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This week we are start a series from the book of James titled The practical Expression of Our Faith in Daily Living.
Today we are talking about When Temptation Comes.
Prayer
In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
Text
James 1:2-3 (AMP)
2 Consider it nothing but joy, my brethren.
brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials.
3 Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace].
Scripture Reading
James 1:1-4 (AMP)
Testing Your Faith
1 James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve [Hebrew] tribes [scattered abroad among the Gentiles] in the dispersion: Greetings (rejoice)!
2 Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials.
3 Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace].
4 And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing.
Introduction
The author of the book of James is unique, along with his brother Jude, among all the writers of the Bible, for these two men were half brothers of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Though apparently neither of these men were convinced that Jesus was the Son of God until after His resurrection, it appears that James’s spiritual growth and acceptance among the Christians was phenomenal.
For soon none among the followers of Christ was better known, and none more respected, than James.
He was recognised as the bishop or leader of the first organised church in Jerusalem.
We will notice as we study this epistle that James used more, than nearly every other writer the very words of Jesus.
He also reproduced more perfectly the spirit of the Old Testament Scriptures that he had studied as a boy in the synagogue school with Jesus.
Those to who James addressed his letter were Jews.
He called them “the twelve tribes in the dispersion” (James 1:1) his fellow Jews who were scattered in various parts of the Roman world.
They had accepted Christ as the Messiah, and James wrote from Jerusalem to urge them to live according to their Christian profession.
The purpose of his letter is extremely practical.
He attempted to correct the errors of these believers and to admonish them for their failures.
James did not endeavour to teach doctrine in his epistle.
Instead, his aim was to stimulate true and effective Christian living.
On this foundation he urged his readers to build the necessary superstructure of consistent works.
We might say then, that the theme of James’s letter is “Christian wisdom,” or practical knowledge, truth applied to life.
It shows how Christians must live in times of temptation, trial, and persecution.
He demanded reality in one’s practice of Christianity, he rebuked all pretence and self deception.
He insisted that faith will be tested by works and that character will correspond with a profession of faith.
- Note the greeting which James opened his letter
He began with a description of himself, “a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
The word he used for servant means bond slave, one who has been deprived of his personal freedom and is an instrument in the hands of his master.
Thus a believer should be bound to his Master.
Also, the slave did not have the concerns that free persons have about clothes, where to live, or food, Matthew 6:31-33,
31 Therefore do not worry or be anxious (perpetually uneasy, distracted), saying, ‘What are we going to eat?’ or ‘What are we going to drink?’ or ‘What are we going to wear?’
32 For the [pagan] Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; [but do not worry,] for your heavenly Father knows that you need them.
33 But first and most importantly seek (aim at, strive after) His kingdom and His righteousness [His way of doing and being right—the attitude and character of God], and all these things will be given to you also.
James also did not use the customary Christian greeting that Paul and others used in their letters.
He used a simple phrase, to rejoice, or to be satisfied.
His first message to the persecuted believers scattered throughout the world was to rejoice in whatever state they found themselves in, knowing that their lives were guided not by accident but by the providence of God.
2. James spoke of the proper attitude Christians should take when they find themselves surrounded by temptations and trials.
He told believers to get the most out of every experience God permits to come into their lives, the unpleasant as well as the pleasant.
Joy under all circumstances should remain the characteristic of the Christian life.
James did not say that all trials and temptations are joyous experiences.
The joy comes when victory is won, when the lesson is learned.
Never do we appreciate the sunshine as much as we do after a long period of rainy weather.
What are these “trials of many kinds”?
When James spoke of “facing” these temptations, the word he used means “to fall upon,” as we would stumble over an unseen obstacle.
Thus these are trials that Christians more or less bump into on the normal course of everyday life.
But God will give His people discernment to recognise them.
“The testing of your faith develops perseverance.”
The more a tree is blasted by strong winds, the deeper into the earth it sends its roots.
The kind of patience James said will result from our trials is that which provides the ability to stand fast under pressure.
3. What is our goal as a result of overcoming temptations?
When we are able to accept the trials and testings of life in the way God intended, three things happen.
Firstly, we become mature, God will bring to a successful completion what He started.
Secondly, we will be complete, this patience, this unswerving constancy that develops in our lives, will remove the imperfections and weaknesses.
And thirdly, we will ultimately “not lack anything.”
We must also let patience do its work in our lives.
Our spiritual stubbornness can raise a barrier between us and spiritual growth and maturity.
Conclusion.
The we as Christians learn that God has provided resources to help us overcome temptation, failure will become less and less the norm and more and more the exception in our lives.
Until next time
Stay in the Blessings
I really want to encourage you to be diligent with your Bible study time, because God has so much more for us than we can get from just going to church once or twice a week and hearing someone else talk about the Word.
When you spend time with God, your life will change in amazing ways, because God is a Redeemer.
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