THE PERFECT MAN -James a Slave of God
I. The Perfect Man and Suffering Chapter 1.
A. To the Twelve Tribes- Scattered
1. Many transplants occurred in Palestine.
a. II Kings 17:23, I Chron 5:26 Assyrians carried away Jews to
Assyrian (These are the ten lost tribes who never returned.)
b. II Kings 24:14-16, Psalm 137
Babylonians carried away the southern kingdom to Babylon.
c. 63 B. C. Pompey – Romans carried Jews away to Rome.
d. Some left on their own.
e. Strabo- Greek Geographer said, “It is hard to find a spot on
the whole world which is not occupied and dominated by Jews.
2. Other Possibilities
a. All the Jews outside of Palestine
b. Christian Jews outside of Palestine.
c. To the Christians, the Christian Church was the real and
true Israel.
II. Turning and Triumphs
B. Proper Reaction
1. Count (v.2) –a financial term – evaluate
a. it all joy – joyful attitude I Peter 4:12-16
I Peter 1:6-7 gold – worth – Count If we value comfort
more than character, the trials will upset us. If we value
the material and physical more than the spiritual, we will
not be able to count it all joy.
b. When (not if) temptations (testing) will come- divers – manifold
- much varied – in many ways
(v. 2) Temptation (peirasmos) – trials with a beneficial purpose
and effect. Not seduction into sin. (W. W. pg 49) It is a trial – testing that is directed towards an end, and the end is that he who is tested should emerge stronger and purer from the testing.
There’s a definite difference between trials and temptations. Trials are ordeals – tests of our faith.
Normally, there is nothing immoral involved in experiencing a trial. A trial is a hardship, an ordeal.
But it is generally not something that is evil or brought about by evil. Chuck Swindoll.
A young bird is said to test its wings, trials are not sent
to make us fall but they are sent to make us soar.
This is why we count it all joy.
This is when the worst in us is pried out to be dealt
with and nailed to the cross – mortified.
c. Fall into - means to encounter or come across - not a stupid accident.
2. know (v 3)
a. Faith is always tested (tried). Good tests to bring out the best.
Satan tempts us to bring out the worst. God tried Abraham, Israel, Hezekiah (II Chron 32:30-31), Job 23:10 – as gold
b. Testing works for us, not against. It Yields patience Rom 5:3 Paul agrres
c. Trials rightly used help us to mature. Immature people are always
impatient ; mature -- patient and persistent. Rom 15:4 patient
There is not substitute for an understanding mind. Satan can defeat
the ignorant believer, but he cannot overcome the Christian who
knows his Bible and understands the purposes of God.
3. Let (v. 4) -- a surrendered will
a. Cannot build our character without our cooperation.
b. It may take time: Remember Abraham, Moses, Joseph
4. Ask (v 5) for what?
(a) Wisdom - - so we will not waste the opportunities God is
giving us to mature. Hort defines it (wisdom) as “that endowment
of heart and mind which is needed for the right conduct in life.”
Psalm 111:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
(b) ask God – How?
(c) ask in faith – not double-mind (dipsuchos) – Literally means a man
with two souls, or two mind, within him.
C. As Each Man Needs
1. Christianity brings to the poor man (v. 9) a new sense of his own value.
a. He learns that he matters in the Church -- no class distinctions.
in Early Church – all things common
b. He learns that he matters in the world. God has a purpose for him.
c. He learns that he matters to God. Muretus said long ago, “Call no
man worthless for who Christ died.
2. Chrisitanity brings the rich man (v 10) a new sense of self-abasement
a., Riches bring a false sense of security.
b. Riches make it difficult to humble oneself. He becomes a target
for Satan to attack with pride and superiority.
c. Tables turn in Christ – poor is exalted.
d. Life is so uncertain.
e. He can put his trust in something for sure -- our Lord Jesus Christ
I Timothy 6:9 they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare.
D, (v12) A Mature Man
1. He is tried.
2. He endures.
3. He receives a crown signifies:
a. Times of Joy
b. a mark of royalty
c. for the victor
d. A mark of honor and of dignity.
e. A life – Life More Abundant
E. Don’t blame God
1. Trials come from without.
2. Temptations come from within.
3. God Tests -- Satan temps.
4. God:
a. Cannot be tempted with evil.
b. Neither tempteth.
5. Avoiding Responsibility is as old as Adam
1:13 – 15 From Spiros Zodiates Greek and Hebrew Study Bible:
There is an apparent contradiction here in that this statement declares that no man may say when he is tempted that he is tempted of God, while Gen 22:1 says, “And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Adam.
The Hebrew word nissah, rendered “tempt,” literally means “to try, prove,” or “put to the test,” as the Greek word peirozo (3985) sometimes means, the rendering in Gen 22:1 is correctly given in the Geneva Bible as “God did prove Abraham.” This at once corrects the erroneous impression that might possibly b received from our English verb, “tempt,” which usually has the sense of excity sin and does indeed have that meaning in Greek when the tempter is the devil or evil people. James is saying, “Let no one who is tempted (to sin) say that he is tempted of God.” God does not tempt anyone to sin, but He tempts only in the proving somebody to create confidence in the Lord and in himself and to give him experience. The word “experience” Peira (3984), is the noun from which the verb peirazo is derived. In each instance when this verb is used, we must distinguish who the one who tempts is and then we shall understand whether the meaning is to endeavor to lead a person fall which is always the purpose of Satan as he tempts us, or whether it is God who never tricks us or deceives us or causes us to fall, but rather tests to prove our progress.
6. Temptations to sin work through:
a. his own lust – means any kind of desire I Cor 7:1-9) to the marriage is to
prevent the natural desires to be perverted. Sex is a normal desire –
procreation. Fornication is an ungodly realization of a natural desire.
Eating is normal; gluttony is sin. Sleep is normal; laziness is sin.
The secret is constant control. These desires must be our servants
and not our masters.
b. He is “dtawn away” – enticed – means to bait a hook
c. Lust is conceived.
If a man nourishes and encourages desire long enough, there is an inevitable consequence. Desire becomes action. If a man thinks about anything long enough, if he allows himself to desire it long enough, all the chances are that in the end, he will do it. Desire in the heart begets sin in action.
Whether we feel it or not, we are hooked and trapped. The baby is born, and just wait until it matures! (William Barclay.)
d. Lust – brings forth sin (sin lieth at the door) when it is finished – you
are finished – death
Disobedience brings forth birth to death, not life. It may take
years for the sin to mature, but when it does, the result will be death.
If we will only believe God’s Word and see this final tragedy, it will
encourage us not to yield to temptation.
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
F. Four Facts about temptation.
1. Temptation is inevitable “when he is tempted”
2. Temptation is never directed by God. I John1:5 “God is light, and in Him
is no darkness at all.”
3. Temptation is an individual matter. “his own lusts”
Nothing outside ourselves is strong enough – not even Satan—to cause
us to sin. Sin takes place when we agree to the temptation and follow it.
It takes an agreement on our part. Not until I individually involve myself
does sin take place. Up to that point I am safe and pure.
4. Temptation that leads to sin always follows the same overall process—you
and I must stop the process.
Step a: The bait is dropped - you do not control this action totally.’
Step b: The inner desire is attract to that bait. Step c: Sin occurs when we yield – when we bite the bait. Step d: Sin results in tragic consequences – we end up hooked and friend.
G. Practical Ways to Handle Temptations
1. Counteract temptation. Do not tolerate it. Romans 6:13-14 You’re a fool,
a simpleton, if you know what weakens you but feed on it anyway. By constantly bringing temptations before your eyes and letting them set in your mind, you are playing right into the hand of the devil. If you are weakened by relationships with certain people, abstain from them. I Cor 15:33 – bad communications (influences). There is a name for folks who linger and try to reason with lust – Victim.
2. Use the right resistance: “I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then
should I look upon a maid.” Job 31:1
When your eyes turn to the right or to the left, you’re on the way to grabbing the bait. It is the second glance that leads one to sin. Guard the “eyegate”. By the way: You must answer to God for your seducing attire.
3. Remind yourself that the final pain will soon erase the temporary pleasure.
Hebrews 11:24-25 Moses had to choose.
4. Control your thought life through the memorized Word.
H. God’s Goodness
1. Do not err – do not be deceived (v 16)
Don’t be confused with trials and temptations I Thes 3:5
2. God gives only good gifts
3. The way God gives is good.
4. He gives constantly. Psalm 68:19 “Blessed be the Lord, who daily
loadeth us with benefits.”
5. God does not change. Heb 13:8 Jesus Christ the same . . .
I. God’s Divine nature within – Born Again
1. It is Divine
2. It is Gracious – we did not earn it or deserve it.
3. It is through God’s Word
J. The Mature Christian
1. Receives the Word
