After exhorting
the people of “low degree” to rejoice in that they are
“exalted” and “the rich” in that “they are
made low”, in chapter one and verse twelve of his letter,
James, the “servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ”,
turned his attention toward the blessing pronounced upon the “man
that endures temptation” where we read:
Blessed is
the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried,
he shall
receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to them that
love him.
The
verse begins, “Blessed is
the man that endures temptation: for when he is tried, he shall
receive the crown of life,...” James
began with the word, “Blessed”
or “Oh how happy” “is the man”
which refers to “a person whether male or female” “that
endures”
or “who remains, abides, does not recede and perseveres through”
“temptation”
which means “an experiment, attempt, trial and proving”: “for
when he is tried”
or “because when his is accepted, pleasing and approved”, “he
shall receive” which
means “take, collect, select, obtain, gain and get” “the
crown”
which literally means “a mark of royal or exalted rank such as the
wreath or garland given as a prize to victors in public games” and
metaphorically means “the eternal blessedness which will be given
as a prize to the genuine servants of God and Christ which is the
reward of the righteous” “of life”
which means “the absolute fullness of life both essential and
ethical which belongs to God”.
The
verse goes on to say, “...which the Lord has promised to
them that love him.” James
added, “which the Lord” who
is “he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power
of deciding; master and the title given to God the Messiah” “has
promised” which means
“announced, furnished and professed” “to them that
love” “to persons who
welcome, are fond of and love dearly” him”
which refers to “the Lord”.
God has a provided “guaranteed” promise of a “royal mark of
exalted rank” to those who “dearly love” Him.
When
we consider these words of James, we should find great hope for
“enduring” trials in this life. Our focus must be to “dearly
love” the Lord as we go through them and realize He does not
observe us in them in vain. We have His personal “guarantee” and
“promise” that He will reward those who “rely upon,
trust in and cling to” Him in this life. Jesus Christ, God's Son,
gave ample provision for us to “identify” with Him in the
“suffering” of His death, and when we “endure” them,
like unto those who compete in the Olympic games, we shall receive a
“crown of life” as our reward.
Next
time James shares how God does not “tempt”
a
person “with
evil”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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