Patience Is a Virtue

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

James 1:12 NIV

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

We studied these verses. We saw that they were true. We saw the blessings that were there for those who stand strong during trials. However, James never told us how. How do we persevere through trials? What are we supposed to do!

In these verses that we just read, while calling his readers brothers and sisters, he gives them a Biblical perspective on the world and on judgment. He hands them a set of Biblical glasses, telling to look through them when they experience hard times. This perspective will help them do certain things.

James gives his readers 4 imperatives in the face of hard times. An imperative is a command. What James tells his readers, they have no option but to follow.

All four imperatives comes back to the concept of patience, which is the first imperative.

All four imperatives comes back to the concept of patience

Be patient

James tells his readers to be patient through all the things that are happening to them. We who live now, who have our own hardships, know that this is easier said than done.

Just for the sake of review: James is writing to a group of Christians who were kicked out of their homes because of their faith in Christ. They were forced to move to another location. At this new location, they are persecuted because of their poverty, in addition to their faith. Rich folks are withholding just wages. They are being hauled to court for no reason. Their livelihood is taken away without recourse. They are left to starve, because they have nothing left.

What does James tell these folks, as a way of encouragement and comfort? He says, be patient!

Not helpful, James!

This word, patience, can have two meaning, both of which are combined here.

First, having patience can mean: remaining tranquil while waiting. Consider Abraham.

Hebrews 6:13–15 NIV

When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.” And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.

Heb

Abraham waited patiently. He remained tranquil while waiting. Abraham waited over 20 years until God finally gave him the son of the promise, Isaac. Even then, he did not see his family grow into a family of 12 tribes. Abraham waited, receiving what was promised after death. His wait wasn’t perfect, but his wait was focused on God’s provision.

Second, having patience can mean: bear up under provocation without complaint. This is the harder meaning of patience. Waiting is hard enough, but waiting while being beat up physically or emotionally and not complaining…Well, how many of us has a hard time complaining when our internet has slowed down. How many of us are truly willing to follow the example of our Savior:

Isaiah 53:7 NIV

He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

James tells these Christians, and he tells us, no matter what is going on: be patient, wait with tranquility through anything that is going on, without complaint.

How can we wait patiently through hardships? How can we wait patiently when we see injustice around us? How can we wait patiently when we see horrible abuse? How can we wait patiently when we feel like we are alone in living a moral life, alone in our Christian faith?

We are able to be patient because we have an expectation. This patience we are called to have is the same patience that a pregnant woman has. A woman can go through crazy discomfort, massive changes in their body, and horrible pain, because they are waiting for and looking towards an expected event: a new baby.

This is the same patience that farmers have, as James relates to us. They plant their corn or soybeans, or whatever the crop is, and then they wait for their crop. They have an expectation of what is to come. This expectation carries them through the uncertainty until the time of God’s provision comes and they can bring in their precious harvest.

We have an expectation: Jesus’ return. The word that James’ uses here is rich in meaning: parousia: coming. It speaks of one’s arrival as the first stage of presence. This word was normally used of a king coming back to live in his country. James reminds us that our King is coming, not just to visit, but to live with us forever.

James told the rich oppressors to weep and wail because the King is coming. Now, he tells those who have place their faith in Christ to seize this as their hope.

Early and late rains are a sign of God’s faithfulness, ; Hos 6:3

The only real comfort that anyone has is when Christ comes in glory and as judge, bringing his perfect eternal kingdom with him.

Knowing that he is coming, that everything that is wrong will be made right, allows us to wait, without complaint.

Now, I have to say, in James’ viewpoint, waiting (patience) doesn’t mean not doing anything. Abraham definitely took part in necessary activities, consistently waiting until those activities provided a son. The farmer while he waits for the crop does his part in fertilizing, cultivating, watering, weed control.

In the same way, we take part in the work of waiting, or as one commentator called it: militant patience. We are waiting for the Lord’s return, waiting for the perfect to come, waiting for the Lord’s vengeance, but we can still denounce injustice and promote fair treatment, as James has just finished doing. We can still call those around us to God’s moral standard and to repentance.

Christ is coming. That knowledge gives us the gumption to have patience, to wait through provocation without complaint, and to wait actively for Christ.

James tells us: Be patient!

Those who are not living for Christ: his coming is to be dreaded. Those who are living for Christ: his coming is comfort

Stand firm

After James repeats this imperative, telling us to be patient as the farmer is patient. He tells us to stand firm.

This is an interesting command. Now, the NIV uses the phrase: stand firm. To my knowledge, this is the only translation that uses that phrase for what is in the original language.

The phrase literally means: “strengthen your hearts.” Most of the translations say “strengthen your hearts,” “establish your hearts”, and such like.

This is the same phrase that is used in .

1 Thessalonians 3:12–13 NIV

May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

In this verse, Paul is telling the Thessalonians that God is the one doing the strengthening. The purpose of the strengthening is that they will be able to stand blameless and holy before God in the last day.

The context of these verses is the suffering of the Christians and the pull to leave sound doctrine and godly living. “Now may God strengthen your hearts so that you can stand firm.”

The situation is the same in the letter by James. Both groups needed strengthening of their hearts, so that they could stand blameless and holy before God in the last day.

Notice what James says:

James 5:8 NIV

You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.

James

Strengthen your hearts means: have a firm adherence to the Faith in the midst of temptations and trials.

When hard times hit, we all are easily swayed away the truth that we know. We want relief. We want vindication. We want help from whatever avenue is easiest. Unfortunately, the easiest path before us most often seems to be the path of the world, rather than the path of faith.

Jesus said: “Wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.” .

The hymn goes:

Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it!

Prone to leave the God I love!

Take my heart, oh take and seal it:

Seal it for thy courts above!

So what does it mean to Strengthen Our Hearts, practically?

James Explanation of Text

From our earthbound perspective, we strengthen our hearts “to keep hoping when the delay seems interminable,” “to keep trusting when God’s timing seems questionable,” and “to keep working for righteousness when results seem meager.

In a phrase, we stand firm on our faith, no matter what is swirling around us, no matter what is tugging at our hearts, saying: “come follow me! React this way! Fulfill this desire! Will Christ actually help in this area? I will give you rest!” No, we stand firm in our faith, trusting in Christ and Christ alone to help us, not allowing us to be pulled to the right or to the left from the narrow way.

Strengthen your hearts! Why? Because the coming of the Lord is approaching.

James tells us to be patient because we hope for the coming of the Lord. Now James tells us to stand firm because Christ’s coming is getting progressively closer. It is closer now than it was before the service started. It will be closer yet when I finish talking.

Blessed is the servant whom the master finds fulfilling his tasks when his master returns. Stand firm!

Motivation: the 2nd coming of the Lord, which is progressively getting closer.

The Christian life isn’t for the weak of heart. I find it easier not to follow Christ. Each day is a battle, in so many ways. I know it is for you. Life gets hard when we follow Christ.

A soldier preparing for battle isn’t trained to just put on Kevlar and pack a bunch of ammo and then rush into conflict. Now, they are training soldiers in bootcamp to prepare their minds for battle: they wake up in the morning, knowing what they will face, knowing the purpose, and creating strategies to cope and to stand firm in the struggle.

Every morning, and throughout the day, as a soldier, we are to stand firm, strengthening our hearts, and remaining true to our directive. How do we keep going? We know that today we closer to Christ’s coming, to relief than we were yesterday.

Be patient

Stand firm

Don’t grumble against each other

When we are going through hard times, we tend to bite those who are close to us. Are any of you a bad sick person? We are hurting; we are miserable; and we want to make everyone miserable around us. We want company, so you better not be having a good day. Refill my tea and be quick about it. Too slow!

The third imperative James tells us is “Don’t grumble against each other”

James 5:9 NIV

Don’t grumble against one another, brothers and sisters, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!

James 5

In telling us not to grumble against each other, James is throwing up a contrast: patience vs. whining. This contrast happens so often. We are trying really hard to be good in one area of our life, as we see our life following apart, but we allow other parts of our life to suffer. We are trying to be patient and stand firm during a hard season of our life. Doesn’t people around know how hard we have it? We are grunting and groaning, and we bite the head off of someone close to us.

This happens so often in church life. We come to church, expecting all of our Christian brothers and sisters to be perfect, to act circumspectly, to be God, treating us with kid gloves because we are going through a really hard time. We neglected to tell anyone about our hard time. And, they don’t treat us as we want to be treated. Grumble, grumble, bite the head off.

Word to the wise, if someone is grumbling and complaining against you, they are probably going through a hard time in another part of their life. Ask some questions, get to the root of the issue.

James says “if you are going through a hard time, don’t grumble against each other.”

The word that he uses is used elsewhere in Scripture for groaning as a result of oppression. It is expressing discontent about undesirable circumstances. All the angst that we feel about the situation we are in, that we are trying so hard to be patient through, we pick up and throw at this person, this brother or sister in Christ, who is not treating us as we think fit, or who is not doing what we think they should do. Even though the bad circumstance is what we are really mad at, we act like the person is the only problem we have and they are the ones making our lives miserable. They aren’t.

James says: “stop it!”

Think about the Israelites. After they left Egypt, they went through some hard times. If we were with them, we would say, “yeah, these are hard times.” The Israelites took their complaining about the hard times, and started to grumble against God and his chosen leaders. Anger at circumstance turned into anger at people and ultimately at God. Because of this, they were wracked with plagues and thousands of people died.

James says: “Don’t do it!” Why? Because the Judge is coming. Do you see James’ progression? First, we have a hope of Christ coming. Then, Christ’s coming is progressively closer. Now, Christ is standing right at the door, ready to come in.

This image reminds me of the church in Laodicea. They were the only church that Jesus did not have anything good to say about.

Rev 3

Revelation 3:19–21 NIV

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne.

James has just finished warning those who have not trusted in Christ to weep and wail because the judge is coming. We who have trusted in Christ for everything look forward to his coming, at least we should. We should eagerly rejoice when we hear he is right at the door. However, Christ is coming as our judge too, not to keep us from salvation, but to show us how we have not lived for him.

If we grumble and accuse one another, especially over silly things, we are not living in unity, as Christ commanded. We are not loving. We are not bearing each other’s burdens. We are not fulfilling the Law that gives liberty. We are being lukewarm. We are to live as people who are ready for a judgement that has already begun and that will culminate quickly at Christ’s return.

Groans are the result of oppression

Be patient!

Judgment: can we remember Israel who complained against God and leaders and were judged?

Stand firm!

Live as people who are ready for a judgment that has already begun and will culminate quickly at Christ’s return

Don’t grumble!

Coming Lord is also the judge of the Christians

Why do Christians grumble against each other?

Follow the example of the saints

I love history. Not necessarily the dates and other things teachers force you to memorize. I love the stories. People who persevered. People who didn’t. I love reading motivations. This love isn’t merely for intellectual satisfaction. I want to model my life after those who have followed God faithfully. As Paul said, I want to follow them, so that I can follow Christ.

If we don’t know how to live faithfully for Christ through all circumstances, God has given us multitudes of example since Creation. Those who do not take time to look and model, are a fool, setting themselves up for failure.

James 5:10 NIV

Brothers and sisters, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.

Do you have a hero in the faith? Not someone who is perfect, because no one is, but someone who in spite of their imperfection and weakness stood firm. Every New Testament author had a hero who they highlighted in their writings. Some of them routinely went back to this hero, like Paul did. Some of them had too many to talk about, but they couldn’t resist compiling and summarizing all the accounts, as the writer of Hebrews did.

These heroes of the faith tell us that everyone who stands firm for Christ will suffer, no matter their age, no matter their life circumstance, no matter their socio-economic status. Anyone who stands up and speaks in the name of the Lord, calling all to the standard of God, either through their speech or their actions, anyone will suffer.

Some of you have already felt this, whether you are a student, a parent, a teacher, a business man, a farmer. You have felt, even a little bit, the suffering that is attached to those who follow Christ, who put all their hope in him.

It is easy to give up, but James says: “Take the example of your hero.”

It’s kind of ironic, what James says next: “As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered.” We look at our heroes, and we say “good for them! Look what they went through. Look how they persevered. Look how they maintained belief in the face of opposition! Look what came of it!”

We read verses like

Matthew 10:22 NIV

You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.

and

1 Peter 2:20 NIV

But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God.

We say, “yes this is true, for everyone else!” But, then we won’t apply it to ourselves. We are not blessed. We are suffering and we want out.

We represent Christ to the world in what we say and do

Prophetically calling all to account, according to the standard of God. This was not violent reprisal or inciting revolution.

Doing God’s will will often lead to suffering

We represent Christ to the world in what we say and do

Job did not have patience, but he did have perseverance

James Explanation of Text

We are more than willing to call others blessed for enduring suffering, even though we have no interest in undergoing it ourselves!

But, if it is true for our heroes, it is true for us. If we endure through hardship, we will be blessed. Now, blessed is not the same as happy, though a lot of modern translations try to simplify the concept down. Happy is a state of emotions. We are not guaranteed happiness. Blessed is the state of our relationship with God. We are blessed because we are walking with God, and there is no better place to be.

Blessed is not the same as happy. Happy is a state of emotions. Blessed is the state of our relationship with God.

All of these heroes show us that we can persevere through hardship because of the God who is walking with us. Job had perseverance, but

Break out the meaning of who the Lord is: “merciful and compassionate”.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Letter of James C. Patiently Enduring Trials Earns God’s Reward (5:7–11)

As Barclay says, “Job’s is no groveling, passive, unquestioning submission; Job struggled and questioned, and sometimes even defied, but the flame of faith was never extinguished in his heart.”

By the end, he realized that God was with him and that was all he needed. He realized that God is merciful (he has a high degree of affection and compassion for us, his people) and he is compassionate (he is concerned about our unfortunate misery). At the end of his story, God transformed his situation to show that he was still in control. Job didn’t need that transformed situation. He had God.

No matter what hero we look to, we can see that the end of the story is that God will transform our situation when Christ is revealed in glory. He is our hope and he is what we are looking to. Through whatever suffering we are going through, God’s character of mercy and compassion is revealed. We get to see God’s grace powerfully, through our suffering. We get to know Him.

One of my heroes is Polycarp. Not very many people know of Polycarp. He was an old preacher, trained by the Apostle John. We have only one letter that he wrote, though he probably wrote several. He was elder in his church. Well respected. When he was in his late 80’s he was arrested and threatened with burning if he didn’t recant his faith in Christ.

Break out the meaning of who the Lord is: “merciful and compassionate”.

The end of the story, like the end of the story of Job: God will transform your situation when Christ is revealed in glory.

God’s purpose in allowing these things to happen to Job is the same reason that he allows things to happen to us. Through it all, we can see God’s grace.

Theological grounding for our suffering is the character of God!

He told the officer: “Eighty-six years I have served Christ, and he never did me wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?”

Theological grounding for our suffering is the character of God!

And he was burned.

His story reminds me of a goal that I have: preach Christ, die, and be forgotten. His story, and others like him, help me through the hard times.

Whose example are you following?

Whatever situation we are in, no matter how big, no matter how small, James tells us: be patient, stand firm in your faith, don’t grumble against your brothers and sisters, and follow the examples of those who have gone before.