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Joy in Trials
Text: James 1:2-11
Early Christian estrangement came in the form of economic hardship. It doesn’t happen here in the States, but it does still go on in some countries around the world. When someone identifies as a Christian there is an immediate social and economic price to pay. Family may cut you off, employers won’t hire you, and then banks may choose not to do business with you.
Early Christianity was Jewish and the Jewish community was strongly antichrist. That whole not being able to buy or sell unless you had the mark, like the boxes Jews wear on their foreheads and hands, that was in effect early on. If you became a Christian, you’d stop wearing the boxes called Tefilin. Consequently, many early Christians faced poverty because of their beliefs.
The trial of faith was easy to spot at that point. Starting in Jerusalem where it was the worst, then spreading out across other countries. That’s why the Bible discusses the poverty of the Jerusalem Christians. And then the subsequent poverty of certain Christians in other countries in Acts. This is one thing James is directly addressing.
Count the crossroads as joy (vss 2-4)
- How would you know if this thing is a trial of faith? If some fruit of the Spirit is at stake, then there is a trial going on.
- The reason a Christian can rejoice when he is confronted with a crossroads of faith and temptation is because you understand what God is trying to produce in you. (Not that God sent the temptation, but since you know what he’s trying to produce.)
- Patience consists of three things; doing right over time through temptation.
- The production of patience will give you access to everything else you need.
- Paul discusses patience in the same way in Romans 5.
- And then in Romans 15 Paul says the scriptures are written for our learning to know how to have patience and hope.
- Paul commended the Thessalonians for their patience in tribulation in 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5.
Commitment to what’s right (vss 5-8)
- How do I apply what I know is right to do? And this can be a genuinely difficult question.
- The prayer of faith is a prayer the LORD wants to answer. He is not about withholding good things.
- But there is a responsibility on the seeker’s part to commit himself to the LORD.
- Proverbs 16:3
- Double-mindedness is the same as no man can serve two masters. There will be a commitment to one and not the other.
Comfort in the future (vss 9-11)
- Patience is necessary because the future is glorious, but we’re not there yet.
- Hebrews 10:36-12:1 discusses living by faith waiting on future glory.
- Paul said the same in Romans 8 with a more optimistic tone. Saying the present conditions don’t even compare to future glory.
- The brother of low degree is to rejoice in two things:
- He will be exalted
- His persecution will come to an end as quickly as it showed up.
