James 1:13 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.
“Trials” of verse 2 shares the same root word as “tempted” in this verse. This verse raises some difficult questions that are not easy to answer, if they can even be answered. For example, in light of Hebrews 12, does God bring trials our way in order to discipline us or teach us something? Does God allow trials and temptations to come our way? Is God the cause of trials or does allow them? The bigger theological question is, is God sovereign and determine everything? There are many different opinions about this. One branch of Christianity, Calvinism, leans towards God’s total control over everything. Another branch, Arminianism, leans towards human free will to choose right or wrong and face the consequences for themselves or others for this decision. Sometimes our trials are interpreted as evil because they cause us physical or emotional pain. Actually, these trials may serve the purpose of strengthening our faith. James is saying that God does not bring evil into our lives. God can use the evil experiences we have and turn them into something for our good precisely because God is sovereign. We still have a choice of what to do with these experiences. These trials or temptations can either entice us away from faith and cause us to rely on our own strength, or they can cause us to lean more on God and not our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6). God does not bring the trials or temptation upon us but in God’s sovereignty may allow Satan (see the story of Job) or circumstances into our lives in order to strengthen us for other challenges we may face. As we grow stronger, we are commanded to lift others up and encourage them as they face their own struggles.
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