James 1-2
A true story told by one of the first missionaries to enter Russia:
In Russia before the Berlin Wall came down and freedom to worship freely was against the law, many Christians were forced to get together in secret to worship the Lord. One group of Christians were gathered together in a simple house studying the Bible when suddenly the door was thrown open violently and three Russian soldiers burst in with rifles. One of the soldiers bellowed out that anyone who wasn't a Christian could leave immediately but anyone who had come to worship God should stay.
After a moment of silence many of the people filed out of the house leaving a few people behind. One of the soldiers closed the door behind them and locked it, then the soldiers all put down the rifles and explained to the remaining few that they also were Christians but they only wanted to worship with true believers. COULD YOU PASS SUCH A TEST OF YOUR FAITH?
James 1:2-4 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
a. Count it all joy when you fall into various trials: James regards trials as inevitable. He says when, not if you fall into various trials. At the same time, trials are occasions for joy, not discouraged resignation. We can count it all joy in the midst of trials, because they are used to produce patience. Patience is the ancient Greek word hupomone. This word does not describe a passive waiting, but an active endurance. It isn’t so much the quality that helps you sit quietly in the doctor’s waiting room as it is the quality that helps you finish a marathon.
b. Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience: Faith is tested through trials, not produced by trials. Trials reveal what faith we do have, not because God doesn’t know how much faith we have, but to make our faith evident to ourselves and those around us. If trials do not produce faith, what does? Romans 10:17 tells us: So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Faith is built in us as we hear and understand and trust in God’s word.
a. Count it all joy when you fall into various trials: James regards trials as inevitable. He says when, not if you fall into various trials. At the same time, trials are occasions for joy, not discouraged resignation. We can count it all joy in the midst of trials, because they are used to produce patience. Patience is the ancient Greek word hupomone. This word does not describe a passive waiting, but an active endurance. It isn’t so much the quality that helps you sit quietly in the doctor’s waiting room as it is the quality that helps you finish a marathon.
b. Knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience: Faith is tested through trials, not produced by trials. Trials reveal what faith we do have, not because God doesn’t know how much faith we have, but to make our faith evident to ourselves and those around us. If trials do not produce faith, what does? Romans 10:17 tells us: So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Faith is built in us as we hear and understand and trust in God’s word.
c. Produces patience: Trials don’t produce faith, but when trials are received with faith, it produces patience. But patience is not inevitably produced in times of trial. If difficulties are received in unbelief and grumbling, trials can produce bitterness and discouragement. This is why James exhorts us to count it all joy. Counting it all joy is faith’s response to a time of trial.
d. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing: The work of patient endurance comes slowly, and must be allowed to have full bloom. Patient endurance is a mark of the person who is perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
So in the end, trials can be beneficial. This is why we can count it pure joy when we face trials of many kinds--because the testing of our faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that we will be mature and complete, not lacking any good thing--when that happens, the trial has ended!
d. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing: The work of patient endurance comes slowly, and must be allowed to have full bloom. Patient endurance is a mark of the person who is perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
So in the end, trials can be beneficial. This is why we can count it pure joy when we face trials of many kinds--because the testing of our faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that we will be mature and complete, not lacking any good thing--when that happens, the trial has ended!