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.
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.
1. This scripture speaks to believing Jews that were SCATTERED throughout the world. (I Peter 1:1)
2. The natural
human response to trials is not to have JOY.
(James 1:2)
3. However, when
it comes to various TRIALS, we are to face
them with JOY. (James
1:2)
4. The word COUNT means "to consider' or "evaluate" the trials that come into your life with joy, therefore, a believer must make a conscious commitment to face trials with joy. (James 1:2)
5. The Greek word
for TRIALS connotes trouble, or something that breaks the pattern of peace
, comfort, joy, and happiness in our lives. The verb form of this
word means "to put someone or something to the test", with the purpose
of discovering that person's nature or that thing's quality.
(James 1:2)
6. God brings such
TESTS to prove--and increase--the strength and quality of one's faith and
to determine it's validity.
(James 1:3)
7. Every trial becomes a test designed to STRENGTHEN: if a believer fails the test by wrongly responding, that test then becomes a temptation or a solicitation to evil. (Question 6)
8. TESTING means "proof", or "proving". (James 1:3)
9. The word PATIENCE is better translated "endurance", or "perserverance".
10. Through tests, a Christian will learn to withstand tenaciously the pressure of a TRIAL until God removes it at His appointed time and even cherish the benefit. (James 1:2) (Also see I Cor. 12:7-10)
11. The word PERFECT in verse 4 is not a reference to sinless perfection, but to spiritual maturity. ( I John 2:14)
12. The testing of FAITH
drives believers to a deeper communion and greater trust in GOD---qualities
that in turn produce a stable, godly, and righteous character. (I
Peter 5:10)
(Gal. 4:19)
13. The word COMPLETE comes from a compound Greek word that literally means "all the portions whole".
In closing, we are to
consider it joy when we come through trials with endurance for it brings
spiritual growth to us and proves our faith in God. Expect trials
to come, and when they do, we will be strenthened in our relationship to
God and become more of what He wants us to be: Stable, godly, and righteous
in our Christian walk.
