Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has
been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to
those who love Him. Let no one say when
he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does
He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is
tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives
birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. (James 1:12-15)
The crown of life is like the victory wreath given to
winning athletes (1 Cor. 9:25). God's
crown of life is not glory and honor here on earth, but the reward of eternal
life - living with God forever. The way
to be in God's winners' circle is by loving Him and staying faithful even under
pressure. The believer who endures
trials demonstrates that they love Jesus and therefore will receive the crown
of life (Rev. 2:10) at the judgment seat of Christ. The Bible describes the
believer’s reward (2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 22:12) under various vivid images such as
precious metals (1 Cor. 3:8–14), garments (Rev. 3:5, 18; 19:7–8), and crowns (1
Cor. 9:25; Rev. 2:10; 3:11).
