Rejoyce in Trial
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· 7 viewsChristians should used Trials as oppertunity to Become more Like Christ
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
The overall theme of the book of James is Faith in action.
James puts feet to the Christian Walk urging the child of God to focus on living out what he or she believes
James deals with temptation, anger, imorality, the tounge, prejudice, partiality, hypocritical teachers, jelousy, lust, humility, trusting God conviction of sin self justification, confession and more.
This small book is packed with truths and that is why I have entitled this series Faith in action
James in no way contridicts the doctorine of Justification by faith, James simply gives us additinal deaching on the christian Road of dicipleship
Charecteristicts of the book
nearly every verse is imparitive
No Hard doctrinal issues are not part of the book
it is a practical book about the christian walk
no one specific believer or group is the audience, it is written directly to all believers
It is a pricipal book, similar to Christ’s sermon on the mount
Some have compared james to the wisdom litteture of the Old testement because of it’s emphisis on spiritual living
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. 5 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. 6 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. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: 10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. 11 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. 12 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.
I. Trials (1-4)
I. Trials (1-4)
1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting. 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; 3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
James 1L
The twelve tribes here that are scattered abroad is in all liclyhood due to the persecution of the folowers of Christ. Intrestingly enough it is also liclly that the primary persecuter at this point was Saul, saul of tarsis .
The word temptations is not refering to temptation to sin but rather the word in the orignal language means verrious trials
notice what the Christian standard says
2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials,
:
Consider it all joy when you meet verious trials
What do you think CHrist’s folowers would have thought trading this...
now wait just a secound since Christs death many of the original 12 have been executed those that are left surely will be after all Christ dold us that we woul be all carrying a cross
and the mad man Paul is pn the lose killing as many christians as he posibly can
this isn’t even to menion in Rome Nro is have parties using Christians as lights for his BBQ
James,,, What in the world are you talking about that we need to count this joy…
James continues and gives the reason in verse 3
2 Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials,
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
Trials produce endurence....
The KJV says pacience but most modern translations will say endurence of something of the like
NKJV-patience
ESV- steadfastness
CSB-endurance
NASB-endurance
So what are theese two verses saying????
When your faith is tested, endurence is produced and this endurence will result that you may be meture and complete and lack nothing
obviously no one is going to be perfect but..
When your faith is tested, endurence is produced and this endurence will result that you may be meture and complete and lack nothing
a better translation for perfect (which most all conservitive versions translate to is meture. the exception is the CSB which does translatre the word to meture
as we go through trials we become more like Christ, that is the entire point
How many of you last time you went through a trial got all excited and said this is a grat oppertunity for ,me to become mor like Chris, not me, that is for sure...
Application
We should lement that is Biblical but every time we go through a trial it better equips us to become more Like Christ
I. Wisdom (5-8
I. Wisdom (5-8
I. Wisdom (5-6
II. Wisdom (5-6
5 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. 6 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. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. 8 A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.
5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.
James seems to chanfge subjucts here, but in fact he is building on the last, as we are going through trials we must look to our GOd, who gives wisdomgenerously.
James however warns in verse six that the request itself must be made in faith, withought doubt.
If we ask for wisdom but then say
“God will not really give it to me...”
we have no faith and true it lickly will not be givin
Double mindendedness comes from neglect of spiritual things such as prayer, neglect of the word, ext.
III. be thankful for your circumstances (9-12)
III. be thankful for your circumstances (9-12)
9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted: 10 But the rich, in that he is made low: because as the flower of the grass he shall pass away. 11 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. 12 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.
James 1:7
7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits. 12 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.
Here James adds yet another reason to be joyful when in trials.
Here he showes us that we need to re-evaluate meterial posetions,
for some how many meterial posetions one has is a baromitor of spiritual vilitity.
This is not the case acording to James’s instruction
if one tgat does not have many posetions realizes his spiritual wealth he is rich but if he says poor me he is poor
if one who is rich says look at how much I have and how great I am- he is poor but if he praises God for what he has entrusted to Him he is indeed rich.
both of theese folks have a reason to rejoyce in trials
meterial weath is temporary but sipritual weath lasts forever.
James gives an analogy that would have connected well with those who lived in desert lands. those with meterial posetions are like a flower in the desert. they bloom rapedly but in the scorching sun they wither rapedly
James finishes this section by stateing the man who endures in trial is blessed
Now what
lement in trial but also rejoyce because God is giving you an oppertunity to be more like Him
Pray fervently for wisdom
Study the word of God faithfully