Call to Commitment

 

Gold refined in the fire

James 1:2-18

 

Trials and patience

      2.      My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 

            3.      knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 

            4.      But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 

James begins the instruction in his letter by pointing to the benefit that only comes from being put to the test in various ways. He teaches that a Christian should be joyful for it, because it produces patience. In Romans 5:3-4, Paul writes the same, but instead of using the term, count it all joy, he says, we glory in tribulations, and then gives a series of virtues, stemming from tribulation, in which the Christian should glory. He agrees with James in that it will work patience, then goes on to say that patience works character, and that in turn produces hope: “We also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” 

 Peter uses the same term as James, various trials, which in themselves are not pleasant, but he views it as the testing of faith: “Now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire” (1 P.1:6,7). He compares it to the refining of gold by fire, which is done to take out its impurities, leaving it in its purest form. Therefore, tests are not given to see how much the believer can endure, but rather one which brings him into a higher, purer level of faith.

 The writer of Hebrews agrees with Peter that the immediate reaction to trouble is not joy, but pain: “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it” (He.12:11). Discipline is not necessarily a punishment for wrongdoing, but something that God works in us, because of the benefit that will result. We must learn to “count it all joy” in trials, concentrating on the benefits that can only be obtained through them.

 The apostles give us a perfect example of the principle of being joyful in tribulation, after they came back from the council, before whom they were whipped. They did not feel good, as they received the blows on their body, but “they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name” (Ac.5:41). We learn from all these sources - Paul, Peter, Hebrews, the apostles in Acts, as well as James - that there are priceless treasures, produced by various trials. Knowing of them, we can find joy, when we go through them. Mark Mathes wrote the following words in a beautiful song:

“Sometimes it takes a mountain, sometimes a troubled sea,

Sometimes it takes a desert to get ahold of me;

Your love is so much stronger that whatever troubles me,

Sometimes it takes a mountain to trust You and believe.”

 Beginning with this introduction, we launch an expositional study of the general epistle of James. We will try to follow with a study in 1 & 2 Peter, 2 & 3 John, and Jude. We hope you will desire to enter this study, as students of Scripture, and as true Christians, hungry for the "milk of the word". Please open the map below to a larger vew, to be able to see the key in green, red and yellow of the three dispersions of the Jews.

Dispersion to Assyria, Babylon and in Acts

Introduction

 

Who was James?

“James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord  Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings” (James 1:1).

  The first verse itself of James’ letter provides the introduction to it, giving us the author and the people, to whom he wrote. The purpose of the letter will develop throughout the book, as the author addresses the needs of the Jewish Christians. The needs and desires of Christians down through the ages, give us reason to study its chapters for our profit, regardless of our personal backgrounds. The Holy Spirit places the book of James within the canon of Scripture for the edification of the church throughout its history.

 James introduces himself in the very first word, but to discover the author, we must identify him among the various men called James in the New Testament. That task is not entirely simple. First, we must eliminate the original disciple, James, the brother of John and son of Zebedee. We read of his martyrdom in Acts 12:1 and 2: “Herod the king stretched out his hand to harass some from the church. Then he killed James the brother of John with the sword.” 

 This took place about 11 years after the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ. At that time, Herod imprisoned Peter, who was supernaturally released by an angel, as the believers prayed for him. He appeared at the door of Mary, the mother of John Mark, without entering, but asked them to relay his liberation to “James and to the brethren” (Ac.12:17). This James, the writer, lived on, after James, the brother of John, was killed.

 There is another James among the twelve that Jesus appointed, often called James, the Less. He is identified as the son of Alphaeus and called the Less, probably because of the prominence of James, the son of Zebedee. He was the son of Alphaeus, certainly not the son of Joseph, the carpenter, as was the author of the book that we are about to study.

 Jesus’ townspeople mentioned his half-brothers by name, James, Joses, Judas, and Simon, as well as referring to His sisters. They thought that Jesus was the son of the carpenter (Joseph) and Mary (Mt.13:55-56), not recognizing His divine conception. Paul identifies James, in his letter to the Galatians, as a pillar in the Jerusalem church: “When James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars…” (Gal.2:9). He also identified James as an apostle and Jesus’ brother: “I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother” (Gal.1:19). He is the writer of this book.