The Full GospelSample

Tests, Trials, and Temptations // The Gospel According to James

One of the oldest and most pressing questions that believers throughout history have faced is: Why does God allow evil and suffering to exist? This question persists because the existence of so many bad things seems to fly in the face of a God who is supposed to be good.

Thankfully, the gospel answers this question in ways that are good, true, and beautiful by showing us what God has done, what He is doing, and what He will do to deal with and redeem the wrongness that plagues our fallen world.

In the letter James wrote to the early church, he opens with this:

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations: Greetings. James 1:1 NIV

This is significant to the question of evil and suffering because “the Lord Jesus Christ” suffered at the hands of evil men who tried to stamp out the gospel before it took root. He was executed in the most humiliating and painful way imaginable. He was tortured, mocked, and slandered. The greatest human to ever live was put through hell because of the wickedness that gripped the hearts of religious leaders and the political establishment.

And yet, God used that pain, suffering, and evil for a greater purpose. He used it to bring salvation to anyone who would believe in Jesus and devote their lives to Him. Without the crucifixion there would be no resurrection.

Why does God allow bad things to happen? Because He can and does use them for a greater good.

In the next few verses, James explains to us how God uses the hardships we walk through to grow our character.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 NIV

Consider it joy when you walk through trials because when your faith is tested by trials, you develop perseverance, endurance, and resilience. And when we persevere under pressure, we grow in our maturity and become more complete. The word James uses for “complete” is the same word that gets translated into “perfect” when Jesus says:

“Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:48 NIV

This is one reason why God allows us to experience difficult challenges—because challenges have the potential, if we persevere faithfully, to make us more like Jesus. If nothing scared you, there would be no need for courage. If nobody was hurting, you wouldn’t need compassion. If everything was easy, we wouldn’t have to grow stronger.

God allows us to experience tests and trials because He uses them for a greater good. He uses them to make us more like Jesus. Thankfully though, that’s not all God does. In verse 12, James tells us:

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. James 1:12 NIV

Evil and suffering are not forever. There will come a day when God deals with it once and for all. There will come a day when God redeems everything that has been ripped apart by sin, and He restores everything that has been broken down by suffering.

God allows evil and suffering to exist for now, but He won’t allow it to continue forever.

As this verse tells us, every single person who loves Him enough to persevere under trial will be rewarded with a crown of life. We keep chasing Him no matter how hard it is or how many times we stumble. We get back up, we lean on Him, and we ask Him to give us the strength to keep pressing on when our strength has run out.

It’s also important to remember that even though God allows it, He does not cause it.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. James 1:13-18 NIV

All that is wrong in the world came into being when the first humans, tempted by the devil, rebelled against God. That one act is known as “The Fall.” And it describes more than simply humanity’s fall into sin. It describes the fallen nature of all creation. When sin broke into the world, the whole universe was thrown into chaos. Our wrong choice brought sin and death into God’s good world. That was true then, and it’s still true now.

But because God loves us, He refused to give up on us. Instead, He became one of us so that He could fight against evil and suffer with us. And through His death and resurrection, He could redeem and restore us.

And our new and transformed lives are just the “firstfruits of all he created” because He is not done with us. A day will come when Jesus returns to finish what He started: to make all things new and put an end to evil and suffering—once and for all.