James 1:16-18 – “The Wall”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

¹⁶Do not be being deceived, my beloved brothers. ¹⁷Every good giving and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights, from Whom there is no shifting or hint of change.¹⁸Purposing, He gave us birth by a word of truth, in order that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures.

As I studied this, one of the first things that caught my eye was v16 “Be not deceived …” I have been aware for years of vv13-15 on the progress of sin and I’ve certainly been aware of verse 17, “Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights.” What I’ve never noticed before is the fact that this v16, “Be not deceived” falls in between. Any time the Lord tells us “Be not deceived” obviously He thinks we’re in danger that we will! And obviously, in this case, the deception is that we might find ourselves in vv13-15 (somewhere in the process of being tempted) and need to believe vv17,18. Again, the "Be not deceived" of v16 falls in between. If I’m not making sense, go back and read vv13-18 as a unit. I think you’ll see what I mean. I’ve never before seen the logical flow through the entire section.

In what are we in danger of being deceived? I think, from the text, the answer is that we are in danger of being deceived concerning this matter that “every good and perfect gift comes from God.” Note the “every.” Every good gift comes from God. That’s what we are in danger of forgetting.

Why would we be in danger of forgetting that? Most commentators go all the way back to v13 and say it is because we are so prone to blame God for our sins. They go on and see how in vv17,18, so much of the goodness of God is emphasized. They would suggest the flow of thought is, “Don’t be deceived into thinking God is to blame for your sins. That is not possible because He is a good God.”

All they are saying is true and that is certainly a legitimate take on the passage. However, what struck me was something more immediate in the text and something I personally found more immediately helpful.

Rather than going all the way back to v13, I would suggest we only need go as far as vv14,15, to the anatomy of sin, to the process of allurement. In those verses we were reminded that temptation is something that plays with our “wanter” as I like to call it. Temptations only “work” on us because they find in us desires. Once again, a stick on a hook won’t get a second look from a fish, but a big, juicy, wiggling worm is almost sure to land him in your frying pan. We “give in” to sin because there is something we “want” and because temptation has succeeded in convincing us we can get it.

What is going on? Temptation is convincing us there are “good and perfect gifts” to be had if we will only push God aside and take them by force. We imagine there are “good and perfect gifts” to be had and I can get them for myself. The very essence of an unregenerate life is believing I simply don’t need God “to be happy.” I can get it myself. A believer knows He’s there and that we need Him, but if there is something we “want” badly enough and we perceive He might “get in the way” we can conveniently ignore the voice of conscience, conveniently “go on” not allowing ourselves to stop and ask whether what we’re doing is truly good. Whether lost or saved, we convince ourselves we don’t need God to obtain the “good and perfect gifts” of life.

And what is James’ assertion in the middle of this kind of thinking? “Be not deceived, … every good and perfect gift is from God.” And again, note the “every.” What is he saying? I believe James would have us know that one of the greatest bulwarks to protect ourselves from temptation and sin (and the death it will bring), essentially one of the walls to stand between us and our own self-destruction, is believing that every good gift is from God. Every good gift. Sin and satan show us “all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor” and promise us “All this I will give you …” Like the fish, all we can see is the alluring, voluptuous worm; the hook is carefully hidden from our view.

But, before we bite, we would be protected if we would remind ourselves, “Wait a minute, good gifts come only from God. There has to be something wrong here whether I see it or not. I’d better not bite on this. I’d better step back and somehow wait for God to give me the good gift I so desire. Regardless of what I think I’m seeing, I know and am convinced that good gifts come only from God. Sin cannot possibly deliver what it seems so convincingly (and alluringly) to be promising me.”

How many families would still be together if a husband or wife would have remembered this when that special “someone” lured them away? How many young girls would have never gotten pregnant, would have never married that godless young man, if they’d remembered good gifts come only from God? How many young men would have never gotten involved with that hot (but godless) girl who ended up breaking their heart and wrecking their life? How many fathers would have kept their work and home in balance if they’d have remembered this when “big bucks” and “success” lured them into being “gone all the time?”

We can go right down the list – whatever are your own particular allurements, the things that seem to “work” most on you – and they would all lose their power if we would but keep in mind, “Wait a minute. Good gifts come only from God” – if we’d not allow ourselves to be deceived.

The goodness of God is or should be or could be a wall to stand firmly between us and the inevitable wages of sin – death. “He that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Heb 11:6). “A rewarder.” The Lord encouraged Abraham telling him, “I am your shield and your exceeding great reward” (Gen 15:1). One of Jesus’ responses to temptation was, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matt 4:4).

For myself, I don’t (at this point) feel it helpful to be reminded of God’s goodness for the purpose of helping me not to blame Him for my sins. I do find it very helpful to see that He is the exclusive provider of every good and perfect gift, that they can and will come from nowhere else.

I could make a lot of comments particularly about vv17,18. There is obviously a literal ton of deep theology expressed in these two simple verses. But there are many, many excellent commentaries out there which have already done exactly that. So I think I won’t take the time – except to note that vv17,18 and the point of this passage reminds me why it is so important to study theology. The wall we’re talking about will only help us to the extent we actually do know God, to the extent we understand Who He is, that He is good and what that means. Doctrine and theology are not and should not be “dry” subjects. As we see in this passage, Who God is and whether I know it has everything to do with whether I can live in this world successfully or instead be deceived and endlessly self-destruct. The study of theology is only dry if we fail to connect its profound truths to the everyday lives we all live.

My wanter – my problem. My good God – my wall of deliverance. "He who spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not also graciously give us all things” (Rom 8:32). Jesus went to the Cross to buy us out of hell. May I never lose sight of His loving gaze. May I never believe someone or something else can do me good.

“Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Father of Lights.”

James 1:13-15 – “Beware the Wanter”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

¹³Let no one being tempted be saying that I am being tempted from God, for God [is] untemptable of evils and He himself is tempting no one; ¹⁴but each one is being tempted, being dragged away and enticed by his own lust. ¹⁵That lust, having conceived, is giving birth to sin and that, having matured, brings forth death.

I suppose it makes perfect sense to move from the subject of trials in general (vv1-12) to temptation to sin. Now, it is true “temptation to sin” is a trial in itself, but then any time we are under duress, it is easy to fall into all sorts of bad behavior or bad responses. So before James leaves the subject, he takes these three verses to address the subject head on.

The first (and probably most fundamental) factor to acknowledge is that God has nothing to do with our sins. Since Adam (“the woman You gave me, she …”), we have all been born incorrigible blameshifters. We’ll blame anyone and anything rather than simply own our own bad choices. Ultimately, that blameshifting game does bring us back to God. If it isn’t my fault, then ultimately it is His. “The woman You gave me, she ..” Adam was blaming Eve, but notice the jab he inserts toward God Himself.

Such thoughts are of course ludicrous since God is the very source of goodness. It is oxymoronic to in any way associate Him with evil.

Instead James makes it very clear: ^“…but each one is being tempted, being dragged away and enticed by his own lust.” “By his own lust.” The problem is always entirely to be found inside of myself. Regardless of where they come from, the only reason temptations “work” is because they appeal to me, they appeal to my “wanter.” I could put a stick on a hook and throw it in the water and the fish won’t give it a second look; but make that a juicy, wiggly night crawler and suddenly I can get a fish to bite on a sharp hook that lands him in my frying pan. It worked because it appealed to him. It “worked” because there was something inside of him that gave my allurement power.

The word translated “lusts” is actually just a word for strong desires. It can be a good thing, if what is desired is good and right. But clearly, in this context, we’re talking about evil desires, hence I’ve used the world “lusts.” The only danger of using “lusts” is that someone may think we’re only talking about sexual sin, but that is not the case. I’m using the word “lusts” with all evil desires in mind.

The other thing worth noting is that “desire” or “lust” is precisely our problem. It is the engine that drives our sin nature. For myself, it helps me to call it my “wanter.” The problem is always in what I “want.” Peter says God has given us what we need to “participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires” (II Peter 1:4). What is the cause of the “corruption in the world”? “Evil desires.” And what do they rob us of? The ability to “participate in the divine nature.”

It helps me to pin it down like this. Based on these kinds of verses, I learn that, if I want to stay on top of my sin nature, it is my “wanter” I have to keep an eye on. I need to ever be more aware of what I am wanting. Especially I need to be aware when the wanting gets strong and it’s moving me to behave in certain ways and make certain choices. It may be okay, but knowing my wanter is the engine that drives my sin nature means I need to be very honest at those times and be begging God’s presence and strength and protection.

I use the word “beg” because of what James tells us in v15. The wages of sin is still death. “Wanting” may not be bad, but if it is and if I let it work on me, I’m inviting my own death. Sin always brings death. Satan was a murderer from the beginning. Death may be literal and it may be eternal, but in the immediate sense it can show up as destroyed relationships, public disgrace, heartbreaking disappointment – all the different ways we “die” daily. It really, really hurts. I use the word “beg” because no matter what form death may take, I want no part of it. I want to live. That said, I need to practice a holy fear of my own wanter. It may lure me to sin, and since sin = death, I need nothing short of God’s help to save me from it, from myself.

One thing Manton pointed out, which I perhaps haven’t thought about much lately – how thankful we should be that God has actually prevented us from so much sin and death. Manton is so right. Gracious! How many times I would have gladly followed my desires right into the noose but God actually stopped me. When I was young it used to frustrate me that everything seemed to come so easily to so many people, but I kept running into walls. Yikes! Now I realize God was protecting me from myself!

Even now, I am keenly aware that if I were in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong person, I am quite capable of making some very bad choices and destroying everything I ever cared about. But day after day goes by and I don’t find myself in those situations. Why not? Perhaps I make a few good choices to keep away from trouble but in the end it is God who delivers me.

Yikes! As I think back over my life, it is a miracle I didn’t murder anyone. Literally! I am a very good shot with a rifle and could turn someone’s head into a pink cloud from several hundred yards away. There have certainly been a few people who deserved it and I’d be lying if I said the thought had never crossed my mind. But God very specifically stopped me. I actually know a man who was going to murder his wife but couldn’t find a baby-sitter for the children. Seriously. Years later he came to know Christ and told me it all literally happened that way. God stopped him and saved him from his own madness.

It is a miracle I haven’t fathered illegitimate children all the way from Indiana to New Hampshire, south to Florida and in a few other countries of the world. If the Lord hadn’t frustrated my intentions, I’d have that kind of heartbreak to deal with. I know guys who do. They “succeeded.” But I did not. And now I can only thank God He saves us from our own madness so much of the time.

What an unpleasant subject!!! Sin always seems to look so delicious. But like the bait, it always hides the hook inside. Instead of landing me in a world of pleasure, it ends me up fileted and sizzling away in the devil’s frying pan.

God deliver us from our wanters. “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.”

Help me be aware of my wanter. Bring me safe to Heaven’s shore.

James 1:12 – “The Key”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of this verse:

¹²Blessed [is the] man who is enduring trial, because having been proven, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those loving Him.

This one verse is so chalk full of truth, a person could write for days on it. Several commentators that I read offered helpful observations from practically every word. A few enduring impressions on my mind: note what a paradox the first phrase is. “Blessed [is the] man who is enduring trial…” If this world were all there is, the verse would be nonsense. It would read instead, “Blessed is the man who lives free from any form of suffering.” But, as we learned in vv2-4 and were reminded by the poor man of v9, since our God is in charge, we see our lives through a very different lens. Our great Coach always keeps us in training, making us better than we are, grinding away at the faults and sins that ruin our lives, and helping us become the very people He intended us to be from the beginning. He is absolutely committed to seeing us “win.” Once we really comprehend this (and I feel I’ve only begun), then we can wholeheartedly agree that, “Blessed [is the] man who is enduring trial…”

Of course, we don’t receive the “crown” until after we’ve competed. We learned a long time ago from the Savior that you have to wear the crown of thorns first, before there is a crown of gold. That is of course obvious in the athletic world, that the pain of training and striving comes first, but applies as well to our lives as believers. The key as in this verse is to endure, to stay in the race, to keep trying until suddenly we find we’ve crossed the finish line.

I thought it interesting to note as well that, in the Great Race of faith, in a sense we are not competing against each other, but really only against ourselves. As Paul said in I Cor 9:24-27, in this world, “only one gets the prize.” But with heavenly pursuits, my gaining of a crown doesn’t mean someone else fails. Each competes on their own and each will be rewarded in accordance with their own achievements. As in the Parable of the Talents, whether the man earned five or only two, both received the same commendation from the Judge, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant …” In this world, the only way to judge if a man “did his best” is to award the winner. Our Heavenly Judge is a “discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” and can thus judge everyone totally in accordance with their own abilities and accomplishments. Wouldn’t it be great if there could be an Olympic event where the winner really was the one who tried the hardest? But we humans have not such discernment. But the Lord does!

As I said earlier, there are many more helpful observations that can be drawn from this one verse. They are all available to anyone who’d care to consult any of a number of good Bible commentaries. There was one point from this verse though that struck me most deeply that can be drawn from the final phrase, “ …which the Lord has promised to those loving Him.”

“… to those loving Him.”

Note it is not simply “to those who suffer,” nor is it even “to those who endure suffering.” It is “to those loving Him.” Obviously there is not necessarily any benefit to those who simply suffer. As the old saying goes, “Trials will either make you bitter or better.” But neither does He promise anything to those who endure the suffering. From the “Blessed [is the] man who is enduring trial,” one could presume that enduring is the key. However, as Paul warned us in I Cor 13:3, “If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.”  

The crown is not to those who suffer or even to those who endure suffering but rather to those who love Him.

As far back as Deuteronomy 6:5, what was the first and great commandment? “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart …” The promise is all things work together for good “to those who love God.” The crown of righteousness is for “them that love His appearing” (II Tim 4:8)” “But whoever loves God is known by God” (I Cor 8:3). I am amazed to find once again that it all comes down to love. I shouldn’t be. God is love.

I think it actually helpful to learn that the key is not just to endure but to be loving God while we do. That makes sense. As I look ahead, whatever the trials may be, I am not sure I will endure. I don’t know if I can do it, if I’ve got what it takes. Will I have the strength? I don’t know. I fear myself and how easily my heart will succumb to any number of temptations. But what if I just keep trying to love God? Even in that I have no confidence in myself, yet somehow it seems do-able. And somehow my heart likes the idea of making that my goal – to just keep loving God – because, if I’m loving God, I actually think I will endure. Somehow I’ll make it through if I can just keep His lovely face in view, not forget He loves me, not forget His way is best, that He will never give me more than I can bear, that all things are working together for good, that I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.

¹²Blessed [is the] man who is enduring trial, because having been proven, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those loving Him.