Doing the Word Together Understanding Trials James 1:2-16 Mark Foreman NC3 The Paradox of a Trial (2a) What a wonderful phrase "pure joy." Joy & greetings (charan, chairein) are from the same word. Joy is a mark of a spiritual person. In our world we use the term joy sparingly for events, circumstances, people that are uniquely wonderful the cream of the milk. Consider it delight, bliss, ecstasy, elation, a source of pleasure. But joy in trials? What a paradox! Consider it (treat, view it) as positive. Is James a stoic? Worse yet, a masochist one who enjoys misery? There is nothing in Judaism or Christianity to support either philosophy. James is telling us something more. There is a hidden work, a secret advantage to trials that only the wise see. He is inviting the reader to see beyond the circumstances. Trials Come in All Shapes and Sizes (2b) The Greek word is peirosmon (pirate), which can mean trial or temptation. The context determines the emphasis, but they are overlapping concepts. Every difficulty is a temptation. Every temptation is a trial of your faith. But James says "various (multicolored) trials". This includes all circumstances that test our faith. Persecution: governmental or societal, financial, physical or emotional. Long-term circumstances that can t be changed. Random difficulties that come as a surprise. Difficult people that try our patience and are emotionally trying. Disease and physical difficulties that don t seem to go away. Disappointments of various kinds. Unmet expectations. Temptations of any sort to disobey God. Whenever you peripipto fall into, suggests something unanticipated. Stumbling onto some physical, emotional, relational pain you didn t create. Jesus taught us to pray not for temptations. Kittel All of these are joys in disguise. The wise will greet them as such. Not act as if they are wonderful but, know what they bring is in fact wonderful! We live in a contrary, adversarial world. Jesus said In this world you will have trouble. But take heart (joy)! I have overcome the world. (John 16:33). The Anatomy of a Trial (3) Here James gives us the reason (because) for our paradoxical joy in trials. The cause of our joy is that we know confidently two things: It is a test It develops perseverance All trials/temptations (peiresmon) are tests to purify our faith. The heat exposes and burns away the impurities developing perseverance.
2 Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. The only escape route is through the fire of perseverance. We must trust God and keep going with no end in sight. According to recent Barna surveys one would have to doubt the genuineness of the faith of many American Christians (). So it does need to be tested. Not only are we willing to die for our faith but also are we willing to live our faith? it is difficulties that show what men are. (Epictitus). The testing produces perseverance, hupomone, (lit. to abide under ) and it speaks of staying power ). So trials strengthen our faith to hang tough: we believe God deeper and longer. The Purpose a Trial (4) Perseverance is personified here as a surgeon or sculptor. He is working on our lives and we must lie still until the process is done. For perseverance to work we must stay in the oven and not jump out. When we are "baked" we are more mature and complete. It is only in perseverance, bearing up, waiting under the pressure of stress and unresolved conflict that maturity is born (see Rom 5:1-5). Paul says perseverance produces character that is more focused on the hope of eternity and not on this transitory life (Rom 5:1-5). So trials actually benefit us; forging fires changing us into His likeness. Pain, waiting, friction, frustration, disappointment, persecution and temptation can be our friends, forging in us what we ultimately want the beauty of God s character (how we were originally created). So maturity (being like Christ) is the goal. We are not passive (mere patience). Our part is to trust in God s love. even when we can t see or feel it. Finding Wisdom In the Trial (5-8) Trials are difficult, unlovely, and seemingly contrary to God s good will in heaven. So we need wisdom to discern and see through the trial to know what s really going on. But wisdom is what & how not why. With every temptation there is a way of escape (1 Cor 10:13). The escape door is always found through perseverance. Ask because God gives generously without duplicity. Three words or phrases are piled on here to encourage us to ask by assuring us of God s good nature: generously (simply, without duplicity), to all, and without finding fault. God has single-hearted devotion to our prayers (see Mat 7:7; John 14:13). Mat 7:7 Ask and it will be given to you. John 14:13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name. Trials often cause us to doubt God s true nature so we need the reminder that God is benevolent and generous, not persnickety, stingy or fault finding. He is not persnickety finding fault in us. The only fault is not believing in God s good nature. Our faith is in his nature. Yes we must first believe that He is (Heb 11), but once we are convinced of His existence we must believe in His love and faithfulness. He loves us. He is what we need. And shows no favoritism: he gives to all who call out to him. God is quite inclusive.
3 The universality of God s nature is wrapped up in the gospel itself. It is to be proclaimed in every tribe and nation. And to every class of people with a priority to the poor. It is primarily God s love that people doubt. Yes some love to point to the disasters of this world and ask how could a loving God. But theirs is an honest question, but a question that often is unaware or has left out crucial elements to the story. These elements take the smoking gun out of God s hand: But what about our duplicity: double-souled divided heart split loyalty split wanting? We are to be without wavering. The metaphor of a ship tossed by waves is perfect. But can he love me? There is the rub. What is at stake is surrender. Surrender to an infinitely loving God. who gives us keys to unlock difficult trials. Will I surrender or orbit myself? We cannot face two directions in prayer. The trial/temptation itself is exposing our true faith; that which our restless soul trusts in and really wants. Trials sift our faith; prayers articulate it. From Trials to Temptations (13a) In context, verse 13 follows 12, which is a summary, stating that the blessed person (makarios; see Mat 5:3-11) is the one who perseveres (bears up under) under the weight of a trial. Goodness and blessing are God s desire for us. But our compass is off as to how this happens. Every trial is a hidden blessing leading to maturity, but it doesn t happen automatically (automatism) without our response or decision. By his grace we are response-able to choose Him. Every trial/temptation carries with it a decision/a choosing: will I continue in my trust in God, or will I listen to the voice of distrust & self-rule? The trust required is simply an extension of our saving faith. which has its eternal award. It is not a new kind of trust. It is the same re-decision. Verse 13 speaks of our inner battle with temptation ("when tempted"). Temptation and trials are the same word (peirazo): every trial is a temptation & visa versa. But the question is: Where does that voice of temptation come from? James teaches us where the blame does not lie (13) and where it does (14-15). Who to Blame the Trial On? (13-14a) It is an easy step from saying, God in his sovereignty uses our adversities to mature us, to saying God strategizes and causes evil. There is a reservoir of religious literature and folklore that attributes evil to God or the gods. Simplistic approach to the problem of evil: all powerful, all good, everywhere. Even Homer has Zeus complain: What wretchedness! Hear what men charge against the gods!... when it is their own evils that bring them greater suffering. Gen 3:12-13 is about the same problem. Prov. 19:3 When a man s folly brings his way to ruin, His heart rages against the Lord.
4 Sir 15:11-20 Do not say, because of the Lord I left the way... Do not say, It is He who led me astray.... Before a man are life and death and whichever he chooses will be given him. It is not a simplistic black and white answer. James theodicy clarifies three things: First, God cannot be tempted with evil. It is impossible for Him to plot evil or be lured into doing evil. He is perfectly good. Secondly, God tempts no one. He has more wonderful things to do. Thirdly, James tells us where the blame truly lies. Sure he may test us with bounty (1 King 3:12-14; Deut 8:1-2) to see if we will use it with thanksgiving and for His glory. But his perfect, loving, truthful holiness does not allow for ulterior evil motives. It is what is in us that makes it a temptation. "Each one" (ekastos). It is each of us individually who are responsible for our behavior. The tempting voice is our own sinful nature. James doesn t even give the devil the credit. Each moral lapse is our denial of what we truly believe. Blaming God is pure projection. I am the enemy of me. The high trust, honor & freedom I have allotted myself is foolish & naive. James infers the same treachery that Paul describes in Rom. 7. We cannot be trusted but God can. The Slippery Slope of a Failed Trial (14-15) Desire (epithymia) usually translated as lust, simply means intense wanting. Not all wanting is bad (Luk 15:16; 22:15; Mat 13:17; Phil 1:23; 1 Tim 3:1). There is a longing is in us because we are Image of God. Thymos- originally meant to boil up. In fact, it is impossible to stop the heart from wanting. The heart is our wanting spiritual organ designed to want God intensely. But in this fallen world it is often misguided wanting false gods. Nevertheless, epithymia is usually negative in the NT (Mat 5:28; Gal 5:17; Rom 1:24; 6:12 Eph 2:3; 1 Joh 2:16; 2 Tim 3:6; Tit 2:12; 1 Pet 2:11; 2 Pet 1:4; 2:10): selfish ambition, lust, evil desires, anxious self-seeking. But without heaven s compass, it becomes lust. Often describing the baser, animal behavior of humans for food or sex. Morally neutral at first. "evil desires" is personified here to be a seducer. There is a hook beneath the bait. It s a lure. Once you are on the line you will be dragged off. "lured" or "enticed" (deleozo) (see 2 Pet 2:14, 18). Exelkomai (to drag off). Together these verbs describe our experience using a fishing metaphor. Our ability to create deceptive desires is matched by our inability to live for the highest pleasure (Rom 3:23). Imagination & longing are there for God, beauty & heaven, but too often they are used for ill. The downward path is the opposite of the upward path of a test that ends in maturity. Whereas maturity starts with a trial -> testing -> perseverance -> maturity -> life (2-4; 12). The downward path starts with lust -> sin -> death. This is the opposite of the blessed life. This leads into the next existence which is death entirely. This is the sinister counterfeit to the blessed life. One ends in maturity and the crown of life, the other in death. Eternal life vs. eternal death. Death in this life is the diminishing of life until there is nothing else but death.
5 Conceived- the offspring of lust and sin is the malformed monster-child death. Once desire has conceived the rest is inevitable. Ultimate death finalizes the disunity, disintegration, fragmentation, lostness of the person from himself, his body, and God s ultimate intent of integrated eternal life. Instead the sinful act yields to the person s intent. Trusting endurance in God s love and goodness leads to integration. Unbelieving sin leads to disintegration. The child of faith is life. We have shrunk the meaning of life and death. The crown of life versus death are all encompassing terms. Life includes not only physical existence but also purpose, relationships, giving ourselves away, relationship with God, forgiveness, love, faithfulness and integrity. Where everything is what it is. Death on the other hand is far more than the cessation from breathing. It is the cessation, immediate or gradual, of everything that is living. In this life it includes the lack of true purpose, true loving relationships, lack of self-giving, lack of God s presence, no forgiveness, lack of love and disintegration. Lewis has a great line about hell in this regard in Divorce. When we dabble in obedience and disobedience we are actually dabbling in life and death. A little closer or a little farther away from God. The decision to be made is the continual decision of love. Verse 16-17 is a warning to us. God is good. We are responsible and accountable for our temptations. But God Himself can be trusted as GOOD. Bringing It Home Paraphrase James' step-by-step logic found in these verses. What part makes sense to you and what part doesn t? Why is character development not very important to our society, while it is extremely important in Scripture? Are you different in character because of trial(s) in your life? How? What part of this lesson speaks to your heart the most and why?