James 1:12 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.
Endurance
When I was a younger man, I loved to jog. There was something that happened about a half mile into the run. Endorphins surged through my body, and it felt like I could run forever. Fast forward many years as I try to learn Jiu Jitsu and long after having to stop running, I find that I do not get the same endorphin rush, nor do I have the same endurance.
James tells us that in our spiritual walk if we endure temptation that we will be blessed with the crown of life. This is one of five crowns that we can earn for eternity. We earn this crown after being approved for our endurance. Lasting through the temptations throughout our entire lives. News flash! Temptation lasts until the day we meet the Lord. It will never stop because we are covered by the very enemy our soul battles, our flesh.
Blaming the wrong one
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.” People have a tendency to place blame where it does not belong. Have you ever noticed the number of times we or others that we hear, blame God for the bad things in their lives? Not only is this not true, but it is also impossible. It is against the character of God to do so.
James 1:14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Notice that even Satan is not blamed here. We are tempted when we are enticed by our own wants. We are our own worst enemy. We have a thought, we ponder that thought, then we are acting on that thought. This is how sin truly works. That is why Jesus tells us to get up every day and crucify our flesh!
The final consequence
James 1:15Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. When we birth the sin, we have pondered on and it becomes full grown. Which means we have fallen in the mud and wallow. Then death comes. Not necessarily physical death at that moment, but certainly spiritual death. That is unless we can come to a point and repent.
James 1:16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. We need to know our enemy; we need to know ourselves because they are one. We reject the truth because we love the darkness more than we love the light. Jesus is the Light of the world. Are you fleeing from Him?
Key Takeaways
- Endurance in temptation leads to blessings, as highlighted in James 1:12, resulting in the crown of life for those who persevere.
- Temptation is a constant challenge until our lives end; it’s crucial to understand that we often bear the responsibility for our desires.
- James 1:13-14 clarifies that God does not tempt us; instead, we fall into temptation through our own desires.
- The progression from desire to sin, as outlined in James 1:15, ultimately leads to spiritual death unless we choose to repent.
- We must recognize our true enemy and our own shortcomings, as emphasized in James 1:16, and choose to embrace the light of Jesus.
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