Reflections of Grace - James 1:12

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” — James 1:12

The book of James is unique among the epistles of the New Testament, with some comparing it to the “wisdom literature” of the Old Testament like Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.

That is not to say that it teaches any different message than the rest of the Bible, but rather that its style is more one of application of the Gospel rather than explanation of the Gospel.

We can always use more application of the Gospel in our lives.

In the verse above, James teaches us a principle that is meant to be an encouragement to all who are in Christ.

He references trials as a “test” to be endured and reminds us that there is a blessed outcome for all who persevere in the faith, even through great trials.

There is a reason that James uses broad terms like “trial,” and in the surrounding verses “temptation” and “humiliation.”

There is no single circumstance that he has in mind. It could be persecution for the faith, painful illness, sinful desires, or any number of things.

In all of these the enemy of our souls will seek to gain a foothold and use his deceptions to draw us away from the Lord and the gospel of our salvation.

Unfortunately, there are myriads of examples of men and women who have gone this way.

All those who die having abandoned the hope of the Gospel do so because they were never truly rooted in the hope of the Gospel.

Nevertheless, even those who are truly converted “may have the assurance of their salvation divers ways shaken, diminished, and intermitted; as, by negligence in preserving of it; by falling into some special sin…by some sudden or vehement temptation.” (Westminster Confession of Faith 18.4)

There are those who will know great assurance of salvation in this life and who will persevere well.

And there are those who will often be shaken in their assurance and who will struggle mightily in their sanctification.

James is not suggesting that our eternal reward depends upon the degree of our faithfulness.

Rather, he is calling us to faithfulness and perseverance that is rooted in the certainty of God’s promises in Christ.

Don’t be discouraged if you struggle. Discouragement is the devil’s game, not the Lord’s.

If you face challenges in this life with the mindset that the outcome depends upon you and that you must meet a certain standard in order to be accepted by God, then you are setting yourself up for a lifetime of despair.

But if you always remember that Christ alone has earned your salvation, secured it by his blood, and applied it to you by his Spirit, then you will be strengthened to run your race well not in your own strength, but in the strength of our risen Savior. Amen.