Chapter 1 – part 2
9 Believers
who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honored
them. 10 And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled
them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. 11 The
hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and
its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of
their achievements.
An egalitarian church
Here
we get a cameo of what the early church looked like. It was an egalitarian
society where the poor, the rich, the slave and free served and worshipped
together without any distinction
whatsoever. The poor felt comfortable and
valued since Christianity treated them with the same respect and honour as the
rich. The poor were honoured and the rich were humbled. Consequently, James
feels free to address this situation affirming that all classes have the same
thing to boast about. All were aware that they were the same forgiven sinners.
The cross had become the great equaliser of all humanity.
12 God
blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will
receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
13 And
remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is
never tempted to do wrong and he never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation
comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These
desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives
birth to death.
(James 1:12-15 – NLT)
The process of sin
Having
identified the basic character of temptation and sin that exists within all of
us, we need to understand how the development from temptation to sin works out.
We must first
acknowledge that temptation is part of our basic nature and in no
way comes from God. God is holy and pure, and temptation or sin can never ever
be part of his character. That leaves us as the owner of the dilemma.
Temptation, which is the basis of sin, is a direct outcome of our own base and
selfish desires, which, at times, can be rationalised and seem quite
justifiable. Humanity is great at self-delusion, and this area of temptation
and desire is a fertile ground for self-delusion.
The crown of life
Verse
12 may seem a little out of place here and would seem to belong to some of the
earlier verses about enduring suffering. However, it is here and we must deal
with it within the context. As we have
discovered Christians are not immune from trial and suffering and the fortitude
in which they face them, crowns them as the recipients of God’s amazing grace.
People have long worn some sort of adornment around their head as a symbol of
success in a specific activity in which they are involved.
The
crown of laurel leaves was often used as a symbol of success at sporting events.
Women often wore a wreath of flowers around their head to signify a special
event such as a wedding. On regal occasions a king would wear a crown of gold
and precious stones. This crown signified the success in the participation in
an important occasion.
James
sees life for these new Christian as being a celebration of life itself. Within
their new found Christian lifestyle they have won a victory over sin and
participate as citizens of a new kingdom, the kingdom of God, and to them
belongs the crown of life.
Temptation and sin
As
great as he was, the Apostle Paul acknowledged and confronted temptation and
sin in his own life.
So the trouble is not
with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am
all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to
do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know
that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So
I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. And I know
that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what
is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to
do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am
not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. I have
discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I
inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is
another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a
slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who
will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The
answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really
want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. (Romans 7:14-25 - NLT)
The
end result of this temptation and sin process is spiritual death, and that will
be the outcome for every human being unless we can access a circuit breaker.
Something needs to happen, or someone needs to intervene and interrupt this
process. In his writing in Romans Paul comes to the only solution possible: Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our
Lord. Only Jesus, by paying the penalty of our sin and providing us with
his ongoing presence, the presence of the Holy Spirit, can be the only
circuit-breaker possible.
16 So
don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Whatever is good
and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all
the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. 18 He
chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all
creation, became his prized possession. (James 1:16-18 – NLT)
The Good Provider is unchangeable
In
the creation humanity was the pinnacle of God’s creative act, and although the
relationship was damaged by sin, humanity still remains, in the heart of God,
his prized possession. Although sin
has seriously damaged that relationship, when we are born anew we become his
child in the fullest sense, with all the rights and privileges of a genuine
heir with Jesus.
Prayer
Father, we are aware
that your word teaches us the equality of all humanity. Help us to intentionally
make that a reality with our own community of faith and not only treat other
with that sense of equality, but to infuse that reality into our mindset. We
know that it is our inner attitudes and mindset are the target of temptation
and sin.
Help us to quickly and
clearly identify temptation when it arises personally, to honestly be willing to
wrestle with it and win the victory which leads to the crown of life.
May we be acutely
aware that you are a God who is unchangeable and dependable and that you want
what is best for those who choose life in the Kingdom of God as their
lifestyle. Help us to be confident and secure in our relationship with you.
Video – Great is thy
faithfulness
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