9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation,10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away.11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
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.13 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.14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.
Verse 9-11 is small and to the point. It speaks of two different types of men. A "lowly brother" or a "man of low degree" and rich men. Both types of men have satisfaction but in different things. These verses are similar to what jesus said in Luke 9:24 "For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." Its basically saying, it is easier for the man that doesn't have a lot here on earth to have faith in the things of God. And it is more difficult for the rich man to have faith in the things of God. Its not because the amount of things matter to God. Its because they matter to us. We are materialistic-natured people. Even when it comes to Jesus, there are some who come to Him in order to get something. We are to abide in Him through faith because in Him is our new identity. Salvation is more than just fire assurance. It is easier for the man who has very little to understand, than it is for the man who has a lot.
I find verse 12 to be very interesting. It tells us, again, how to be steadfast through the trials of our faith. "...for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him." God promises those who love him abundant life. And He gives those who are steadfast through their tests of faith abundant life. Meaning, in order to be steadfast in your trials of faith, you must love God and He will give you the crown of life.
Verse 13 through 15 defines the origins of sin so that, through self evaluation, we can identify it at an early stage. Temptation is at the core of our "tests of faith". Tempted to abandon what we know of God and pursue what we want instead (Proverbs 11:2). God cannot tempt us, because He himself cannot be tempted. However, as we see during Job's tests of faith, God allows the enemy to tempt us. And then James unpacks how we are tempted. Everyone is tempted when he is lured and enticed by our own desires. Then James interestingly uses sex to depict what happens next. That desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin. This marks the beginning of sin. Being tempted isn't sin. Being enticed of our desires isn't sin. But when we act on our desires, that is sin. And the cost of that sin is death. James quickly reminds us that not all of our desires aren sin. It is possible to act on a desire and have it glorify God, when that desire comes from God. The way to discern whether or not a desire comes from God is easy, verse 17. Every good gift and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. This is a big deal. At the core of everything is good and perfect and comes from the Father. Its when we change, elevate, variate, and pervert it that it becomes a sinful desire. Take sex. At its core, it is a good and perfect thing, yet when we change, elevate, variate, and pervert it, it becomes a sinful desire. Take food. At its core it is a good and perfect thing given to us by the Father. And when we change, elevate, variate, and pervert it, it becomes a sinful desire.
Of God's own will, he created us by way of the Word of Truth, that we are like the first crop from the harvest of everything he created. James brings it back to the main point. Its for God's glory. Our faith is tested, and our character is shaped when we remain steadfast in our love for our Father, and for that He loves us and gives us the crown of life, so that He is glorified.
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