James 1:9-13
“Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”

The idea of reward is particularly strong throughout the New Testament. Through parables such as the ten talents (Matthew 25) to remarks about those who would be called the least or the greatest on the Kingdom of Heaven – Christ emphasised this truth (Matthew 5:19).

These rewards are often called crowns by the apostles. This certainly indicates the high status of Christians in the sight of God. We are a royal priesthood set aside for a noble and an eternal purpose (1 Peter 2:5). Therefore a crown becomes a fitting accolade for such a people.
For example, as Paul faced martyrdom he anticipated the prospect of the “crown of righteousness” (2nd Timothy 4:8). Peter, when encouraging God’s people held forth the prospect of the “crown of glory” (1st Peter 5:4).

In pastoring Christians who had suffered for their faith, who had experienced deprivation of home and business, James introduces the prospect of the Crown of Life.

The Surety of the Crown

The Crown of Life is a promise.

“…the crown of life which the Lord hath promised…”

The word life, associated with this crown, represents everlasting life, which is the experience of all of God’s people throughout eternity. This eternal life is the covenant promise of God. Eternal life is ours in Christ Jesus, as our Saviour Himself promised:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand. I and my Father are one” (John 10:27-30).

The pictorial language employed by Christ, is exceptionally strong. He is presented as the shepherd, His people are the sheep. They shall never perish because they are held in the hand of the shepherd. A shepherd cares for all the needs of the flock. He will not allow one to die.

Christ, however, introduces the truth that He is one with the Father. This does not mean that He and the Father are the same person. Rather it means that they share the same divine essence within the Holy Trinity. While they are different persons they share the same purpose. This purpose includes the covenant promises for the elect of God.

Therefore being held by Christ is to be held by the Father. Let us think about this in a very natural sense to help our understanding. The sheep are inside the hand of Christ. The Father’s hand is wrapped about His Son’s hand. As certainly as the Father and the Son are one – every Christian has everlasting life. For God not to give eternal life to His people would be for God to break His covenant promise—and God cannot deny Himself.

Crowns are designed for dignity. They are made of precious metals, adorned by glittering diamonds and gemstones and fashioned with exquisite skill. The most elaborate crown ever worn, made by a human to adorn the head of royalty, pales into insignificance when compared to the joy and bliss of everlasting life.

What work God has put into preparing this crown! The gold and the silver were forged in the fires of Calvary when Jesus Christ bore our sins unto death. He died, the Good Shepherd surrendered His life that we might live! The value of everlasting life can only be measured by the worth of Christ’s precious blood. Hallelujah – what a Saviour!

Practically, the Christians James were addressing, were living in adverse circumstances. They were facing poverty, isolation, persecution and possible martyrdom. None of these challenges, however, could remove the prospect of the crown of life. This was promised by God and could not therefore be taken away. Even if they faced the point of the sword or the horrors of the Colosseum with their bodies being torn apart by savage beasts before the cheering hordes – this would be but a bloody entrance into the throne room of Heaven. Though they faced rejection by their Jewish family members and hatred by the Gentile Romans they would never be rejected by a Heavenly Father and by Jesus Christ their good and gentle shepherd.

Whatever is troubling you, dear child of God – Whatever your pain or your grief – you have eternal life. The crown of life awaits.

The Struggle for the Crown

In common with other New Testament writers James writes of the Crown as coming to those who succeed in a contest. There is a trial, but the prospect of the Crown enables the person to succeed. The inspiration of the Crown is very important, as an incentive to persevere.

No contest is easy. There is a struggle. There are not only hardships but temptations associated with the Christian life. James employs the imagery of the crown and the prospect of everlasting life to teach God’s people perspective.

Perspective is always important. Perspective lifts our horizons. It prevents us being self obsessed with our own little world. In spiritual terms perspective prevents us being drawn into the sticky web of time and the material, which is fleeting transient dream.

Lack of perspective produces feelings and fears that we have to fight against as we struggle on in this material sensual world.
Bible commentator Douglas Moo I found to be particularly helpful in helping me to see the importance of perspective according to the teachings of James in the 21st Century Christian Church:

“The point of the passage is, then, that Christians must always evaluate themselves by spiritual and not material standards. Maintaining such a perspective in a world that so insistently confronts us with a very different standard of measurement is not easy. But if the church is to be the kind of “countercultural” society that Jesus intended it to be, establishing and propagating such a perspective is essential.” (Douglas Moo, The Letter of James).

Notice how James expresses himself:

“Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.” (James 1:11-12)”

The poor man was tempted to feel hard done by, becoming jealous of those who were richer. He may even become tempted to accrue wealth through lies and deceit such is the bitterness and jealously he feels.

The rich man is tempted to be proud of his standing, to expect preferential treatment, to be rather snobbish towards those who are poor as if they are failures and he is a success.

James uses the illustration of wealth because it was particularly relevant to his audience but we may stretch the idea a little further.

One may feel that he has no obvious abilities, its not true of course, everyone has a talent, but some can be jealous because they wish they had had the abilities that others seem to demonstrate so freely.
Someone else can be tempted to be puffed up with arrogance because they have talents which are a blessing to others.

One person may be less sociable possessing a smaller circle of friends, tempted to be jealous of someone else and all their acquaintances. Another may be very sociable but tempted to despise the shy retiring types.

One may be less educated, perhaps – feels a little uncultured in the presence of another who can grasp things so readily, possessing wider knowledge and who has such a way with words. There is also the temptation of the one with a high academic attainment to despise the one who has not been blessed in this manner.

Another blessed with higher degree of success in this life can be tempted to disdain the individual who in his or her eyes just couldn’t make it.

One may have suffered in life, feels hard done by, looking at the person with their seemingly nice perfect life with some bitterness in the soul.

It is not wrong to be blessed materially, academically, socially. We are all blessed in so many different ways. But what is sinful is employing our blessings and the blessings of others to create divisions and distinctions. But this lack of appreciation and the temptation to either become jealous or disdainful of others is part of the struggle of life.

The Seizing of the Crown

This heavenly reward is to be seized by God’s people. We keep the goal, the prize before our eyes. This is where we avoid the earthly perspective in exchange for the heavenly.

The crown is God’s gift, yet God’s people must lay hold of it by faith. God promises it, and faith embraces the promise. Grace gives it, but perseverance presses on to receive it. God gives heaven and provides heaven, yet we are accountable creatures, enabled by grace to claim the inheritance. But God has given us grace, and that grace gives us strength to persevere. That grace gives us the fight whereby we can claim heaven by force as our Lord taught. We must examine ourselves by looking inward asking the question – ‘Have I the characteristics of those who are living for the crown as Charles Wesley poetically articulated – “Bold I approach the eternal throne, and claim the crown through Christ my own”. Thomas Manton wisely wrote “that though none be crowned without striving, yet they are not crowned for striving.”

How, then do we, strive and seize the crown?

“…the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”

We love the Lord. This is our calling. Our service must be motivated by love and inspired by love. Our service for the Lord will never become wearisome if we are filled by a love for Christ.

This takes me back to John and the sheep in the hands of the shepherd. The characteristic of the sheep was that they responded to the voice of the shepherd. Those who receive the crown of life are not called to wander but to follow. But why do we follow? Because the shepherd calls us and we know our place, by His side and in His hand.
We seize the crown by loving but we demonstrate this love by our following. As we follow, however, we rejoice. Service and joy go together because it is Christ’s will that our joy is complete in Him.

This is where we return to perspective. We have not quite finished with the lessons in verses 11 and 12. In the struggle we majored on our lack of perspective and the temptations we face as we relate to one another.

But how do we rise above these temptations? – by loving, following and rejoicing.

The brother of low degree rather than feeling hard done by should rejoice because he is actually exalted – why? He is a child of God! If it is God’s will for us to be poor, rejoice, be happy. Are you not the Lord’s child? You have a crown awaiting!

The rich brother rejoices because he has been humbled as his riches could fly away at any time. He really has nothing either. What he has is the same treasure that poor brother has. We are all one in Christ Jesus enjoying the same level of prosperity.

This both humbles and encourages our hearts. But we need to extrapolate this line of thinking further still.

Whatever our talents or lack of talents, whatever circle of friends we have or don’t have, whatever our problems, griefs, pains, challenges we are to rejoice. Our names are written in heaven! Envy looks sideways and says, ‘Why has God given him what He has not given me?’ Pride looks sideways and says, ‘Why has God not given him what He has given me?’ Faith looks upward and says, ‘Whatever God has given me, He has given me for His glory’. Don’t measure your life by what God has given somebody else. Measure it by what God has promised you in Christ.With such a spirit we endure all the trials and tests as we anticipate the crown of life!

The crown teaches us that spiritual eternal reality is what ultimately matters. And this crown is not ours by right. It is the free gift of God’s grace.

In this broken world have you the promise of that which cannot be broken, or marred or stolen? Have you everlasting life. Are you loving, following, rejoicing? Or are you distant from God, not responding to that voice?

Hear the Lord today and be among those who will receive this crown of life.