfast in what he believes and how he lives. James is here describing one who is not well grounded, and is easily tossed about by the trials of life, much as the sea is tossed about by the wind. Compare with
Ephesians 4:14 - As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming;double-minded (Grk: dipsuchos) a compound of dis (two) and psuche (mind, life or soul). Describes a person who is torn between two or more opinionsa person with divided loyalties who tries to serve both God and self-interests.Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.
Psalm 86:11 Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name.
| 1. | Consider it joy when you encounter trials in the Christian life, trusting in God's sovereign and loving purpose for the trials. |
| 2. | Remember the reason why God brings trials into your life: to test and strengthen your faith, and to display His power through your weakness. |
| Ask God to provide the necessary wisdom to meet the trial, confident in His promise to answer such prayers. | |
| Be willing to trust the wisdom God gives. In other words, once you know the right thing to do, follow through on it. | |
| Let endurance have its perfect work. In other words, patiently endure to the end of the trial. |
Other observations:
- Sometimes we bring trials upon ourselves, by sin or carelessness. But even these trials have been ordained by God for our growth and edification. God has ordained whatsoever comes to passeven our own mistakes and disobedience.
- God does not call us to make our trials endure, but rather exhorts us to endure the trials in patient faith and obedience until the time He is pleased to bring the trial to an end. If obedience would deliver us from the trial, then God would have us escape the trial by repentance and obedience. Patient trust and obedience is what God requires of us.
- God often tests us where we are weakest, in order to strengthen us in that area. However, there is no guarantee that the test will always deal with our greatest weakness. If He is working to develop a particular gift, or to prepare us for a particular trial or ministry, He may instead send the trials that strengthen us in the areas that will be most needed for the trials or ministry that lie ahead.
- There are no 'cookbook answers' for how to deal with the specific trials of life. Each trial is unique, and has its own unique demands. What is appropriate for one trial may be inappropriate for another. (Remember how Moses struck the rock a second time, instead of obediently speaking to it?) That is why we must prayerfully seek wisdom from God when trials arise.
- Still, James teaches that there are broad, general, basic principles that are common to all trials: We must endure them with faith, patience and obedience, as we joyfully recognize God's hand in the trials of life. God is always ready to provide the wisdom we need if we will simply ask Him for it.
- God grants His wisdom in a variety of waysthrough meditation upon scripture, a timely sermon, the advice of mature saints, a flash of insight, by opening or closing doors of opportunity, or a myriad of other means. God's wisdom may come to us suddenly, or as a growing conviction over an extended period of time. We should never underestimate the creativity and resourcefulness of our infinitely-wise Creator.
- In any case, godly wisdom will typically involve humbly considering the various factors of the trial, and the various responses available to us, from a spiritual, Bible-informed perspective, and then choosing the path that most honors our Lord.
Lesson 2 |
Articles | Books | Conferences | Hymns | Library | Links 21st Century Puritan Web Site - 1997-2002 Mitch Cervinka
| A Study of James - Lesson 9- James 3:1-12 |
Chapter 3
The Teacher and the Tongue (3:1-12)
Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many ways. If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well. Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires. So also the tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race. But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.
James warns those who wish to be teachers that there is great accountability associated with the privilege of teaching others. A teacher must be a person who can control his speechsince the words he speaks will influence othersfor good or evil. Much evil can be caused by a man who is careless in what he teaches to others by word or deed.
Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. For we all stumble in many ways. James gives two reasons why we should be very cautious about becoming teachers:
First, because teachers come under greater scrutiny by God and men as such we will incur a stricter judgment.
By God, because He will hold us accountable if we mislead others by our words or actions.By men, because the teacher is in the limelight and is looked to for instruction and as an example of how we ought to live. People expect him to reflect in his life what he teaches in his words. God's truth is often put to shame by teachers who fall into open sin. A man's actions often speak louder than his words, and often the only lesson learned from a hypocritical teacher is how to be a hypocrite.
Second, because teachers are still human and subject to sin we all stumble in many ways.21aw Authird Grade James Test Papers
Teachers are not 'super-saints' who have finally and forever conquered sin in their hearts and lives. They, like all other Christians, are forgiven sinners who battle daily with indwelling sin.Teachers must always be vigilant to avoid stumbling. At the same time, those who learn from them must not place them on an exalted pedestal, holding them to a standard which no one can measure up to. Christ, the Great Shepherd, has given shepherds to His sheep, but we must never forget that these shepherds are themselves sheep.
If anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to bridle the whole body as well. A man's words betray what is in his heart. A person who is censorious and critical of others will usually display it first in his speech. A person who is easily provoked to anger will often erupt first in cruel, vicious words. He who is more interested in things of this world will generally let you know by the things he is fond of discussing. But a person who is careful to speak only those words that are edifying and God-honoring probably exercises self-control in his behavior as wellthis is the kind of man who makes the best teacher.
able to bridle the whole body This is our goal in Christian sanctificationat least from an outward perspective. To achieve this kind of self-control, we must begin with the tongue. To control the tongue, we need to address the heart-sins that lead to tongue-sins.
To address these heart-sins, we need to recognize them as sin (the tongue does a very good job of manifesting them to us), then confess them to God, requesting cleansing and strength to overcome these sins. Finally, we must make it a priority to resist the temptation to fall into such sin in the future.
James presents numerous illustrations to describe the tongue and its influences
| 1. | A bit in the mouth of a horse. | Great, disastrous effects from a small member. |
| 2. | A ship's rudder. | |
| 3. | A flame that sets an entire forest on fire. | |
| 4. | A world of iniquity, set on fire by hell. | |
| 5. | Unlike the animals of the earth, the wildest of which can be tamed by man. (see #1) | The tongue cannot be tamed by man. |
| 6. | A fountain that sends forth both pure and bitter water. | The contradiction of a man who blesses God and curses men. |
| 7. | A fig tree that produces olives. | |
| 8. | A vine that produces figs. | |
| 9. | Salt water that produces fresh water. (see #6) |
21aw Authird Grade James Testing
Now if we put the bits into the horses' mouths so that they will obey us, we direct their entire body as well A horse is full of wild, self-willed energyuntil we put a bit in its mouth. By controlling the mouth of a horse, we gain mastery over the whole animaldirecting him to go whichever way we wish, and restraining his desire to run wild. Similarly, the man who is able to control his own tongue is able to restrain his passions and keep his whole body in subjection to the Lord.
Look at the ships also, though they are so great and are driven by strong winds, are still directed by a very small rudder wherever the inclination of the pilot desires Just as a horse can be turned by the bit we put in its mouth, so also a great sailing ship, driven by strong winds, can be turned by a very small rudder to go wherever the pilot wishes it to go. This reminds us what a small member our tongue is, and yet what a great influence it has over our entire being. We should govern our tongues with the same thoughtful care that a pilot uses in a storm to guide his ship safely to harbor.
See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire! How many wildfires are started by a carelessly discarded cigarette or a smoldering match! In dry weather, it takes little more than a spark to set an entire forest ablaze in a towering inferno of intense heat, destroying thousands of acres of trees that will take half a century or more to replace. In the same way, a careless word can provoke anger, pain, or malicious rumors that escalate into a tremendous amount of irreparable devastation.
And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell. The great evil resources of the tongue justify James in calling it the very world of iniquity. The unbridled tongue seems to know no limit to the varied and treacherous things it will say in order to injure and destroy, to spread the poison of lies and false teaching and to exert its dominion over others. The source of its fiery evil is hell itself and the prince of darkness for whom hell was created
Matthew 25:41 Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
The great wickedness provoked by the tongue, as well as the deceptions that originate from it, can make both the speaker and the hearer more fit for the fire of hell.21aw Authird Grade James Test
For every species of beasts and birds, of reptiles and creatures of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by the human race Whether we consider savage beasts, such as lions and bears, or birds, that are easily frightened and capable of flight (and therefore difficult to capture and subdue), or venomous animals, such as snakes, as well as domestic animals, such as horses and dogsall have been tamed by man.
James uses the present tense 'is tamed,' as well as the past tense 'has been tamed,' reminding us that this is something that is commonly doneand not merely some great feat that was accomplished once a long time ago. Moreover, it is done by ordinary men without the need for supernatural miracles, as when God shut the mouths of the lions to protect Daniel, or when the ravens brought food to Elijah, or when the whale swallowed Jonah and spit him out on dry land.
But no one can tame the tongue; The tongue is much more wild and unruly than any wild beastit simply cannot be tamed by the skill of man, in the way that men can tame wild animals. Instead, supernatural power is requiredthe cleansing grace of God working in the heart of the sinner.
This serves as an indictment of the 'science' of Psychology, which seeks to provide naturalistic solutions to man's spiritual problems. Psychology seeks to modify the behavior through fleshly means, without giving glory to God, or acknowledging our helpless condition apart from His grace. Psychology views humans as mere animalsthe most advanced form of animal, to be surebut an animal just the sameand seeks to tame the human heart via the same techniques which one might use (e.g. rewards and punishments) to tame a wild animal. Yet, James assures us of the very thing that experience also teachesnamely, that people cannot become truly righteous apart from God's miraculous grace.
it is a restless evil The word 'restless' (Grk: akataschetos) here means 'cannot be restrained, or unruly'. The tongue is not merely evil, but an evil that knows no bounds and cannot be contained, fenced or chained.
and full of deadly poison The words it issues forth are like the venom of a deadly snake.
Romans 3:13 'THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING,' 'THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS';With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing Matthew Henry writes:
We are taught to think of the use we make of our tongues in religion and in the service of God, and by such a consideration to keep it from cursing, censuring, and everything that is evil on other occasions How absurd it is that those who use their tongues in prayer and praise should ever use them in cursing, slandering, and the like! If we bless God as our Father, it should teach us to speak well of, and kindly to, all who bear his image. Piety is disgraced in all the shows of it, if there be not charity.My brethren, these things ought not to be this way It should be self-evident that the true religion which honors God is one that acts in a consistently honorable and holy way before both men and God. Such inconsistency is the hallmark of hypocrisy.
Matthew Henry's Commentary at James 3:9
Such contradictions are not found in nature:
- Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?
- Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs?
- Nor can salt water produce fresh.
Our Lord said it this way:
Matthew 7:15-20 Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will know them by their fruits.Even if there were such a thing as a spring that issued forth both fresh and poisonous water at different times, who could trust it? If someone ever died from drinking its water, it would be labeled a poisonous spring, and men would avoid it.Just as a spring of water must consistently yield fresh water, so also the Christian ought consistently to speak words full of grace and wisdom, that are edifying to others and glorifying to God. And, though this may not presently be our consistent practice, it ought to be our fervent goal and prayer to God, as we diligently seek, by His grace, to learn to control our tongue.
| 1. | Consider that your tongue often provides the first evidence of the condition of your heart. If your speech is vulgar or abusive, it reveals something about your heart. Act swiftly to address the heart problem whenever it is made manifest in your words. | |||||||||
| 2. | If you have opportunity to teach the Word, recognize the serious responsibility that attends the teaching of the Word, and be careful to teach only what is true, God-glorifying and edifying. | |||||||||
| 3. | Remember that a man who can keep his tongue under control can likely control all his actions. Therefore, self-control should begin with the tongue. | |||||||||
| 4. | Never forget what great harm our little tongue can do, and consider your words carefully before you speak them. | |||||||||
| 5. | Don't try to tame your tongue apart from God's graceit simply cannot be done. Pray to God for the grace to keep your tongue under control. | |||||||||
| 6. | Avoid the hypocrisy of using your tongue to bless God and curse men. Seek to live a consistent Christian life that gives proper honor to both God and men. | |||||||||
| 7. | Remember the illustrations:
|
21aw Authird Grade James Test Questions
Lesson 9 |
Articles | Books | Conferences | Hymns | Library | Links 21st Century Puritan Web Site - 1997-2002 Mitch Cervinka