James: Faith/WorksSample

Trials / Temptations

One thing you need to understand in order to feel the weight of what you’re about to study is the fact that the Book of James (AD 48–52) was the first book to be written in what’s now the New Testament. Nearly five hundred years had passed since Malachi had written the final words of Old Testament Scripture.

You don’t just pick up parchment and decide to write a letter to God’s people. This wasn’t the age of blogs, social media, or talking heads on news networks. What would prompt somebody to address people he had never met? 

The Spirit of God had an urgent yet eternal word for the church in that moment as well as for us today. So the first details we need to know are who James’s audience was and why God spoke to them.

James, the half brother of Jesus, wrote this letter to believers outside Palestine. This was a decade, maybe less, after the death, burial, resurrection, and ascension of Christ.

Let’s put this time frame in context. If we’re tracking the early church’s progress as recorded in the Book of Acts, we’re not even halfway through the book yet. In fact, believers were just starting to be called Christians (see Acts 11:26), which was originally a derogatory term opponents used to mock and belittle believers. Christians had scattered, but Paul hadn’t gone on his first missionary journey yet. 

Peter was literally facing a trial of the legal kind. Many Christians were literally facing life-or-death situations. Persecution is still a reality for Christians throughout the world today, but these aren’t the only kinds of trials worthy of mention in Scripture or worthy of the Spirit’s comfort through the Word of God. James said trials of various kinds. Family, finances, health, work, and neighbors can all be trials.

We shouldn’t be surprised when we face trials. Trials come just because we live in a fallen world broken by sin.  The good news is that vindication and victory are also guaranteed. Jesus Christ, who suffered unjustly to the point of death, was not only resurrected but is also coming back to judge the righteous and the unrighteous. Fiery trials will shed light on the truth: Jesus is Lord. He’s worthy. He’s good.