Sermon Tone Analysis

James 1:12

The Crown of Life

 

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.”[1]

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t is difficult, some might even think it impossible, to expect that Christians can be steadfast in a world thoroughly schooled in expectations of instant gratification.

We Canadians know what we want, and we want it */now/*!

We communicate instantaneously with people living on the other side of the world, eat meals prepared minutes, watch cultural events as they happen, and travel at speeds that would have been unimaginable scant years ago.

If the pace of modern life were not enough to lead us to expect instance gratification, you need only remember that we live in a culture in which people expect they will never experience sorrow or hardship, and a culture in which each person is schooled to expect to enjoy full satisfaction in every facet of life.

There is no personal responsibility for the happiness anticipated.

Government will rescue the negligent of society; modern medicine will deliver us from our own excesses; and our spouses are responsible to make us happy.

Actually, modern couples appear to change spouses more frequently than a liberal politician changes his mind.

Nevertheless, despite all evidence to the contrary, our contemporaries appear to believe that they are guaranteed life, liberty and happiness.

If you are a Christian, it is certain that you will be called to withstand trials, both physical and spiritual.

Trials and trouble come to every life—none are exempt.

James writes his letter in great measure to teach Christians how to stand fast in the midst of trial.

The Christian life is not, however, all about trouble and trial.

God takes note of our testing, and He is pledged to use the adverse winds of trial for our good and for His glory.

Then, when the trials are finished, God will demonstrate His pleasure with us through giving us His reward for standing fast throughout the trial.

However, James informs us that there is a blessing for having stood fast now.

*Blessing Now* — “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life.”

James has been writing to Christians who paid an awful price to follow Yeshua Ha’Mashiach.

We have seen that these early Christians were imprisoned because of their faith; they were dispossessed of their goods, turned out of their homes, beaten and threatened, and in some cases, even killed.

There is no doubt that they were discouraged, traumatised and that they lived in fear.

James wrote to encourage them to stand firm.

Already, in the few short verses we have studied, James has encouraged Christians by warning them that they will be tested because of their Faith.

This has never changed, though modern Christians reject the concept of suffering because of their Faith.

Nevertheless, James urged those so tested because of their Faith to rejoice in the knowledge that God will not permit them to experience more testing than they can stand.

When in the midst of testing, James instructs the people of God to seek wisdom, looking forward to the work that God is performing even during the testing they are called to endure.

The child of God, passing through testing, is being matured.

God is revealing the perfection of His work in the life of the one experiencing trials.

What is important for us to see is that enduring testing assures blessing for the child of God.

There is considerable misunderstanding concerning testing.

Many people assume that Christians are some sort of glorified wimps, incapable of defending themselves from assault or injury.

The assumption is that Christians will never respond to provocation.

Review of the Word of God reveals quite a different perspective.

First of all, the child of God is taught to defend himself against unwarranted personal assault.

When Jesus was preparing His disciples for His exodus, He taught them, “Let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.

For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors.’

For what is written about me has its fulfillment.”

Responding to his instruction, the disciples said, “Look, Lord, here are two swords.”

Jesus said, “It is enough” [*Luke **22:36**-38*].

Up to this point in their ministry, the disciples have not had to worry about any provision—the Master had provided all that they needed.

Now, facing the cross, Jesus is preparing them to realise that they must assume responsibility for provisions and protection.

Jesus was not telling the disciples to secure a battle sword [*/rhomphaía/*], but a smaller sword, such as men frequently carried for self-defence [*/máchaira/*].

The rules were changing, and the disciples, instead of being loved because of their association with the Master, would face hostility.

Therefore, to protect themselves from assault simply because they existed, they must be prepared to defend themselves.

The texts that are often cited that speak of pacifism may convey something quite different from passive acceptance of brutality.

Jesus did say, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”

He added to that benediction this promise, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” [*Matthew **5:10**-12*].

The persecution in view in this saying is persecution “for righteousness’ sake.”

In other words, Jesus is speaking of persecution that occurs because one is a Christian; this is not a generalised saying that the child of God must submit to every bully or refuse to protect his family because they “cannot fight.”

The child of God can take comfort in the knowledge that they stand in good company when they are tormented because of their relationship to the Master.

Jesus also said, “When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next” [*Matthew **10:23*].

Again, the setting is the child of God sent out “as sheep in the midst of wolves” [*Matthew **10:16*].

There, the child of God is to be “wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”

The persecution in view is the result of their obedience to the Master.

Perhaps one of the best known, certainly one of the most commonly quoted sayings of the Master concerning persecution, is found in *Matthew 5:39*.

“Do not resist the one who is evil.

But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”

As a general principle, this will apply in the Kingdom.

However, we must remember that Paul was prepared to surrender those who did him wrong to the Lord, knowing that they would face harsh retribution [see *2 Timothy **4:14*].

I recall the account of a fellow who lived in Dallas many years ago.

He had been a rough fellow, a hard drinker who was ready to fight at the drop of a hat.

He was converted to the Faith, however, and made very effort to live a godly life.

One day, walking past one of his former haunts, a former companion hailed him.

In the bar, the erstwhile friend said, “I hear you got religion.”

“Yes,” the young believer replied, “I have become a Christian.”

“I hear you don’t live as you once did,” said the man’s interlocutor.

“Yes, that is true.

I have given up my old habits,” responded the new believer.

“Well,” said the man who had called to him, “here is a drink for you,” setting a glass of beer in front of him.

The young believer declined the offer, stating that he did not wish to return to what he had once done as it was hurtful and he would not handle such freedom well.

With that, the tormentor threw the beer into the new Christian’s face.

“Doesn’t that make you mad?” asked the heckler.

“No,” replied the young Christian in measured tones.

“Well,” said the man baiting him, “how does this strike you?”

And he hit him in the face, knocking him backwards.

The fellow got up and said he wasn’t angry.

His persecutor struck him again on the other cheek, staggering the man.

When he had regained his composure, he doubled his fist and beat the snot out of the man who had tested him so mercilessly.

As he stood over his tormentor, who was now cowering on the ground, he said, “Jesus told me to turn the other cheek; He didn’t tell me what to do then.”

I respect anyone who truly holds to pacifistic views, as should each true Baptist.

However, I find that often such views are held selectively.

In the context of Jesus’ saying in each of these instances, He is saying that disciples should not resist persecution when it comes “for righteousness’ sake.”

In other words, when disciples are persecuted because of their Faith, they must accept that God has permitted such for His own purposes.

However, disciples are not obligated to suffer simply because some cretin or troglodyte has decided that it would be fun to injure the Christian.

We have no biblical obligation to let our family be injured or to suffer personal injury simply because we are Christians.

Jesus spoke with what can only be deemed approval of “a strong man, fully armed” who “guards his own palace” [*Luke **11:21*].

Those whom James addressed were being persecuted because of their Faith; they were not suffering simply to suffer.

Yet, it remains that when the child of God is persecuted because of his or her relationship to the Master, they may be assured of God’s promise that they will be rewarded when they endure manfully and gracefully.

Suffering because of the Faith, God promises that the child of God is blessed now.

There is a sense of happiness because the one persecuted knows that it is for no other reason that he is suffering than his relationship to the Risen Son of God.

The persecution is because of the individual’s right relationship to the Son of God.

We live in a world in which we have unconsciously absorbed the error that if we are Christians, we will never experience hardship.

Jesus pronounced a sobering woe to those who never experience opposition.

In *Luke 6:26*, the Master is recorded as saying, “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets.”

James iterates this teaching when he asks professed Christians, “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God” [*James 4:4*]?

Jesus, anticipating the words of the Apostle to the Gentiles, said, “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” [*John 15:19*].

Paul cautioned young Christians, “that through many tribulations we must enter the Kingdom of God” [*Acts **14:22*].