A Meaningful Passage

Introduction

There are sixty-six books of the Bible, and of those, I’ve read just about all of them. There are countless scriptures, many touching the being within me, the pull-strings of my heart. The idea of having a favorite passage and sticking to that same passage throughout a lifetime is a wonderful thing. With that being said, I have found it as situations and trials come into play during my life, some passages carry more meaning and impact. The scripture this essay will be focusing upon is James 1:12-15 which says:

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

This essay will look into this scripture in its Greek meaning; it will give background information on the writer on what was happening during those times; and it will show why it is so personal to my life right now.

Searching the Scriptures

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial.” Before I even start to look at something in the Greek, I like to check things out in the dictionary first. A trial, in this context, is an affliction or trouble or someone going through a distressing or painful state. And with that in mind, the word peirasmos can not only mean trial, but temptation, experiment and prove. The last word, prove, would be unusual verbage in the scripture, but would make good sense and add good light to what is being said which is about a person’s character through a trial. That character is to show how genuine I am by what it is that I do.

Since peirasmos is a Greek word that means both trials and temptations. It is used in the chosen study verse and shows that God does not lead me into sin, but my own sinful desire to do so. When James switches to “tempted” in the next few verses, he doesn’t use peirasmos, but peirazō which means “to test”. God doesn’t me with sinful desires. I do that and it is when I let my sinful desires takeover my life falls apart.

The Bible speaks of three types of situations in what causes a trial. Job experienced a trial which was a testing by the devil. God gave permission for it to happen, but Job was going through some difficult times. Job went so far as to curse the day he was born in Job chapter 3, just to get the book started.

In Ecclesiastes 8:14 it says, “There is something else meaningless that occurs on earth: righteous men who get what the wicked deserve, and wicked men who get what the righteous deserve.” The good guys get the bad stuff. The good guys get the struggles and the persecution. The bad guys don’t.

In Hebrews, there is a good deal of talk about discipline. In chapter 12:4-11 is a wonderful passage about discipline. It is also a great passage about a trial of perseverance. In verse 6, it talks about if God receives me, he flogs me. And flogging is a trial, at least in my mind.

And so, we have this at work, these three trials: trials brought on by Satan to test me, trials brought on by everyday life, and trials brought on as discipline. And this actually leads into the next part:

Background Information

It is important to note the audience to whom James is writing. He’s writing to a struggling people, though united in Christ and having trust in Him, they have difficulties. A good deal of James’ writing is very, very interesting to me, if not poetic. So when it is noted that James uses aphorisms in synonymous couplets, it makes sense for the feeling of poetry. These are mostly used in the Old Testament, such as Proverbs and Psalms; James would use them sparingly in his book. The verse in question uses this.

Step-sayings are another technique that James’ utilizes. A step-saying is much like taking a number of dominos and standing them on edge and then knocking them over: A leads to B which leads to C then leads to D and so forth. You see this in verse 15 and also in verses 3-4 of Chapter 1. I remember reading other passages in the Bible and seeing similar step-saying patterns. Knowing this will bring those scriptures into a new light when I read them again in the future.

A debate-saying comes in the general formula of: a) ‘Do not say’; b) a quotation; c) a refutation “for” statement. Debate sayings are found in the Old Testament and in my recollection spoken by Jesus in the gospels quite a bit. In the Old Testament, debate-sayings can be found in Ecclesiastes and Proverbs. Similarly, Jesus said debate-like-sayings in all four of the gospels using such phrases as ‘why do you’ followed by a generally same formula.

The man that is James is a very interesting person. I’ve studied him on and off over the years. I know he was known by many to be a man of prayer. He would stop and pray constantly and drop to his knees, hence the nickname “Camel-Knees”. The nickname is due to his callused over knees from dropping so hard.

James is the half-brother of Jesus, but in the opening statement it humbles me how he calls himself a servant to God and Jesus Christ. I think about how hard it must be to know that your half brother is the son of God, and yet James was a strong man in the faith. James’ execution was started as a stoning, but then ended up being clubbed to death. His heart for others is so compelling. He died praying for his enemies shortly before the siege of Jerusalem.

There are various arguments as to what sources James used in his book, if any. Some sources say that James is a full account of the Sermon on the Mount out of the book of Matthew, while others say that it doesn’t pull from the book at all and that its source is completely “Q”. Personally, I think there is a strong case for both. James is the half-brother of Jesus. I’m sure he did learn a few things from him growing up since Jesus was the oldest, which would make sense to me for an obvious “Q”. And the Sermon on the Mount, there is obvious similarities between the two when comparing scripture.

Personal Meaning

I’ve had a hard road over the last eight years. My health has come and gone and come again and it really has been tough, to say the least. And I have turned to scripture for comfort for each trial that I have faced. Friends have held my weary arms up. I am reminded that I have a weak body now, but it will be raised with power. Rejoice in the Lord always! My attitude should be that of Christ Jesus. All these scriptures have helped me through my trails and struggles.

James 1:12-15 provides me comfort now, along with the other scriptures. And with the trial that I am currently going through, this pain issue from my toes, legs, arms, and more, I have found that it is important to know that trials are a joy, due to the growth from which they bring about in a person. That’s part of it in my mind. Trials do more than just that show growth.

I’ve learned that trials show what type of relationship I have with God. It exposes that out of me and allows me to either change that in my character or to continue to wallow within myself. This also goes for sin, should sin be involved. I’ve found that when I’m going through a trial or hardship, I have a choice between two basic things:

a) Do I want to draw closer to God for strength, love, peace, understanding, etc.?
b) Do I want to turn away from God and turn to something else for possible strength, love, peace, understanding, etc.?

These are questions asked generally in the back of my mind, in my subconscious, but the character of my being does ask them.

I’ve read that there is a war going on in this world. There is a war going on in America. In fact, there is a war going on right here on the campus of Dallas Baptist University. The war I speak of is the battle between good and evil and it is raging ever so much today as it was yesteryear. But the strange thing is that evil is a person’s sinful nature. I create many of my trials. Other trials are given to me specifically from Satan. Still other trials are trials by “facts of life”. And I almost forgot about the “Pruning Trial”, where I am disciplined as a child of God.

The response to the first trial is the same as the last. The response to all of the trials is one and the same and that: Come near to God and he will come near to you (James 4:8). And when this happens, no matter how I or you or anyone feels, it makes easier to be joyful in the heart.

In Closing

James is a solid soldier, a solid writer, and his scriptures that he added to the Bible are impacting to my heart. It was great to study back into the Greek, checking into trial and tempted. Seeing trials from different perspectives in scripture was eye-opening. Learning about his poetic writing style, the synonymous couplets and such, captures his audience then as it does today. His book and the verses within it help me through my tough times. His book gives me hope that even though my life may feel bad and tomorrow may not feel any better, God is still here with me. That’s what matters to me.

A Study on James 1:12-15

James 1:12-15
“Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one; but each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death.”

James is writing to people who are struggling. Although they are united now to Christ and learning to trust Him, their lives are full of difficulties. How do should they go through their trials as Christians? This is the question James seeks to answer for them, and for us as well.

In the preceding section, James deals with the rich and the poor. Our perception is that the rich, by definition, are immune from trials. James indicates, however, that riches will fade away, they offer no real healing or solution to our trials. We cannot look to wealth as the answer to the trials that we face, though we are tempted to.

Now James returns to the thought with which he began his letter. “Blessed is the man who endures trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him.” This is parallel to vv.2-4 “Count it all joy, my brethren, when you meet various trials...”

We certainly do not feel blessed in the midst of trials. In fact, we may wonder if we are cursed. We may wonder in the midst of a trial if it is ever going to end, if there is any real hope that it is going to turn out okay. In v. 12, as earlier, James reminds his readers that there is an end to this time that will be far more glorious than we can imagine in our present circumstances. To endure, like counting it joy, is not something that we do by sheer will power. To endure is to continue to turn to God as our only source of life. It is to count on Him to give us His presence and His peace in the midst of whatever we are facing. And it is to live as if He is working His transforming and redeeming will through this current suffering. It is to wait on Him to give us wisdom and light when all we seem to have to offer Him is our darkness.

Yes, James assures his readers--there is an endpoint. We endure not for the sake of the current chaos, but for the promised resolution. God will bring good out of this, and we count on Him to do this. We await the crown of life which is the same as being “perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”(v.4)

Sometimes when we are in a trial, we are ambiguous about God. In fact when James speaks of being "double-minded" in vv. 7-8, he could mean our being in two minds about the character of God. We may be tempted to say that since God got me into this mess, it is His fault if I sin. In fact He is tempting me to do evil by leaving me in this difficult circumstance. We are tempted to think that God is double-minded about us! God both promises to help us and tempts us in our difficulties.

James deals with our temptation to see two sides to God here in this passage. “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted with evil and he himself tempts no one...”(v.13) When we are in a trial, we are tempted to doubt God’s word and to take matters into our hands. We are tempted to find our meaning, purpose, identity and life elsewhere than in our heavenly Father. But, James assures us, God is never the one tempting us. His purpose in allowing us to walk through the trials of living in the broken world is never to tempt us to not trust Him. Rather, He plans, in spite of it, to enable us to more and more receive the transforming grace He is pouring on us, to make us truly His children.

James leads his readers to see that to say that it is God tempting them in their trials is to misunderstand or misrepresent the very nature and character of God. God is not the tempter just because He chooses at certain times not to be. No. God has no relationship with evil at all. God is never tempted with evil Himself. There is not “dark side” to God. And “he himself tempts no one.” We can be assured that God is consistent, He is not “double-minded” about us. Whatever we are going through and whatever temptations we face, it is wonderful to remember that God is never the one tempting us to see if we will step away from Him. He always and only intends our ultimate good.

So then where does the temptation come from? Who is to blame? James goes on to say that it is our own desire. We are “lured and enticed” by our own desires--our desire to be secure, or free of pain, or well-liked, etc. These desires can lure us to be tempted to find a “quicker” or “more efficient” way to meet those needs and wants that does not come from God or lead to God’s best for us. My desire to be well-liked can tempt me to be deceiving. My desire for security can tempt me to ill-advised moves financially. God of course, wants to meet our desires in the deepest ways, but we are tempted to look elsewhere when we don’t want to wait for God’s best and right solution.

But merely going ahead and acting on a particular temptation presented by our desire is not the end of the story. James wants to show his readers that just as trusting God with our trials leads to perfection, so our succumbing to temptation has an endpoint as well: “desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin; and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death.”

James is warning his readers not to be deceived. Going ahead and succumbing to a temptation now has consequences that go on and that we cannot control. It is interesting that James uses the picture of birth and growth here. There is a development to whatever we do. There are ongoing effects. We do not just live a series of isolated incidents. Our actions have consequences. And the direction that our temptation will take us is eventually death. Now that’s something to ponder. It’s so easy to take lightly our little sins. We fail to see where they will lead us.

James wants to emphatically point out that no one and no other way can give us our identity or our lives. Only God can. The other options out there are not just other forms of slightly lesser lives—no, they all lead to death, non-life.

I have certainly seen the wisdom of James's words in my own life many times. When I have not taken the time to wait on God and be reminded of His character so that I can respond in faith, the end results are never good and often horrible.

As in previous passages, James points us to the truth of God's good and gracious character. He is enabling us to focus again on Him so that we can hand our present circumstances back to Him. He is never toying with us when we are struggling. It is great to remember that God has only one mind about us--He is, as Paul says, totally and completely with his whole Triune being “for us.” (Ro. 8:31)

Found at http://www.trinitystudycenter.com/james/james_1-12-15.php

Essay Paper: Due 11/3/06

Write a six page double-spaced paper on a passage you learned from the New Testament that is most meaningful to you. You may include information about the book in which the passage is found such as its’ background, context, etc. Discuss the reason you selected the particular passage. What is the application of the passage to life? The paper will be graded on content (accuracy of information, relevance) and style (grammar, spelling, arrangement, and interaction with material). Please include a Bibliography, Table of Contents, and a Cover Page.

Scripture Focus:

James 1:12-15
Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Sources: (NEED 5)
[1] Title: James: Wisdom of James, Disciple of Jesus the Sage (eBook), New Testament Readings by Bauckham, Richard. Publication: London; New York Routledge, 1999.

[2] Title: Hebrews and James (eBook), Westminster Bible Companion by Gench, Frances Taylor. Publication: Louisville, KY. Westminster John Knox Press, 1996.

[3] Title: First and Second Peter, James, and Jude (eBook), Interpretation, A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching by Perkins, Pheme. Publication: Louisville, KY. Westminster John Knox Press, 1995.

Notes:
Source of James’ writings would be that of Q [1].
Aphorism in synonymous couplets – used mostly in the Old Testament, like in Proverbs and the Psalms; James tends to make use of them in his book, although more of a minor factor compared to the books previously mentioned [1]. He does use it in the verse that we are looking at in this essay.
Step-Sayings (sorites) – found in 1:15, also in 1:3-4 – these are A leads to B which leads to C follows by D… and then all of a sudden, you end up at H and you don’t know how you got there. [1] pg. 44-45
Debate-Sayings – found in 1:13 – echoed in Ecclesiastes 7:10, Proverbs 20:22 and 24:29
Trials and Temptation – trials are a joy, due to the growth from which they bring about in a person [2] (pg 91). In hardship, one is to draw closer to God for strength, love, peace, and understanding.
God’s Role in Trials and Temptations – peirasmos is a Greek word that means both trials and temptations. It is used in the chosen study verse and also shows that God does not lead me into sin, but my own sinful desire to do so [2] (pg 94).
Verse 12 is considered to be that of a beatitude and it reflects back to verses 2 thru 4 [3] (pg 100).
Evil lies completely in the hand man, from where the origin of sin lies. Trials shift from a suffering of a community or personal standpoint to that of an internal battle and also echoes with that of Romans 7 [3] (pg 101).

The Book of James

This is what I will be studying for a paper that I will hopefully turn in by Friday.

The Book of James

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings.

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. 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.

The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of all he created.

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does.

If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?

Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?

If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.

Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do.

You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that - and shudder.

You foolish man, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our ancestor Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is justified by what he does and not by faith alone.

In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.