Study of James
Lesson # 2
Developing Maturity Through Trails
Introduction
James gives us no hint as to the struggles his readers might be going through. Perhaps as he opens his book he is just sharing a principle concerning Christian maturity. Life for a believer will not be easy. He warns Christians that they will often find themselves in all kinds of pressures & temptations (both from within & without) as they strive to live for Jesus. These pressures & temptations must be faced properly for spiritual maturity to result. James knew that if these pressures & temptations were faced improperly they would destroy the believer instead of mature them spiritually.
Verses 2-18 seem to all be connected with this thought. We will examine these verses in several lessons & try to show their connection with one another. As James discusses the right attitude toward trials, he implies that wisdom is needed from God to face them properly. However, when asking we must not doubt Gods response. James shares that such trials come upon all (rich or poor), but God is not the originator of the temptations we face our desires are what triggers them. Satan will seek to use these to destroy us.
1. Consider it pure joy
a. Words
1. Consider to account or think; the idea is careful deliberate judgment.
This word is translated in other verses as one taking charge or
taking the leadership (governor, chief, rule). James is telling us to
deliberately take charge of these trials with our mind & see them in
a positive light instead of just hardships.
2. Pure joy to receive something joyfully, as an occasion for joy. Pure &
unmixed joy; joy to the highest intensity. The idea face struggles
gladly; dont dwell on the unpleasantness of the situation. Dont
complain or grumble about the hardships you are facing. Develop
the attitude of Jesus Heb.12:1,2 for the joy set before Him He
endured the cross
3. Trials Used to describe adversities that come from within or without.
Often the meaning of the two words trials & temptations are
closely related. What God permits as a test to develop the
character, Satan or the flesh may use as a temptation. See the book
of Job God used the designs of Satan to build Jobs character.
Two things can happen when we are tried we can develop
Christian character or become embittered, rebellious & hardened.
4. Fall into to become encompassed with; something that catches us
unaware (robbers in parable of good Samaritan); something that
we are unable to anticipate & thus have to face unprepared. In the
course of life we will encounter things for which we cannot be
prepared in advance. However, we can be prepared in our attitude
toward these circumstances.
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5. Patience unswerving constancy; ability to meet adversity & overcome
b. James is not saying that trials are pleasant in themselves, but since trials are
beneficial to our spiritual development, they are to be received in a
spirit of joy & not just as unpleasant experiences.
Acts 5:41 (disciples rejoiced worthy to suffer)
1. Our faith is being tested through our daily trials. Meeting obstacles &
overcoming them proves the genuineness of our faith & also molds
our character.
2. If our faith is genuine, we will not only stand the trail, but we will be
stronger for the experience.
3. One thing that amazed the heathen when they persecuted Christians was
that they did not die grimly, they died singing.
2. The results of such actions
a. Be made perfect perfection toward a given end or purpose
1. Sacrificial animal perfect = fit to offer to God
2. Scholar is perfect = past initial stages of learning, mature
3. Man is perfect = past age of bodily development, full grown
4. Idea This patience that is developed through joyfully enduring trials
makes us fit for our task in the world. The way that we face every
experience in life is either fitting us or unfitting us for the tasks
which God has for us to do.
b. Be made complete entire, perfect in every part
1. Bit by bit this unswerving constancy that is being developed through
trials is removing the weaknesses & imperfections from our
character.
2. Daily we are enabled to conquer sin & shed the old blemishes & gain
new virtue until in the end we are complete fit for service to God
& our fellow man.
c. Not lacking anything to be complete in all aspects. Full growth or maturity
of character. James is not saying that we will be morally perfect or sinless.
James 3:2 we all stumble (sin) in many respects
3. How God uses pressure & temptations to mature us spiritually
a. God is trying to get our attention.
1. God will allow trouble, opposition & pressure to come upon us, which
is greater than our ability to resolve. Usually it will come in
multiples several calamities at once.
2. Gods greatest competition for our time, attention & affections is the
cares of this world. They choke out His word & rob Him of our
affection & devotion. Mt.13:18-23
a) Our focus is on our plans & goals
b) Along comes adversity whose purpose is to drive us to God
c) The longer the struggle lingers His invitation more attractive
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3. If we fail to see the hand of God behind our struggles we will become
discouraged & Satan will gain the victory.
4. To endure these pressures we must be assured that God loves us. During
the struggle Satan will try to convince us that God has forsaken us,
yet scripture reveals to us that the fact that we are struggling
should be a strong assurance us that God loves us.
b. God is trying to get us to examine ourselves
1. 1 Cor.11:31,32 if examine selves not be judged
2. God wants us to repent before we are hardened by sin.
3. Just like physical pain can be our greatest protector, so pressure &
temptation can warn us of impending danger if we will be
observant. Its when we refuse to change that we are in the greatest
danger spiritually.
4. Self examination must take place in Gods word. Adversity should
cause us to pray as David search me & try me see if any
wicked way in me Ps.139:23,24
5. If evil seems to never depart from our household, probably it is because
we have rewarded evil to those who have done good to us
6. Adversity & contention reveal pride & arrogance in our hearts.
7. Pressure & temptations are to remind us of our weaknesses. It is only as
we learn to glory in our weaknesses & infirmities that we will
experience the power of Jesus in our lives. 2 Cor.12:7-10
8. God wants us to seek Him to cry out to Him. Remember - it is the
intensity of the cry of the child that determines how quickly the
parent responds.
4. How Satan uses pressures & temptations to destroy us.
a. God warns us that we are in a spiritual battle & must be prepared.
1. In life a soldier must know his enemy, prepare himself for battle & be
skilled in the use of his weapons. The same is true spiritually.
2. Unless we know that a spiritual battle is going on when pressure &
temptations arise, we will be overwhelmed & tempted to give up.
3. Eph.6:10-18 our wrestling is with spiritual forces & we must have the
whole armor of God to withstand the onslaught.
b. Satan wants us to allow sin to infiltrate our lives to ignore the fact that we are
merely human & are in constant need of God. He wants us to try to deal
with our problems from a purely physical way. To resist as the world
resists & to ignore the spiritual help that we need from God.
1. Adversity is supposed to show us the futility of putting our faith in
anyone or anything other than Jesus. Satan wants us to trust our
wisdom & methods & follow the natural inclinations of man.
2. When we do he is assured of victory & we are left helpless.
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c. Satan wants us to think that God has forsaken us & is not worthy of our trust.
1. God uses adversity to purify our faith remove impurities prove it
genuine. God wants us to trust Him completely (no other gods).
2. Unless we see the hand of God in every area of our life, including the
pressures & temptations that come our way, we will be tempted to
think God is not on our side. Somehow or other He has forsaken us
d. Satan wants us to look upon evil as something good or at least as something
that is harmless to us spiritually. Go ahead & sin that grace may abound.
1. God tells us that the beginning of wisdom is to learn to hate evil
Prov.1:7; 8:13
2. God wants us to focus on the fact that He will not be mocked. He wants
us to hate sin (abhor it) Rom.12:9; Gal.6:7,8
3. As we see the destruction that sin brings to our lives & the lives of
others, that hatred is increased. Sin robs us of our potential for
achieving for God & for enjoying Gods fellowship. It destroys the
plans God has for us.
e. Satan wants us to pursue our goals & ambitions & just give God the leftovers.
1. 2 Chron.26:5 as long as he sought the Lord God made him prosper
2. Joshua 1:8 be careful to do all He make you prosper
3. Unless God is our 1st priority we lose. Satan wants us to think that we
can prosper without Gods intervention.