A Battle of Wills (1:12-19)

The target of life (1:12)

The pathway of death (1:13–16)

James is making this shift in meaning to serve his own subtle purposes. He has been teaching us that trials are blessings in that they lead forward to maturity and the crown. But they do not do this by some inherent power of their own. Everything depends on our response and the use we make of our circumstances.