“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials…”
trials
The word “trial” means trying, testing, assaying, or proving. An athlete must test himself to be the best he can be. He pushes weights to optimize his physical strength. She runs to maximize her cardiovascular system. She puts her body to the test to […]
Archive for July, 2000
“…knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.”
knowing
It is not enough to have the right attitude; we must have right thinking about trials. This Greek word for “knowing” is personal knowing, knowledge that comes from our personal experience. James’ readers knew from personal experience that “faith produces patience.”
Principle:
Genuine Christianity necessitates facing ourselves for […]
“…knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience”
that the testing of your faith
The purpose of testing our faith is to show how real and strong our faith truly is. “Testing” means proving. God wants to prove how genuine our faith is.
“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need […]
“…knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience”
produces patience
The word “produces” is a strong term for “do.” The idea is to work out, render to work, to do something with thoroughness. Trials thoroughly produce a faith that results in tenacity. The test of one area of our lives produces power in another area.
There are […]
“But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing”
Verse 3 notifies us that capacity for tenacity is a result of God’s proving by trials. This verse informs us about the work that tenacity does on us:
1) Perfects us,
2) Completes us and
3) Makes us deficit in nothing. […]
“But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing”
that you may be perfect
The word “perfect” means to finish, to reach an end. The idea is perfection toward a given end or purpose (1:17,25; 3:2). God’s system of trials is not capricious but purposeful. God is interested in […]
“But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing”
and complete,
The idea of “complete” is sound in every part. “Complete” comes from two words: whole and portions. A mature person has all the portions in place. The person who reaches this level of maturity does not leave any […]
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him”
As perseverance comes from trial (vv. 3-4) so wisdom [the ability to cope with deep difficulties] comes from prayer.
If any of you lacks wisdom,
James assumes that his readers lack […]
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him”
let him ask of God,
The word “ask” means to request, to plead for, to call for. It is a term of urgency even to the point of demanding. The […]
“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him”
who gives to all
“All” here does not mean en masse. God gives to each person individually. He treats you as an individual when you come to Him in prayer. […]