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 (James 1:12).
Our Lord brings trials into our lives to test our faith, and the testing of our faith produces endurance (Jam.1:2-4). We must “let endurance have its perfect (or complete) work.” In other words, we must endure in faith to the end of the trial in order to experience the full benefit God desires to bring us by the trial. The benefit is our perfection or increased Christian maturity. James writes in 1:12 that the man who endures testing is blessed. We are certainly blessed by God with spiritual maturity as we endure testing (1:2-4). The man who endures trials will receive the crown of life. This crown of life is emblematic of eternal life which God promises to those who love Him. We do not earn eternal life by faithfully enduring trials, but faithfully enduring trials “proves” that we are Christians and have eternal life. Enduring the trial “proves” the genuineness of our faith in Christ. And of course, it is those who have a genuine faith in Jesus Christ who love the Lord, and receive the crown of life.
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6-7).
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Questions for James 1:12
1. What does it mean to be blessed?
2. What is the better translation in James 1:12, temptation or trial? Why?
3. What does it mean to be “approved” through trials or testing?
4. What is the crown of life? See also Rev. 2:10
5. What is a beatitude? Is James 1:12 a beatitude? Find three more in the New Testament and three in the Old Testament.
6. How is the process of refining metal an illustration of what God does for His people through testing?
