Sufferings (James 1:12-15)

Sufferings (James 1:12-15)

Siew Whye Poh. 8 July 2016

"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. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death."  (James 1:12-15)

There are two types of suffering. One leads to joy. The other leads to sorrow. What are these two types? 

The first type are called "trials".  Trials come from God as a means to purify us and to create a Christ-like character as He prepares us for eternity. It is also His way of making us effective and productive servants while on earth. 

This is the type of suffering referred to in Romans 5:3-4: "we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.." 

God uses trials and difficulties in our lives as a form of loving discipline to iron out worldliness and sin from us. It is supposed to draw us closer towards God and learn to depend on Him. 

We are asked to "rejoice" in such suffering just as an athlete "rejoices" over the physical pain of vigorous training, knowing that he comes out a better and stronger. 

The other type of suffering are caused by "temptations" - or rather, the giving in to temptations. This type of suffering leads not to joy, but to sorrows because it follows the law of sin, which leads to sorrow and death.

James said that this type of suffering does not come from God, but when a person is "lured" (as in to lure a fish out of hiding) and "enticed" (as in to get the fish to bite the bait) by his own desire. 

This type of suffering is referred to in 1 Peter 4:15 "But let none of you suffer as a murderer or a thief or an evildoer or as a meddler."  Peter was addressing Christians, and so both Christians and non-Christians are susceptible to suffering caused by sin. This type of suffering draws us away from God and to become dependent on self.

Is there a connection between suffering by trials and suffering by (giving in to) temptation? 

James linked the two together in the same paragraph. It appears that there is a possibility that trials can turn into temptation - not because God is doing the tempting, but that our own "desire" and "lust" interferes with God's discipline. 

Job, for example, underwent a series of trials. In the end, Job almost went too far in accusing God, before God graciously stepped in.  

When we take things into our own hands, or disobey scriptural principles, or mis-apply the Word in order to "escape" from the pain of trials, this creates a temptation to take the easy way out, and as a result leads to sin, and from sin leads to the sorrow-type suffering.  

For example, if the Word says to "obey your authority" but we rebel because we don't want to "suffer" under the authority, then that's giving into temptation. That's why James 1:5 also says "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." That is, whenever we feel we are suffering under difficulties or trials, we need to seek wisdom and understanding to know the right response.

We can do this either by reading the Word or seek for counsel from mature Christians or discuss it in our cell group. To go "solo" and make our own conclusion is likely to be the wrong path to take - Satan "lures" us out of the hiding place of God's Word and then puts a bait that looks good to us. But it is our own impatience, our greed, our pride and our own lust that makes us take the bait. 

To close off, there is also another cause of suffering that is harder to explain. This suffering is not caused by direct personal sin, and hence must be something allowed by God. 

It is the suffering caused by things like accidents, wars, and natural disasters. In an earthquake, both old and young, Christians and non-Christians, saints and sinners alike die.  How do we explain whether these because of trials or because of sin? I don't quite know, but I think it's both.  

The world as we know it is corrupted and decaying. God does not intend to save the world, but in fact will let it continue to decay until it is one day destroyed by fire (See Revelation). 

God's plan is to rescue those who would put their trust in Christ out of the world and into eternal life in heaven. 

This happens when a believer dies, or when Christ comes again and living believers will be taken up and meet Him in the air.

The world will continue to crumble, taking lives with it, and people will get more radical and kill each other. This cannot be stopped, and that's why it is so urgent to save as many as possible. 

When such suffering happens, a person has two choices - to view it as a trial OR to view it as a temptation to say "God does not exist, or if God exist, He is either an evil God or has no power to stop evil." I've just explained that this is not the case.

There was a Christian who went to a barber for a hair cut. The barber was an atheist and challenged the Christian "How can there be a God when there is so much suffering in the world?"  The Christian did not know how to answer on the spot. As the Christian left the barber shop, he saw a man with long hair, sitting at the side walk playing guitar. An inspiration came over him. The Christian took that man inside the barber shop and said to the barber "I don't believe barbers exist!" The barber said, "what do you mean? I am a barber!" Then the Christian replied, "Well, I don't think barbers exist because if barbers exist, then how can this man's hair remain long?"

You see, at the end of the day, it's about choice. A Christian who undergoes an accident (like Job) or natural disaster can still say "this is a trial and I will continue to believe and obey God in it" and God will surely restore the person and use the person to accomplish His bigger plans. Or the person (Christian or Non-Christian) can lose faith and suffer the pain of sorrows.  It is up to you.