Introduction: The Finish Line
Many of us know the feeling of a great test. Perhaps it was a final exam in university that determined your grade for the entire semester. Maybe it was a major project or presentation at work, with your career on the line. Or maybe it was a physical challenge, like a marathon, where every muscle screamed for you to stop, but you kept pushing toward the finish line. In all those scenarios, what keeps you going is the promise of what lies on the other side: the diploma, the promotion, the medal. The reward makes the struggle worthwhile.
For the past few weeks in our journey through James, we have been talking about trials. James has commanded us to find joy in them, to ask for wisdom during them, and to see them from God’s eternal perspective, whether we are rich or poor. Now, in verse 12, he takes us to the finish line. He shows us the graduation ceremony, the victor's podium for the believer who endures.
But in the very next breath, he pivots and issues one of the most serious warnings in his entire letter. He knows that every external trial comes with an internal battle. There is a world of difference between a test of faith from God and a temptation to evil from within our own hearts.
James lays out two paths that are set before every Christian in every struggle: the path of endurance that leads to life, and the path of temptation that leads to death. Understanding the difference is a matter of eternal significance.
I. The Champion's Reward (Verse 12)
James begins with a powerful promise, a beatitude. Look at verse 12: "Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him."
1. Notice who the blessed is
It is the one who "endureth temptation." Now, the word here for "temptation" is the same Greek word used for "trials" back in verse 2. He’s talking about persevering through the difficult tests of life. The blessing is not for those who avoid hardship, but for those who go through it with their faith intact, demonstrating steadfast, loyal endurance.
2. Notice what the reward is
When that faith is tested and proven genuine—"when he is tried," or more accurately, "when he has been approved"—he receives a reward. And what a reward it is: "the crown of life." This isn't the crown of a king, a symbol of royalty. The Greek word here is stephanos, which was the victor's wreath in the ancient athletic games. It was a garland of leaves woven together and placed on the head of the champion who had run the race, fought the fight, and crossed the finish line victorious. This crown, then, is a symbol of victory, honor, and triumphant joy. It represents eternal life in its fullest, richest, most glorious sense.
3. Who gets this crown
It is "which the Lord hath promised to them that love him." This is so important. We don't endure trials to earn our salvation or to make God love us. We endure trials because we already love Him. Our love for God, born out of His love for us, becomes the fuel that keeps our faith burning in the midst of the fire. The path of endurance is a path of love, and it leads to the victor's crown of life.
II. The Blame Game's Rebuttal (Verse 13)
From the glory of the victor's crown, James immediately turns to a dark and deceptive human tendency. He addresses the blame game. Verse 13: "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God..."
1. James shifts the meaning of the word "tempted." He's no longer talking about an external test of faith; he’s talking about an internal lure toward sin and evil. And he confronts the oldest excuse in the book. It started in the Garden of Eden when Adam said, "The woman you gave me, she gave me the fruit." He was blaming both the woman and God. It’s in our very nature to shift blame for our sin. "God, why did you put me in this frustrating situation? You know I have a problem with anger." "God, why did you let me be around those people? You know they're a bad influence." We try to make God the author of our sin.
2. James slams the door on that excuse with a foundational truth about God's very nature: "...for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man."
a. "God cannot be tempted with evil"
This means there is nothing in God that evil can appeal to. He is perfectly, absolutely, and eternally holy. He has no flaw, no internal weakness, no selfish desire that sin can hook onto. You cannot entice a perfectly good and righteous Being with evil.
b. "Neither tempteth he any man": Because He is perfectly holy, it is a violation of His very character to solicit, lure, or entice someone to sin. God may test our faith to strengthen it, like gold in a fire. But Satan tempts our desires to destroy us. The test from God is for our glory; the temptation to sin is for our ruin. God is never, ever the source of the lure to do evil.
III. The Anatomy of a Sin (Verses 14-16)
So if God isn't the source of our temptation, who is? James moves the camera from heaven to the human heart. The problem isn't external; it's internal. Verse 14: "But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed."
1. James uses a powerful metaphor here, taken directly from the world of fishing. Our own sinful desire—our "lust"—is the culprit.
a. First, we are "drawn away."
This is the idea of a fish in a safe place, maybe under a rock, being lured out into the open water. Our own desire pulls us away from a place of safety and contentment with God.
b. Second, we are "enticed."
This is the bait on the hook. The desire makes the sin look attractive. The bait of pride promises respect. The bait of greed promises security. The bait of lust promises pleasure. The desire itself is what makes the bait look so irresistible, but it always hides a deadly hook.
2. Then, in verse 15, James uses the metaphor of human conception and birth to show us the fatal, predictable life cycle of sin: "Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death."
a. Conception: This happens when our desire meets our will. The desire presents the bait, and our will agrees to it. We entertain the thought, we meditate on it, we make a plan. The moment we consent in our hearts, sin is "conceived."
b. Birth: The conceived thought then leads to an action. It "bringeth forth sin." A sinful word is spoken. A lustful look is taken. A dishonest deed is done. Sin is now born into the world.
c. Maturity and Death: This newborn sin, if it is not dealt with, grows up. And James tells us its final, mature state: "when it is finished, it bringeth forth death." This isn't just physical death; it is spiritual death—a deep and growing separation from God, who is the only source of life.
This is why James concludes with the urgent, loving plea in verse 16: "Do not err, my beloved brethren." Don't be deceived! Don't get this wrong. Understanding this process is a matter of spiritual life and death.
Conclusion: Choose Your Path
Today, James has laid before us two distinct paths that lead to two completely different destinies.
The first is the path of Endurance. It's a hard road, full of tests and trials, but it is fueled by a deep love for God. It proves our faith is genuine, and it leads to the victor's crown of life.
The second is the path of Indulgence. It begins not with God, but with a desire in our own hearts. That desire baits a hook, and when we bite, it gives birth to sin. And that path, without fail, leads to death.
Here in our city, we face these two paths every single day. The crushing pressure of traffic can test our patience or tempt us to rage. The constant barrage of advertisements can test our contentment or tempt us to greed. The stresses of life can be a trial that strengthens our faith, or they can be an excuse that we use to give in to temptation.
So the choice is yours. First, take responsibility. The next time you sin, stop blaming God, your spouse, your boss, or your circumstances. Look in the mirror and say, "I was drawn away by my own desire."
Second, deal with the desire, not just the action. The key to victory is not just fighting the sin at its birth, but starving the desire at its root. You do this by confessing it to God, by bringing it into the light with a trusted brother or sister, and by intentionally filling your mind with God’s Word instead of with the world's bait.
Finally, in the moment of trial and temptation, look to the finish line. See the two destinies. See the victor's crown of life that awaits the one who endures in love. See the death that awaits the one who gives in. Let the glorious promise of that crown give you the strength to say "no" to the bait and "yes" to the God who loves you.
