The Testing of our Faith

James 1:2–3 KJV 1900

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

When facing adversity, many people ask, "What have I done to deserve this?" or "Why me?" As Christ-followers, we can expect to experience trials in life. Consider the agony our Lord suffered on the cross. As the sinless Son of God, He certainly did not deserve the adversity He endured He suffered to offer us the way of salvation from our sin. God has a reason for our hardships too.

James 1:1–12 KJV 1900

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways. Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Option 2— Tower Test

Gather

• Paper or plastic mini-cups, 2 or 3 oz. size, 1 5 per student

SESSION 2 17

Steps

1 . Give each student a set of 15 mini-cups. Make sure each person has room to work on a flat tabletop.

2. Instruct students to build individual towers by stacking their cups one on top of the other.

Start with the first cup upside down as the base then alternate stacking cups end to end and top to top. The goal is to get all 15 of your cups stacked into a tower that stands on its own for at least 10 seconds. Note that you can use only one hand at a time white stacking the cups. If your tower topples, you must start over. Keep trying until you succeed or until the time is up.

3 . After four minutes, call time regardless of results. Discuss the activity. Let students share results of their tower-building.

ASK: How did you respond when you had to start over? Did you keep trying to build your tower, or did you give up before time was out?

ASK: When have you faced a difficult situation that discouraged you and made you want to give up?

4. Transition to the Bible lesson.

We all face difficult circumstances in life that require patience and perseverance. But sometimes we feel we've lost control, as if life is toppling over. In those circumstances it's easy to give up. Remember, God is in control, and He has a plan. In today's lesson, we will learn why God allows these circumstances in our lives and how we can face them with a godly attitude.

Gather

• Resources 41-R5.

l. The Purpose of Adversity

James 1:1–2 KJV 1900

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

ASK: Does this instruction to count all things joy address the believer's emotions or the believer's will? How do you know? The will. Emotions can't be commanded, the will can.

The command is not to feel a certain way, but to have a certain perspective. James said that the believer can accept adversity, knowing God is in control. In fact, James said the reader can count it all joy whenever he or she is being tested because God has a purpose in mind, the maturing of our faith. James mentioned three different, but interrelated, aspects of trials and how they affect one's growing faith. The first (trying or testing of your faith) produces the second (patience), and the second produces the third (becoming perfect and complete). Each plays an important role in God's purpose for adversity.

ASK: How might knowing that God has a purpose for our trials help us to count them all joy? We know God will be using the trial to accomplish good in our lives.

A. Prove genuine faith

James 1:3 KJV 1900

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

In achieving His purpose, God first designs trials to prove the genuineness of one's faith. The root of the Greek word for trying or testing was a term referring to the testing of metals to prove their genuineness. Gold was often tested with fire, for example.

Fire is still used today as a method of testing gold.

The goal of the testing was not to prove a suspicion that the metal wasn't genuine. Rather it was tested with confidence that the substance would pass the test easily.

God showed this type of confidence when Satan accused Job of lacking is true faith. God gave Satan permission to attack His faithful servant. God allowed the adversity or trial, but His objective was to prove that Job's faith was the real thing!

B. Build patient endurance

In verse 3, James mentioned another aspect of God's purpose in using adversity. The same testing that proves our faith genuine also helps to develop our endurance. The trying of our faith leads us to trust God throughout adverse circumstances, and He helps us make it through those times no matter how long or difficult. Through the process, we become patient, waiting on God for guidance, and we gain strength for the future hardships of life.

1 Corinthians 10:13 KJV 1900

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

ASK: What guarantees does God give gs in this verse? God guarantees that believers will not be tempted above what they are able to bear and that every temptation will have a way of escape.

Whether we face the normal adversities of life or the solicitation'g of Satan to do evil, God will provide a way for us to withstand the difficulty and will give us the strength to remain faithful to Him. The wording Paul used here communicates a similar idea to the concept conveyed by James. While Paul emphasized bearing up under a temptation, James stressed the idea of remaining (or abiding) steadfast during the trial. Both communicate a patient enduring of the difficulties believers will face as they live for God.

ASK: What connection do you see between enduring temptation and loving God? Loving and trusting God motivate us to endure.

C. Develop complete maturity

James noted a third facet of God's purpose for trials: the development of a mature faith. Developing a mature Christian faith results from patience having (or achieving) a perfect work. In other words, as the believer builds endurance through adversity, he or she progresses, moving toward perfection, or complete maturity. The word "perfect" does not emphasize sinless perfection. Instead it conveys the idea of full growth and maturity.

James presented adversity as a tool God can use to bring us to full growth. This knowledge contributes to the joy the believer can have during trials. God's purpose is development, not destruction. He intends for us to grow toward perfection, becoming more like Christ. Because God can use the severest adversity to accomplish His will, we believers might well change our prayers from pleas for deliverance from trials to expressions of confidence in God during trials.

ASK: Why should we care whether we mature as believers? Our maturity affects the impact we have on the lost. God uses our lives as testimonies of His love and holiness. Furthermore, our maturity will greatly affect the quality of our lives on earth and our rewards in Heaven.

II. Prayer in Adversity

A. Our focus

James 1:5 KJV 1900

If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Believers of all ages have sought refuge in James 1 :5. Some think James's exhortation to seek wisdom from God provides a mystical means of acquiring all types of answers without careful study or thought. A closer look reveals James's counsel is not just a blanket provision for wisdom. James is speaking specifically about wisdom for dealing with trials.

We all lack wisdom simply because we are human. But God invites the believer to draw near and seek His wisdom during the hardships of life. Counting it all joy during a trying time is not necessarily going to provide answers to the inevitable questions of "Why?" "Why me; why now; why this?" Even the confidence that God knows what He's doing does not necessarily relieve the anxiety that comes with the adversity.

Notice that the text promises wisdom, not an explanation. James was assuring his readers that God would help them to rise above their circumstances to see the larger picture. He may not, however, disclose to the believer the specific objective in trials, other than the general answer from verse 3.

ASK: What elements might God include in the wisdom He gives for the trial? Wisdom to see God working in the trial and wisdom to handle the details of the trial.

The promise of wisdom is not unconditional, but it is inexhaustible. God guarantees His generosity in giving wisdom to the one praying in faith. He gives freely to everyone and without discrimination. And God gives wisdom without resentment. In other words, He gives graciously. He isn't offended when believers seek help. He would not scold.

ASK: How might you encourage other to pray for wisdom in their trials instead of just deliverance from them?

B. Our faith

James 1:6–8 KJV 1900

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

ASK: What condition does God put on His promise of wisdom? The request for wisdom must be made by faith.

When believers ask for wisdom, they must have unwavering faith that God is in control and that He knows best. God will not give His wisdom to those with doubting or questioning in their hearts. James compared such a person to an unstable sea wave being tossed by the wind. He was not suggesting that it is improper to approach God with questions. His point was that one cannot approach God while doubting that God knows what He is doing. God will not impart His wisdom to a "doubleminded" person, that is, one who can't decide between trusting God's wisdom or the world's wisdom. The believer may well seek wisdom to understand why this is happening. But he or she is never given permission to ask God, "What are you trying to prove?"

III. Perspectives on Adversity

A. The poor person's perspective

James 1:9 KJV 1900

Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

We all lack wisdom simply because we are human. But God invites the believer to draw near and seek His wisdom during the hardships of life. Counting it all joy during a trying time is not necessarily going to provide answers to the inevitable questions of "Why?" "Why me; why now; why this?" Even the confidence that God knows what He's doing does not necessarily relieve the anxiety that comes with the adversity.

Notice that the text promises wisdom, not an explanation. James was assuring his readers that God would help them to rise above their circumstances to see the larger picture. He may not, however, disclose to the believer the specific objective in trials, other than the general answer from verse 3.

ASK: What elements might God include in the wisdom He gives for the trial? Wisdom to see God working in the trial and wisdom to handle the details of the trial.

The promise of wisdom is not unconditional, but it is inexhaustible. God guarantees His generosity in giving wisdom to the one praying in faith. He gives freely to everyone and without discrimination. And God gives wisdom without resentment. In other words, He gives graciously. He isn't offended when believers seek help. He would not scold.

ASK: How might you encourage other to pray for wisdom in their trials instead of just deliverance from them?

B. Our faith

James 1:6–8 KJV 1900

But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.

ASK: What condition does God put on His promise of wisdom? The request for wisdom must be made by faith.

When believers ask for wisdom, they must have unwavering faith that God is in control and that He knows best. God will not give His wisdom to those with doubting or questioning in their hearts. James compared such a person to an unstable sea wave being tossed by the wind. He was not suggesting that it is improper to approach God with questions. His point was that one cannot approach God while doubting that God knows what He is doing.

God will not impart His wisdom to a "doubleminded" person, that is, one who can't decide between trusting God's wisdom or the world's wisdom. The believer may well seek wisdom to understand why this is happening. But he or she is never given permission to ask God, "What are you trying to prove?"

III. Perspectives on Adversity

A. The poor person's perspective

James 1:9 KJV 1900

Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

ASK: In what sense is a believer of low degree (financially poor) exalted? The believer is exalted to a high position through spiritual blessings in Christ.

The lowly people James referred to were those in conditions of extreme poverty and need. Remember, James most likely wrote to believers in house churches outside of Israel and scattered throughout the

Mediterranean world. These believers had fled persecution in Jerusalem and had left everything behind. Their refugee circumstances were amplified by persistent economic hardship. Yet James told them they could rejoice, literally "boast" or "take pride," in their high position.

The rejoicing, or boasting, in James 1 is not sinful, for James did not tell his readers that they had the right to boast in their person. Rather they were able to revel in their exalted position as the children of God. Though they may have been poor by earthly standards, they possessed a rich inheritance as children of God.

The term meaning "exalted" (or "exaltation") occurs only six times in the New Testament. In the other five references, the translation is a form of the term "high," emphasizing Heaven or something from Heaven. The lofty position of these humble brethren resulted from a

Heavenly citizenship as God's children, not from any earthly position. That's something one can be proud of, not because of his or her merit, but because of God's gracious gift. He offers a legitimate pride of family identity, not a pride founded in the inflated opinion of one's own person (James 4:16).

These poverty-stricken Christians could rejoice that their Heavenly status was unaffected by earthly struggles. They were assured the ultimate joy of membership in God's eternal family and the inheritance God had reserved for them. Their poverty would give way to plenty; adversity would yield to prosperity. In comparison with eternity, their desperate straits would seem like the short lifespan of grass or wildflowers, which fade fast under a glaring sun.

ASK: How has keeping your eyes on eternal things encouraged you in a particularly difficult trial?

B. The rich person's perspective

James 1:10–11 KJV 1900

But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. For the sun is no sooner risen with a burning heat, but it withereth the grass, and the flower thereof falleth, and the grace of the fashion of it perisheth: so also shall the rich man fade away in his ways.

ASK: In what sense is someone with earthly riches low instead of exalted? Riches are temporary and unable to solve the problems of sin and death.

James exhorted the poor Christian to boast in being exalted. By contrast, he exhorted the rich man to rejoice in being made low (in a position of humiliation). The rich man was really the lowly one, though he might have been prompted by his riches to think of himself as " somebody. "

Since James identified the rich man as one who was passing away like grass or wildflowers, many assume that this man was trusting in his riches to offset the ravages of adversity. In reality, one day the riches would fail him. They would not deliver him from his final destiny with death, the ultimate hardship. His decision to trust his riches rather than Christ would prove devastating.

ASK: What phrase could summarize the proper perspective on adversity in James 1 :9—11? "rejoice in heavenly citizenship.

IV. The Promise in Adversity

James 1:12 KJV 1900

Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

Verse 12 brings the context to a righteous and joy-filled conclusion.

God promises the crown of life to the person who faithfully endures. The word "blessed" can also be translated "happy. " While James challenged his readers to have a joyful attitude during the trial, he also guaranteed happiness at the conclusion of the trial. This happiness is not the type that says, "Whew, I'm glad that's over with! " or "Thanks to God that I survived! " Instead it is a rewarding sense of fulfillment from faithfully enduring the trial.

In ancient Rome, winning athletes often received a laurel wreath as a crown of victory. James noted that a crown will go also to one who has been faithful in adversity. This faithfulness will bring about God's reward, the crown of life, whether or not the adversity results in death But unlike the crown given to an athlete, this crown will never fade away (1 Cor. 9:25).

ASK: Why should we find the crown of life highly motivating? It will be evidence of God's loving and effective work in our lives. It will afford us a highly cherished opportunity to glorify God for all eternity. James wrote to fellow Christians who were experiencing poverty and persecution. Many were tempted to follow the ways of the world and were not living holy lives as Christ-followers. James sought to correct and encourage them, reminding them to stay faithful. His words challenge all believers to accept temptations and trials with joy and to see them as events allowed by God. When we persevere through adversities, God uses them to grow our faith.

2 . Draw a line down the middle of the whiteboard, creating two columns. Label column 1 "Trials and Temptations. " Label column 2 "Joys and Triumphs." In column 1 , students will list various trials and temptations that teenagers face. In column 2, they will list ways they can persevere and find joy through their trials. If necessary, use the following suggestions to prompt their thinking: recall relevant Scripture passages; consider what Jesus would do; pray for guidance; seek encouragement from other Christians; remember God's reward for staying faithful.

3. Briefly discuss each list.

ASK: What particular testing of faith have you faced recently?

ASK: How do you think God strengthened (or is strengthening) you through the process?

James did not say we had to be happy about our circumstances. But his words challenge us to have the right perspective, to see our trials as opportunities to grow. Our faith will be strengthened if we don't give up but continue seeking to live as Jesus did. Remember, Jesus endured the most difficult trial of all—death on the cross—to provide our salvation. Let that truth motivate you to find joy as you live faithfully for Him through your own trials.