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Bible Study James 1:12-15 "Blessed is a man who..."

Jethro Bodine

Jethro Bodine

Member
12Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death." (James 1:12-15 NASB)

Is James talking to, and about Christians, or any person? Let's examine the letter and see what we can discern.
 
Jethro Bodine said:
12Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death." (James 1:12-15 NASB)

Is James talking to, and about Christians, or any person? Let's examine the letter and see what we can discern.
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Good afternoon brother. It makes me happy to see one grounded in the in Truth teaching this subject.

People are bad about taking Subject Text such as this and never looking looking for the context the passage is contained inside of. In the beginning of this chapter we find:
1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are in the Dispersion: Greetings.2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you fall into various temptations, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 Let endurance have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

This letter is addressed to the Believers in God, Jewish or/and, I believe, Christian Jews, likely Christian Jews because James had come to believe his brother, Jesus, was, indeed, god in he flesh of a man. and he does address it to the Twelve Tribes, most often understood to mean the Twelve Tribes of Israel.

Good study.
 
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Hi Jethro,

I believe the letter is to Jews who had accepted Jesus as Messiah, it could be also for gentile christians, but he does mention the 12 tribes of Israel. Probably Jewish believers who had scattered all over from fear of persecution by some like Saul of Tarsus, the Sanhedrin and Jews in general who did not believe as the converted did.

To me it's obviously for believers.
James 1:2 He calls the recipients "brothers."
James 2:1 He calls the recipients "brothers."
James 5:7 " " " "

But James 1:12 says "for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life." NAS

So if "he" is not approved yet, is "he" (any man) a christian...

I have three bibles in front of me and only one uses the word "approved."
The NAS, which is, in my opinion, very trustworthy.
The NIV says "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial."
The KJV "Blessed is the man who endures temptation."

So now we have to go to Young's Literal Translation and here's why I trust the NAS...
Young's says:
"Happy the man who doth endure temptation, because becoming approved, he shall receive the crown of life."

So your quote above is correct and if the man has to "be approved" does this mean he's not Christian yet?
Well, he's a blessed man. He's persevering under trial. He will receive the crown of life. Which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

James 5:11 Job endured and he was blessed.
Romans 5:3-5 and 2 Timothy 2:12 both exhort us to endure
1 Peter 5:4 We will receive the crown of glory

All of the above scripture is referring to Christians. The man "will be" approved. Referring to when the chief shepherd appears, as in 1 Peter 5:4
Also, James speaks as if he thought the Lord was coming back very soon.
James 5:8 "The coming of the Lord is at hand." NAS

So the approval would not have taken long.
My thoughts.

Wondering
 
wondering said:
Hi Jethro,

I believe the letter is to Jews who had accepted Jesus as Messiah, it could be also for gentile christians, but he does mention the 12 tribes of Israel. Probably Jewish believers who had scattered all over from fear of persecution by some like Saul of Tarsus, the Sanhedrin and Jews in general who did not believe as the converted did.

To me it's obviously for believers.
James 1:2 He calls the recipients "brothers."
James 2:1 He calls the recipients "brothers."
James 5:7 " " " "

But James 1:12 says "for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life." NAS

So if "he" is not approved yet, is "he" (any man) a christian...

I have three bibles in front of me and only one uses the word "approved."
The NAS, which is, in my opinion, very trustworthy.
The NIV says "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial."
The KJV "Blessed is the man who endures temptation."

So now we have to go to Young's Literal Translation and here's why I trust the NAS...
Young's says:
"Happy the man who doth endure temptation, because becoming approved, he shall receive the crown of life."

So your quote above is correct and if the man has to "be approved" does this mean he's not Christian yet?
Well, he's a blessed man. He's persevering under trial. He will receive the crown of life. Which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

James 5:11 Job endured and he was blessed.
Romans 5:3-5 and 2 Timothy 2:12 both exhort us to endure
1 Peter 5:4 We will receive the crown of glory

All of the above scripture is referring to Christians. The man "will be" approved. Referring to when the chief shepherd appears, as in 1 Peter 5:4
Also, James speaks as if he thought the Lord was coming back very soon.
James 5:8 "The coming of the Lord is at hand." NAS

So the approval would not have taken long.
My thoughts.

Wondering
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I also love the KJV because it is poetic and thought for thought but my studies center on the more accurate word for word translation of the NASB. I has grown to not trust the NIV because of their translation team's continued effort to twist the scriptures into herecy.

Had they not moved into generating a gender neutral version I would, likely, not feel this way.
 
th1b.taylor said:
I also love the KJV because it is poetic and thought for thought but my studies center on the more accurate word for word translation of the NASB. I has grown to not trust the NIV because of their translation team's continued effort to twist the scriptures into herecy.

Had they not moved into generating a gender neutral version I would, likely, not feel this way.
Click to expand...
I agree re the King James. But unless I know a verse well, I sometimes need a different version for understanding purposes.

How does the NIV twist scripture? And a gender neutral version? I've been away, and also out of fellowship, too long. You sent me running to check my NIV. It's from 2008 (Zondervan). I haven't noticed any gender neutral verses - must have happened after 2008.

I can hardly believe it. It's the bible!
Genesis 1:27
How did that get translated??!

Wondering
 
th1b.taylor said:
This letter is addressed to the Believers in God, Jewish or/and, I believe, Christian Jews, likely Christian Jews
Click to expand...

:salute

Yes sir. It would be fruitless to try and teach an unbeliever, you has not the Spirit within.

The Gospel is for unbelievers, to repent and become saved.

Paul said it this way -

11 But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner—not even to eat with such a person. 12 For what have I to do with judging those also who are outside? Do you not judge those who are inside? 13 But those who are outside God judges. Therefore“put away from yourselves the evil person.”


James is writing to Jewish believers who were scattered by the persecution, described in Acts 8.

At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles...
Therefore those who were scattered went everywhere preaching the word. Acts 8:1,4

Finally, this passage should clear up any doubt.

My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. James 2:1


JLB
 
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Jethro Bodine said:
12Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. 14But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. 15Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death." (James 1:12-15 NASB)

Is James talking to, and about Christians, or any person? Let's examine the letter and see what we can discern.
Click to expand...
To us all..
James was much bothered by His observation that Christians were not living holy and righteous lives.
They failed to show any difference in their behavior after coming believers.
Christians must show their faith by what they do . James2:17,18
 
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wondering said:
I agree re the King James. But unless I know a verse well, I sometimes need a different version for understanding purposes.

How does the NIV twist scripture? And a gender neutral version? I've been away, and also out of fellowship, too long. You sent me running to check my NIV. It's from 2008 (Zondervan). I haven't noticed any gender neutral verses - must have happened after 2008.

I can hardly believe it. It's the bible!
Genesis 1:27
How did that get translated??!

Wondering
Click to expand...
It was about '08 that I did the comparative read through, comparing it, verse to verse with the NASB and unlike interviewing candidates for the Pulpit, I did not keep notes but I am given to understand that all the differences are noted on some web sites that, I have heard, can be found by googling NIV problems.

I do know the version I had, purchased in the mid-nineties is not the same as the one that sells now and if you want a Gender neutral version they are on the shelf. It is not popular because it is a heretical abolition. I have also heard from one brother that newer versions that are not gender neutral have been reworded adding more differences from the NASB and all of the more traditional thought for thought versions. I can never understand any other reason for erasing the truth that God calls Himself the Heavenly 'Father,' not mother and not some thing.

And so much for my two cents!
 
th1b.taylor said:
It was about '08 that I did the comparative read through, comparing it, verse to verse with the NASB and unlike interviewing candidates for the Pulpit, I did not keep notes but I am given to understand that all the differences are noted on some web sites that, I have heard, can be found by googling NIV problems.

I do know the version I had, purchased in the mid-nineties is not the same as the one that sells now and if you want a Gender neutral version they are on the shelf. It is not popular because it is a heretical abolition. I have also heard from one brother that newer versions that are not gender neutral have been reworded adding more differences from the NASB and all of the more traditional thought for thought versions. I can never understand any other reason for erasing the truth that God calls Himself the Heavenly 'Father,' not mother and not some thing.

And so much for my two cents!
Click to expand...
Hi Taylor
I also couldn't believe the difference in Isa.14:12.
Which should be read,,
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!

Glad to hear from you....
 
th1b.taylor said:
Yes it is Dianne but instead it reads;
New International Version
How you have fallen from heaven, morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations!
Click to expand...
That's not too bad, but some versions are farther off.

Also note Lucifer, morning star.
We have in Job 38:7
When the Morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
 
James chapter one is speaking to those who have faith to never let it waver in the face of trials and tribulations. James is speaking to the body of Christ here as non-believers have no faith in Christ for they know not Christ.
 
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