Resources/Articles
Preventive Blessings
James wrote, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.” (James 1.13). Yet earlier, in vv. 2-3, James wrote, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.” So, God sends trials, and we are to regard that as a blessing; yet God tempts no one to sin. This helps us to understand why a trial from God is for the purpose of preventing us from committing sin. Moses wrote of Israel’s “preventive blessings”: “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin” (Exodus 20.20).
Both Paul and Peter identified these “preventive blessings” of Christians as suffering, not for evil, but for Christ (Romans 5.2-5; 1 Peter 4.16). Understanding the purpose and the benefit of this type of suffering should teach Christians to be thankful when their faith is tested.
