NT Promise 59: The Crown of Life

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those that love him.

This is one of many “Blessed” promises in the Bible. A person is blessed when he endures temptation. He is tried and tested, but he does not give in and give up. He is blessed on the one hand because he has proven faithful to God and kept his trust in the Lord. He is blessed on the other hand because enduring the temptation makes him even stronger.

Tests come our way every day, strong or weak, hard or easy. They may not be as dramatic as Abraham’s testing, Job’s trials, or Jesus’ temptations, but they still make us stronger or weaker, draw us closer to God or we push Him away. Blessed is the man who passes the tests.

The specific blessing and promise for enduring temptation is the crown of life. The crown of life is the same as eternal life, but with the added implication that one is able to rule that life. For sometimes this life ”under the sun” without God beats us down tries to rule us. But Christ turns the tables and gives us the crown.

Revelation 2:10: ”For ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and i will give you the crown of life.” You shall forever rule over Death and Sin and all Evil.