James 1:2-18 - Trials, Testing, And Faith

² Consider it [an occasion for] much joy, my brothers, when you experience various trials, ³ because you [should] know that when your faith is tested, it produces perseverance. ⁴ And you [should] allow your perseverance to complete its work, so that you will be perfect and complete, [and] not lacking in anything.

⁵ But if any one of you lacks wisdom, he should pray to God, who gives to everyone generously and does not begrudge [the person who asks], and it will be given to him. ⁶ But he should ask in faith, without doubting, because the person who doubts [that he will receive wisdom] is like an ocean wave that is driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For that [doubting] person should not think that he will receive anything from the Lord [through prayer], ⁸ because he is double-minded and undecided in all that he does [i.e., he cannot make up his mind and follow through about anything].

⁹ But the person [who must live] in humble circumstances should be happy over being lifted up [spiritually by God]. ¹⁰ And the wealthy person [should be happy] that he is humbled [by God], because he will pass away like a flower [blossoming] from grass. ¹¹ For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass [so that] its flower [blossoms] fall off, and its beautiful appearance is destroyed. In the same way, the wealthy person will fade away as he goes about his business [affairs].

¹² The person who perseveres under trials is blessed, because when he has been approved by God, he will receive the crown of [never ending] life, which God has promised to those who love Him.

¹³ No one should say when he is tempted, "God is tempting me," because God cannot be tempted by evil and He does not tempt anyone. ¹⁴ But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own evil desire. ¹⁵ Then, when the evil desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. And when sin is fully grown, it produces [spiritual] death.

¹⁶ [So], do not be deceived, my dearly loved brothers. ¹⁷ Every good thing that is given and every perfect gift [received] is from above, coming down from the Father of [heavenly] lights, with whom there can be no change or shifting shadow [i.e., God always remains the same]. ¹⁸ It was God's purpose to bring us into being [spiritually] by the message of truth, so that we could become a kind of "firstfruits" of those He created. [Note: "Firstfruits" here suggests either that Christians are the best of all of God's creatures (Num. 18:12), or that they were the first to be converted, with many more to come].