Delighted While Enduring Difficulty: A Christian Expectation
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Introduction
Introduction
The impossibility of the Christian life.
5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
PRAY
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
The different approach to difficulties
The different approach to difficulties
Count it all joy - Consider it, regard it - all joy, all gladness, all delight. This is the first command of the letter. Jacob is calling his readers to be full of delight and gladness. Consider it pure joy.
My brothers - James is writing to believers, those who have trusted in Jesus Christ and know blessings of the New Covenant.
Thus far, this is fairly straightforward and everyone would say, “Hey, I want to have pure joy! Awesome! BUT
When you meet trials of various kinds - The context in which James/Jacob calls his audience to be full of joy is on the occasion that they experience, encounter, undergo difficulty in life. It is important to note James does not tell the say “if” they have a trial, but he says, “When” you have a trial.
12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
Let’s first think about what James/Jacob means by trials and then we will consider what is meant by various kinds.
Trials - Douglas Moo comments on this work, “This word and its relatives can denote either and outward trial or process of testing or they can denote that inner enticement to sin: temptation or to tempt.”
Satan fights us, the world opposes us, the flesh pulls at us and this makes for a life of battle.
Of various kinds - different types of trials, a variety, diverse
Warren Wiersbe writes, “Some trials comes simply because we are human - sickness, accidents, disappointments, even seeming tragedies. Other trials come because we are Christians.
So,there are many types of difficulties that Christians must endure. Some are related to life in a fallen world, which all people experience and others are uniquely related to life as a follower of Christ.
Jesus spoke of the problems in the world.
33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
Luke describes persecution that Paul experienced at the hand of unbelievers.
19 But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having persuaded the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20 But when the disciples gathered about him, he rose up and entered the city, and on the next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe. 21 When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, 22 strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.
12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
As believers, we experience various forms of mistreatment from unbelievers, but we also endure the trials of inward conflict and spiritual warfare.
13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.
15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. 16 Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. 17 So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. 18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me.
24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.
The design of difficulties
The design of difficulties
For you know - James continues with the reason for why the recipients of his letter, the brothers, should consider it all joy to undergo various trials and difficulties.
For you know, because you understand, you realize, He reminds them or tells them they possess a knowledge which will help them discern the importance of obeying the command of having joy during trials. There is an implied reference to the reality of God’s work in the life of a believer. God has a plan for us in our suffering.
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
That that testing of your faith produces steadfastness - The reason behind having joy during trials is not because the trials themselves, but what they do in the life of a believer. He reminds them that trials test their faith.
James does not live in a world of abstraction or lunacy. He does not call his readers to enjoy the trials themselves or act as if these testing are not difficult, but rather he call them remember the impact trials have on their faith.
Faith is a real trust in God not based upon what we can see, but based on who God is.
1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
This testing carries the idea of trying the validity of something for genuineness. Is your faith real? How has it been tried and tested? Do you still have faith after the test?
James add that when genuine faith is tested the produce, result or fruit is steadfastness. Steadfastness is perseverance. It is the ability to keep on the Christian journey under a weight or load. In other words, it is the power to live the life of faith against resistance.
The Interpretation of the Epistle to the Hebrews and of the Epistle of James How to Consider Trials, v. 2–4
Trench calls this a noble word which always has a background of manliness: “the brave patience with which the Christian contends against the various hindrances, persecutions, and temptations that befall him in conflict with the inward and outward world.”
3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
The destination of difficulties
The destination of difficulties
And let steadfastness have its full effect - James/Jacob adds more. He tells the readers not to hinder or prevent steadfastness or perseverance. In other words, there is more than the ability to persevere or continue. There is is an additional effect or result.
I like the way the NASB translates this phrase. And let endurance have its perfect result… What is the result of perseverance?
That you may be perfect and complete - James uses two words connected by the conjunction “and” to communicate his thought on this. Perfect and complete, which both carry the idea of maturity or full development. In this case, perfect should not be understand as sinless, but as one writer put it, Perfection, meaning full-blown character of stable righteousness, is the virtue of the righteous man.” I believe a good way of thinking about this is wholeness.
One commentator writes:
The Epistle of James a. Testing Produces Joy 1:2–4
James sees the culmination of Christian life not simply in the secure holding of the faith, but in a fully rounded uprightness, an approach toward the character of God or an imitation of Christ.
When a man is mature, there is one final reality James highlights.
Lacking in nothing - not coming short of the goal or not have on part missing in us.
R.C.H. Lenski writes, “James deals with our faith in Christ, with the constancy of this faith, its manly maturity that has no weak spots anywhere. Trials test it out for possible weak spots so as to make us genuine and solid all around.”
23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Practical Application
Practical Application
God is active in our difficulties, do you trust him?
10 As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
“When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
The rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,
And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.”
“When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.”
How can we know when we are not approaching difficulties as God would have us?
Worry, anxiety, complaining and grumbling, loss of heart and discouragement, escapism and addiction, disobedience and self-absorption (woe is me), bitterness toward God and others, anger and impatience, misery and unhappiness...
What can we do to prepare for/endure difficulties?
Be filled with the Word. Know the God of the world
How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
Is laid for your faith in His excellent word!
What more can He say than to you He hath said,
To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
Help others in their trials.
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
For an unbeliever, what is your greatest difficulty?
God’s holiness and your lack of holiness is your greatness difficulty. What are you going to do when you stand before the holy God of the universe? I encourage you to forget about all your other problems and focus on this one. Until you are right with God, this life and its hardships are a drop in the bucket compared to the hard reality of being judged by God for your unbelief.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”