trials

Gratitude Sermon Series: Week #3 “Gratitude Is a Choice” 1 Peter 1:3-7

Gratitude Series: Week 3

Gratitude Is a Choice

1 Peter 1:3-7

Introduction

An estimated 10,000 physicians have phony foreign medical degrees that brought one broker of fraudulent diplomas $1.5 million over three years, a congressional panel was told. Claude Pepper, Democrat-Florida, said many American citizens may be receiving medical treatment from doctors who lied on their medical school loan applications, and used the money not to go to school but to pay a broker for fake documents claiming they completed school and training.

Pedro DeMesones, who served a three-year prison sentence for mail fraud and conspiracy, told the panel that in three years of “expediting” medical degrees, he provided about 100 clients with false transcripts showing they had fulfilled medical requirements of schools they didn’t attend. “Clients paid me from $5225 to $27,000 for my services, ” DeMesones said. “In all I earned about $1.5 million in those three years. I only got to keep about $500,000 of this total. The rest went for bribes and expenses.”[1]

Wouldn’t you want to know that the doctor you go to is a real doctor and not one that bought a phony degree? Sure you would. Also, wouldn’t you want to know if your faith in Christ is genuine or fake? Peter takes us through this idea in 1 Peter 1:3-7

Prayer

_______________

The real test of thankfulness comes not when things are going great, but when the bottom falls out and things fall apart. The Bible says we should remain full of gratitude for what trials can produce within our lives. Like fire refines and purifies metal, so suffering and difficulty purify our lives as well.

I. Praising God Because of His Promise (vv. 3-5)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled[2], and unfading[3], kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Peter began this section stating that God is to be blessed because he has caused us to be born again. Our praise and thanksgiving should be directed to God because it is he who gave his Son so that we may have hope.

“The word “blessed” here is eulogétos, a word applied to God alone in the New Testament. We derive the word eulogy from it. It means to praise or speak well of someone. We are to eulogize the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our thoughts and hearts are to rise at every thought of Him.”[4]

The word “According” points to reasons we should be grounded in our salvation – it is because of his great Mercy is not getting what you deserve. How deep, how wide, how immense is God’s span of mercy?

We are born again to “a living hope” – our hope of eternal life is not rooted in superstition, wives’ tales, but in the historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ who was dead (not a comma, or swooned, or passed out from blood loss). The hope mentioned here is not “Are you saved?” “I hope so,” No – our assurance of our salvation is a hope in the living Lord. It is a living hope.

Hope is an essential element in human life. “without it even the finest and best which earth can yield is shrouded with a deadly miasma of futility. Lacking a realizable future, our most meaningful experiences of – and our most profound confidences in – reality are but tantalizing projections of our fancy. Of what value is the education of man, the cultivation of his implanted capacities, the arousal of his noblest potentialities, if he at last is enveloped in the dark night of death and the unfeeling grave of extinction?”[5]

“God foresaw the fall of Adam and the subsequent ruin of the human race. He knew what He intended to do about that. When Father, Son, and Spirit decided that they would act in creation, they knew that the time would come when they would have to act in redemption. The plan of redemption also involved regeneration, giving us back in Christ what we had lost in Adam.”[6]

“The human spirit was to be indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Man would thus be enabled to cooperate with God in all aspects of his life. When sin entered into Adam, however, the Spirit of God departed from the human spirit, leaving Adam, and his race, permanently crippled.”[7] Regeneration happens when that spiritually crippled descendant of Adam receives Christ’s gift of salvation and the Holy Spirit comes into the believer’s soul and serves as proof of salvation in heaven.

Ephesians 1:13-14 “In him [Christ] you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”

You usually don’t receive an inheritance unless someone dies. Peter uses several analogies that direct our thinking to death – the word eulogy (blessed), being born again – indicating that we were spiritually dead, a living hope (pointing to Christ’s resurrection from the dead, and then the promise of an inheritance, which again, you don’t receive until someone dies.

Then Peter gives a description of what awaits believers when they die. He describes it as an inheritance.[8] In the Old Testament the inheritance is the land that God promised the people.[9] Abraham is promised an inheritance of the land of Canaan (Gen. 15:18; Acts 7:5; Heb. 11:8).

“In the Promised Land, every Israelite had his own possession, sat under his own fig tree, and enjoyed the fruit of his own vine (1 Kings 4:25).” But this Promised land was never safe and secure. “Marauders from the desert would invade the land and plunder the possessions of the inhabitants.”[10] There was constant fear of insects and drought.

The things we consider wonderful fade – we may have wealth today, but tomorrow the market could crash. We have popularity today but tomorrow the crowds seek to cancel us. We have power today, but tomorrow we are voted out of office, — everything this world has to offer fades, spoils, and decays.

The “Peter used a triple word picture to describe this inheritance. Our inheritance can never perish, spoil or fade. These verbal adjectives indicate that our inheritance is untouched by death, unstained by evil, and unimpaired by time. Our inheritance is death-proof, sin-proof, and time-proof. This inheritance is kept in heaven, for believers.”[11]

How do you explain eternal life, salvation, an inheritance in heaven? Peter has to describe them in negative words (perishing, spoiling, fading) because this is all we understand. “The glory of our heavenly inheritance is so far beyond human conception that the Scriptures must often resort to figures of speech instead of the literal terms or to weak comparisons with earth and thus to negatives, which tell us what will not be in heaven. The realities themselves transcend human language.”[12]

For the believer, the inheritance already exists and is waiting for them in heaven. No matter what difficulties we endure in this life, there awaits an eternal life in the life to come. We don’t have to worry about losing it – for it is God’s power that guards it and keeps it.

This inheritance is also described as a salvation. “Salvation can be defined as being rescued from God’s judgement or wrath on the last day (1 Pet. 4:17; cf. Rom 5:9; 1 Thess. 5:9).[13] Peter describes salvation as something that will be received in the future, it is a promised inheritance.

Salvation is discussed here in three different tenses. “As to the past, it cancels all of our sins, and because of Calvary, it cancels the penalty of sin as well. As to the present, by means of the indwelling Spirit of God, it deals with the power of sin. As to the future, we anticipate the return of Christ and an ultimate end to the very presence of sin.”[14]

The power of God mentioned here does not shield believers from trials, suffering, anguish, or persecution. “It means that God himself guards and watches over our salvation, our inheritance. Our relationship with God now as we grow more like Christ is a foretaste of that salvation which will be revealed when Christ returns.”[15]

Not only does God guard our inheritance in heaven, but he also guards us so that we do not lose our salvation. God does not operate in or upon our faith but above, over, and around us, upon our enemies. “It kept Daniel in the lion’s den, the three men in the fiery furnace, set bounds for Satan in afflicting Job, freed Peter from Herod’s prison, preserved Paul amid dangers, hardships, persecutions, etc. Great and wonderful is this protection of omnipotence, without which we should soon be overwhelmed.”[16]

In the Greek, this verb “shielded” or “guarded” (v. 5) is a military term that can mean either “to protect someone from danger” or “to prevent someone from escaping.” It is the same word used in Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”[17]

“guarded through faith”[18]– When we speak of faith, Peter mentions both God’s protective power and human responsibility. Although, God has promised to protect us, we must employ our faith in our fight against the evil one. Ephesians 6:16 “In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;”

“It is as faith which commits one to the keeping power of God. It is not man’s power but God’s power which, like the watchman of a city gate, guards the security of the one who is trusting in him.”[19]

II. Praising God Because of His Provision (v. 6-7)

6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

In response to this wonderful inheritance of salvation that is being guarded by God himself, “In this you rejoice” Our response to life, with all its’ pain and suffering is to rejoice, to have gratitude in this life. Peter says that these trials “though now for a little while,” are for a purpose. But to remember that this life is but a speck in light of eternity.

He also explains that there is a purpose behind the various trials. The explains this purpose with the illustration of a goldsmith. “To form a useful object, raw gold must be melted, requiring a temperature of 1,900 degrees Fahrenheit. When the gold is melted, the impurities rise to the surface, where they are skimmed off or burned off.

A goldsmith knows the gold is ready to cast when the liquid gold becomes mirror-like and he can see his face reflected in the surface.”[20] Peter does not mention a refining, only a determining a genuineness.

The language of this illustration may also refer to the first-century process of making pottery. Potters baked clay pots to give them strength. The process sometimes cracked pots that had flaws, but the ones that survived the process were marked with the Greek word Peter used here (dokimos) for “genuine.”

“Sufferings function as the crucible for faith.”[21] Our tested faith by the trials of life will prove to be far more valuable than gold when Christ returns, “at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Earlier, in verse 5 where it says, “to be revealed in the last time” is where we get the word apocalypse – “ready to be revealed” is a day when Christ is revealed in all his glory and power.

The sufferings and trials that we endure here and now are purifying and giving value to our faith, that will last for all of eternity. The faith we take with us, that has been found genuine, refined and purified will be with us forever.

We are to value the trials because they reveal our flaws and impurities. They are an opportunity to change. But Peter explains, “What God now finds is what pertains to the reward of grace which he will bestow upon us at the last day.”[22] While I am here, I can change and become more like Christ, and God is working to make me more like Christ (through trials).

When it was time for me to get an engagement ring for Kimberly, I drove and hour and half to a business building where I was buzzed in to meet with Tom Neville in Montgomery, Alabama. Tom is a retired NFL football player and opened his jewelry business in 1983.

He met with just me, and walked me through the different kinds of diamonds, colors, how they were classified and got out trays of diamonds for me to look at and for me to pick the right one. Even later after she said yes, he mailed me three diamond wraps for Kimberly’s wedding ring. But one of the things that stuck was that there are no natural flawless diamonds – every natural diamond is flawed, it just to what degree; can you see it with normal eyes, or does it require a microscope?

A diamond after years of tremendous pressure is fixed. It is then shaped to the shape the jeweler desires. It can’t change, continued pressure does nothing to it. Gold can be purified, and purified, and purified. Gold and diamonds have impurities, but only one can change that.

_____________________

[1] Spokesman Review, December 8, 1984

[2] “The Greek word amiantos, which means undefiled, refers to a mineral found among the rocks and made into a fire-resisting fabric. Though soiled, it turned pure white when placed in the fire. Romans paid generously for it; in it they wrapped the remains of their dead, so that in cremation the precious ashes would be preserved in a fabric unaffected by the consuming fire. The Christian’s inheritance is free from the taint of defilement; it is unaffected by the fiery judgement.” George Arthur Buttrick, Gen. Ed. The Interpreter’s Bible, Volume 12 (Nashville, Tennessee; Abingdon Press, 1957) 94.

[3] “The Greek modifiers (imperishable, undefiled, unfading) all begin with the letter “a” imparting the kind of alliteration frequently used in sermons: aphtharton, amianton, amaranton.” Clifton Allen, The Broadman Bible Commentary, Volume 12 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Publishing, 1972) 151.

[4] John Phillips, Exploring The Epistles of Peter (Grand Rapids Michigan; Kregel Publishing, 2005) 36.

[5] Buttrick, 92.

[6] Phillips, 38.

[7] Ibid, 39.

[8] “Peter uses an astonishing variety of expressions for the coming salvation of the end-time. (for example, “a living hope” [1:3], God’s “wonderful light” [2:9], “the gracious gift of life” [3:7], “inherit a blessing” [3:9], “crown of glory” [5:4], and “eternal glory” [5:10]. (Kistemaker, 44)

[9] Num 32:19; Deut. 2:12; 12:9; 25:19; 26:1; Josh 11:23; Ps 105:11; Acts 7:5

[10] Simon J. Kistmaker, New Testament Commentary, Peter and Jude (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Baker Book House, 1987) 43.

[11] Max Anders, Gen. Ed., Holman New Testament Commentary, 1&2 Peter, 1,2,3, John, Jude (Nashville, Tennessee; Holman Reference, 1999) 8.

[12] R.C. Lenski, The Interpretation of 1 and 2 Epistles of Peter, the three Epistles of John, and the Epistle of Jude (Minneapolis, Minnesota, 1966) 34.

[13] Thomas R. Schreiner, The New American Commentary, 1, 2 Peter, Jude (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman & Holman Publishing, 2003) 63.

[14] Phillips, 47.

[15] Anders, 8.

[16] Lenski, 36.

[17] Kistemaker, 44.

[18] Revelation chapters 2-3 seem to indicate that there are angels for each church? Are there angels that stand guard for churches today?

[19] Allen, 151.

[20] Ibid, 9.

[21] Thomas R. Schreiner, The New American Commentary, 1,2 Peter, Jude (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2003) 67.

[22] Lenski, 40.

Seeking Wisdom in Difficult Days A Study of James The Origin of Temptation James 1:13-18

Seeking Wisdom in Difficult Days

A Study of James

The Origin of Temptation

James 1:13-18

Introduction

Fishing flies are bait designed to imitate insects, invertebrates, baitfish, crustaceans, small animals, and other fish fodder.

Traditionally, flies were “tied” with natural materials like feathers, thread, and animal fur or hair. Now, a range of synthetic and natural materials are used, sometimes on the same fly. Flies fall into roughly five categories: dry flies, wet flies, streamers, poppers, and saltwater flies.

A good lure is designed to catch a particular type of fish and what that fish likes. Sin can mask itself, and the lure may appear harmless but once its’ hook is set it can cost you your life. It will appear to be something that you would enjoy. Lures are not effective if they appear obvious. If you see the hook behind the feather, you will never bite.

Prayer

Where Does Evil Come From? (vv. 13-15)

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

Temptation is the word that we saw in verse 2, “trials” – but here it means an enticement to commit an evil act. James is saying that the desire to commit a sin comes from within our own hearts, it is not sent from God.

The words “lured” and “enticed” are angler and hunting terms where fish are tempted to come out of their safe hiding place, or birds are suddenly caught in a net.[1] Our desires are morally neutral, what makes it evil or good is the context (how we choose to act on those desires).

The desires that we have, were created within us, but are corrupted by our sin nature. For example, a man may desire his wife, this is a desire God made win us to keep a couple close. The corruption of that desire is where the man looks to other women to satisfy the same desire, then it becomes a sin.

But the real question is, “if God made me this way, with my desires, how can He then hold me responsible when I act on those desires?” There are some conditions of life that are beyond our control – You didn’t choose who your parents would be, we can’t choose gender or skin color, the country with whatever freedoms it may or may not have – you didn’t choose your socio-economic level that you were born into.

So are one’s desires the same? I was born with this desire, so why is it wrong if I act on that desire? James is being very clear here to believers in Christ, not to use excuses for bad behavior. Don’t blame God for your wicked behavior. It goes against God’s character to want for you to have anything to do with sin, so He will not lure you to sin. God is righteous, therefore He leads only in paths of righteousness (Psalm 23:3).[2]

We have a set of desires that are normal for all human beings (intimacy, love, belonging, fulfillment, etc); but these desires become corrupted by sin. So, if our desired behavior goes against God’s Word, then you know that your desire is corrupted by sin.

We have a tendency to want to blame someone for our own sinful behavior. We want to blame God, Satan, other people – but the lure discussed by James is our own sinful desire. Adam and Eve do this the Garden of Eden after God comes to them in Genesis 3. The man blames God for giving him the woman, the woman blames the serpent (Genesis 3:12-13).[3]

Immediately after the fall, mankind has to learn how to deal with this sin nature, and how it can control us. Genesis 4:3-7 “In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.”

Cain is an example of the person who wants God to accept him, regardless of his sinful behavior. God was clear on the offerings of what He would accept or not accept – Cain was demanding that God accept his way of doing things, and God says, “no.”

A person may say, I did not choose to be born this way. It may be true that a person does not choose to have a sinful slant in a certain direction, but it is the person’s choice to rule over it or not. If the sin in your life is described as a wolf, you choose to feed the wolf or to let it starve. If it is crouching at the door ready to devour you, you have the choice to open the door or keep it closed.

Matthew 5:27-30 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body go into hell.” Jesus says to take whatever actions you need to take in order that “The sin that crouches at the door. . .” does not take you to a place you do not wish to go.

When we voluntarily open the door to sin in your lives, “We may wrongly seek to blame others, Satan, or even God, but ultimately we are morally responsible.”[4] You have the ability to make decisions that will get you more in line with God’s standard of behavior, and cross back over the line toward righteous actions.

“This is a call for us to take responsibility for our own lives and to deal with our sinful motives.”[5] When we continue to blame others for our own decisions, we are far less likely to own the sin and make the difficult necessary changes.

“Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death” James uses the image of a baby in the mother’s womb. The child grows and grows until eventually it emerges in birth. When the child is born it causes the death of the mother.

Sin grows and grows until it reaches a point when it has matured and the consequences is death. Believers in Christ can never be separated from God in spiritual death (a losing of salvation), but their sin can result in a physical death.[6] Paul states the same truth like this, “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), God told Adam and Eve “when you eat of it you will surely die” (Genesis 2:17).

This is the opposite of James 1:4 “And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” God is working in the life of the believer for their good – patient endurance leads them toward spiritual maturity. When a person gives over to sinful desire, and it grows and grows until eventually it matures in spiritual death.[7]

Spiritual maturity has an ultimate goal, so that the believer “may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing”; Sinful desire also has an ultimate goal, it’s the dark mirror reflection, “sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.” It’s a fixed habit that we cannot escape from even though we know it is destroying us.

Since the Garden of Eden, Satan has tried to convince humanity that God is keeping something from them. Genesis 3:4-5 “But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Satan tells humanity that they can make their own decisions, and they know what’s right and what’s wrong – they are their own god.

Where Does Good Come From? (vv. 16-18)

16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.

“every perfect gift is from above” For James the best gift that is given to the believer is wisdom, it is mentioned again in 3:15, and this perfect gift comes “from above.” Wisdom helps us deal with temptation. “Therefore . . . , God does not send the test; he gives wisdom that enables us to stand in the test. He gives the antidote, not the poison.”[8]

The earth revolves and so at times it is light (daytime) and as it continues to rotate there is darkness (night). With God he does not change – if it is a sin, there is no changing it to not being a sin – He does not turn. Cain’s frustration and anger came with God’s unwillingness to just accept the offering (or his sin) – God would not change toward the offering.[9]

“Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth” – sin has a birth in a person that leads to their death, it was their will or choice that did this. God’s will is to bring people forth (a rebirth), through the word of truth (the gospel). God spoke and humanity came into existence, and The Word (logos) took on flesh and was born into the world. John 1:14 “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

Sin is the means that gives birth to death, and the “word of truth” is the means that brought us forth because God willed it. We choose to follow sin, God chooses to reveal to us the truth through wisdom.

“that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures” – We are like the first of the harvest – the rest of creation will follow us in redemption. The firstfruit of a tree both indicated the quality and was dedicated to the Lord (Duet. 18:4).

Romans 8:18-25 “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we await for it with patience.”

Beyond our salvation through Christ, it is by the study and consuming of God’s Word that we are set free from sin and error. John 8:31-32 “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Conclusion

Toad baked some cookies. “These cookies smell very good,” said Toad. He ate one. “And they taste even better,” he said. Toad ran to Frog’s house. “Frog, Frog,” cried Toad, “taste these cookies that I have made.”

Frog ate one of the cookies, “These are the best cookies I have ever eaten!” said Frog.

Frog and Toad ate many cookies, one after another. “You know, Toad,” said Frog, with his mouth full, “I think we should stop eating. We will soon be sick.”

“You are right,” said Toad. “Let us eat one last cookie, and then we will stop.” Frog and Toad ate one last cookie. There were many cookies left in the bowl.

“Frog,” said Toad, “let us eat one very last cookie, and then we will stop.” Frog and Toad ate one very last cookie.

“We must stop eating!” cried Toad as he ate another.

“Yes,” said Frog, reaching for a cookie, “we need willpower.”

“What is willpower?” asked Toad.

“Willpower is trying hard not to do something you really want to do,” said Frog.

“You mean like trying hard not to eat all these cookies?” asked Toad.

“Right,” said Frog.

Frog put the cookies in a box. “There,” he said. “Now we will not eat any more cookies.”

“But we can open the box,” said Toad.

“That is true,” said Frog.

Frog tied some string around the box. “There,” he said. “Now we will not eat any more cookies.”

“But we can cut the string and open the box.” said Toad.

“That is true,” said Frog. Frog got a ladder. He put the box up on a high shelf.

“There,” said Frog. “Now we will not eat any more cookies.”

“But we can climb the ladder and take the box down from the shelf and cut the string and open the box,” said Toad.

“That is true,” said Frog.

Frog climbed the ladder and took the box down from the shelf. He cut the string and opened the box. Frog took the box outside. He shouted in a loud voice. “Hey, birds, here are cookies!” Birds came from everywhere. They picked up all the cookies in their beaks and flew away.

“Now we have no more cookies to eat,” said Toad sadly.

“Not even one.”

“Yes,” said Frog, “but we have lots and lots of willpower.”

“You may keep it all, Frog,” said Toad. “I am going home now to bake a cake.”[10]

“To accept Christ is to accept him as Savior from sin, and so to turn from sin and follow him as Lord.”[11] We must take the holiness of God very seriously and continuously turn from sin, realizing its’ dangers. It’s bigger than just not eating one more cookie – we need wisdom to see its’ destructive power and ultimate consequence upon our lives.

__________________________

[1] George Arthur Buttrick, Gen. Ed., The Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. 12 (Nashville, Tennessee; Abingdon Press, 1957) 27.

[2] Lehman Strauss, James Your Brother (Neptune, New Jersey; Loizeaux Brothers, 1980) 35.

[3] A.T. Robertson, Studies in the Epistle of James (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1959) 50.

[4] David P. Nystrom, The NIV Application Commentary, James (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan Publishing, 1997) 73.

[5] George Stulac, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series, James (Downers Grove, Illinois; Intervarsity Press, 1993) 56.

[6] Examples: Nadab and Abihu when they offered strange fire (Lev. 10:1,2), Ananias and Sapphira when they lied (Acts 5:10), Christians partaking of the Lord’s Supper in an inappropriate way (1 Cor. 11:30); Strauss, 41.

[7] Ibid, 74.

[8] Peter H. Davids, New International Biblical Commentary, James (Peabody, Massachusetts; Hendrickson, Publishers, 1983) 37.

[9] Did Galileo Galilei read James 1:16-18? Scriptural evidence that the earth rotates around the sun? The light does not rotate. If God is described as the Father of Lights that doesn’t move or change, then it has to be the earth that moves and turns, otherwise the analogy doesn’t work.

[10] Ray & Anne Ortlund, Renewal, Navpress, 1989, p. 73-74. http://www.sermonillustrations.com/a-z/t/temptation.htm

[11] Stulac, 57.

Seeking Wisdom in Difficult Days A Study of James The Purpose of Pain James 1:1-12

Seeking Wisdom in Difficult Days

A Study of James

The Purpose of Pain

James 1:1-12

Introduction

Helping a butterfly out of its’ chrysalis. It’s all about the struggle.

Prayer

A Servant Leader (v. 1)

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.

James was well known by the various churches, he is an elder, and an apostle (Galatians 1:19), the half-brother of Jesus, but he doesn’t refer to himself in those terms – instead, he chooses to call himself, “a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.” He is one who has authority, yet refers to himself as a servant (servant-leader).

He is writing the scattered church described as “the twelve tribes in the Dispersion:” (diaspora) who are experiencing persecution. In the original Greek “Dispersion” means “scattered.” James is using metaphorical language to describe the scattered church (twelve tribes meaning all of the church) who are living in places other than their home (with Christ in heaven).[1]

Acts 11:19 gives us some background as to when and the church in Palestine was scattered, “Now those who were scattered because of the persecution that arose over Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch, speaking the word to no one except Jews.” Stephen was a Christian believer that was stoned and sparked persecution in the early church, where they scattered as far as “Phoenicia and Cyprus and Antioch,” Saul, who we later know as Paul the apostle, was determined to destroy the Christian church and was going to house to house forcibly taking men and women to prison.[2]

Finding Joy in a Sea of Sorrow (vv. 2-4)

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

“meet trails” the word used here for meet means to “fall into” and trials can mean inward affliction, as in a temptation to sin in a particular way, or an outward affliction such as being persecuted.[3] Here it seems to indicate, “afflictions, troubles, or difficulties.”[4] Jesus in his parable in Luke 10:30 in discussing the Good Samaritan said, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, . . .” When man looks up, he finds himself surrounded by robbers.[5]

In all of these trials that the Christian may find himself in, we are to meet these events head on with joy – We don’t wait until everything is over, the dust settles, and look back, and then choose joy – as we wade through the difficulty, like James, consider ourselves servant of the Lord Jesus Christ.

When we sit down and consider our time in experiencing these trials we are to “count it all joy” When a person has joy, they have an emotional response to having a long-term view of life. Happiness is a short-term view; it is a response to what is immediately in front of you and what you are experiencing in the moment.

James knows that to be joyful in trials is absurd.[6] So he addresses this by helping us to see the benefits of the trials. We are joyful regarding our salvation (Psalm 51:12) because it is an eternal perspective. We lose hope when we move our gaze from the long view to what is immediately in front of us.

We are to count it joy because there is an end result that is happening in our lives. These trials are producing something within us that is strengthening our faith. Trails do not show whether we have faith or not, they strengthen what is already there.

The visual imagery we are to see is one of metal being heated up and the dross and waste rises to the top where it is siphoned off.[7] The metal is then made stronger and purer.[8] Your pain and heartache will not be wasted; God is doing a work in your life.

“you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” – steadfastness is defined as “patient endurance,” and it is these tests that lead to the ability to endure.[9]

The apostle Paul says some similar in Romans 5:3-5, “we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”

Some years ago, I decided that I wanted to run a marathon, and having ran several half-marathons I set out on a training schedule. Usually, you run increasing miles over several months to where you have a “long run” – and for me, the long runs were on Friday morning, where I would run until lunch time. If you missed a week of training, the miles would jump up instead of by two to four mile differences. Your body would go into shock if you set out to run 26.2 miles with no training, no preparation – but if you slowly add mile after mile, week after week your body adjusts – you build endurance.

“let steadfastness have its full effect” – The pain and suffering will happen, that’s a part of life. But the process that God desires to work in our lives, the “steadfastness” has to be allowed in the life of the believer. We have to let the patient endurance point us toward spiritual growth – otherwise it is for nothing that we went through the trial.[10]

Patient endurance or steadfastness is not the end goal, it is the means to get there. The ultimate goal that God is working in our lives is so, “that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” To be perfect in this circumstance is to be mature – a perfect plant is one fully mature because it can accomplish what it is supposed to accomplish.

To be complete is to be adequate, or to be fully “what God requires and approves.”[11] “to have all your parts, whole, not unsound anywhere” The word is used of stones untouched by a tool, of an animal without blemish.[12]

God’s favor upon our lives is not that we avoid distress, but God’s working in us that we are “lacking in nothing.” It is so encouraging to be around mature Christians – they are joyful and they trained to do the work of the church. Very few things rattle them; they have seen it before and endured through it.

The trials and the resulting consequences in the life of the believer are directly linked to the character of God, and God is the only one deserving of such trust. The believer trusts that the pain and suffering have a purpose and that God has the believer’s best interest in mind.[13]

If we don’t believe in God then life has no meaning and the pain is just pain. If we believe in God but have a wrong understanding of His character, then He is seen as cruel for allowing it to happen, or weak because He did not keep it from happening. But James shows us that God is good and has an eternal view in mind of our pain and suffering.

Jesus says in Matthew 13:44 “The kingdom of heaven[14] is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.” The man would feel the pain of selling all that he has, but he is joyful in his loss because of what he will gain by purchasing the field (the treasure). When we take a long-term view of suffering, we should choose joy because of what we gain in the end.

“Paul and Silas sing in the Philippian prison because the bars could not prevent their serving Christ’s cause. In that service they found the source of their happiness, so their trials only proved their faith and the steadfastness of their devotion.”[15]

Two Stumbling Blocks to Our Spiritual Growth

1) A Lack of Wisdom (vv. 5-8)

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. 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.

Tennyson says, “knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers.”[16] For James in his discussion of wisdom, he is talking about the right use of one’s opportunities in holy living. We need wisdom in order to properly view the trials that we encounter. If we don’t have this wisdom, then we can “ask God, who gives generously.”

Paul reminds the church in Corinth that the wisdom of God appears foolish to the world, just as the wisdom of the world appears foolish in God’s sight.[17]

God doesn’t answer all of our prayers the way we desire, especially as they may relate to our experiencing less pain in trials, but He is always willing to “say yes” for our request for wisdom. With wisdom he doesn’t talk about the cost, or your lack of it – He gives it generously and doesn’t bring up the past. But, there is a requirement – we are to ask “ask in faith, with no doubting.”

A father once came to Jesus and asked for help for his son in Mark 9:21-24 “And Jesus asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if you can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” 23 And Jesus said to him, “‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.” 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” We ask God for wisdom, we pray to Him, and believe that He will help us and answer our prayer – but if we don’t really believe then why are we asking?

When we pray there are two wills that are coming together, our will and God’s will. When you seek God’s will in prayer, while still wanting to hold on to your own – this is being double-minded. “Lead me oh God, except in the direction that I do not wish to go.”

“To doubt is to have a divided mind that draws him two ways, like the poor donkey that starved because he could not choose between two stacks of hay.”[18] The end result of doubt is inaction. The testing of faith leads to perseverance, but doubt leads to unstableness. When James is talking about double-mindedness he means trusting in God and trusting in the world. You can’t do both.

“the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind.” This person sways back and forth in life. Whenever a hard time comes they are moved, because they don’t trust God. They have no anchor of hope – holding them in one place.

Paul in writing to the church in Ephesus says that the spiritual leadership’s job was to equip the church “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.” (Ephesians 4:14) but here instead of bad doctrine causing the tumult it is trying to live in two worlds at the same time.

The promises of the gospel all assume a commitment of the individual to, and trust in, God – The foundational issue is trust. Where does your trust lie? If you trust in yourself to take on the world, then don’t pray to God and seek His help. But if you trust in Him for salvation, and life in general, then continue to trust that He will answer your prayers in the way that is best for you.

2) Money (vv. 9-11)[19]

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.

Another area that may trip up a person with regard to their spiritual growth is money. It is easy to have a worldy view of wealth in that riches brings happiness. “James has a different ideal of happiness because he holds a different theory of the meaning and purpose of life. The purpose of life cannot be accomplished by the attainment of ease or luxurious comfort, but only in the achievement of Christlike character.”[20]

Just like earlier during trials we are to have a long view, and how joy has a long view, our station in life (rich or poor) is a short-term thing (in comparison to eternity). “like a flower of the grass he will pass away”

No matter how much wealth a person may have, eventually he will face eternity, and you can’t take it with you, whether that be a luxury yacht, or a brown paper lunch. Job said 1:21, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return.” So our life’s truly only have significance when it is concentrated on the eternal. Power and wealth are a means to an end – not the end in and of themselves. To be better off is not to be better.

In light of this long view of life and eternity, James says, “Let the lowly brother,” he is encouraging us to remember that we are all brothers in Christ, and that we will spend eternity together. In Christ we stand at the foot of the cross on level ground.

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.

The crown mentioned here was a wreath awarded to the winner in athletic games in recognition of an achievement built upon rigorous discipline.[21] James describes to us the Christian life as being active and strenuous and as we grow in endurance and character there is a promised reward from God for the trials.

We endure the trials, and endure the pain because we love the one who loved us first, and gave His only Son for our salvation.

_________________________

[1] See John 7:35; 1 Peter 1:1.

[2] George M. Sulac, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series, James (Downers Grove, Illinois; Intervarsity, Press, 1993) 31.

[3] Satan referred to as a pirate; Matt. 4:4; 1 Cor. 7:5; 10:13; 1 Thess. 3:5; 1 Tim. 6:9 (Nystrom, 47).

[4] Clifton Allen, Gen. Ed., Broadman Bible Commentary, Volume 12 (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1972) 107.

[5] A. T. Robertson, Studies in the Epistle of James (Nashville, Tennessee; Broadman Press, 1959) 34.

[6] David Nystrom, The NIV Application Commentary, James (Grand Rapids Michigan; Zondervan Publishing House, 1997) 48.

[7] “For gold is tried in the fire, and acceptable men in the furnace of adversity.” (Sirach 2:5, apocryphal book). Robertson, 37.

[8] Moo, 60.

[9] George Arthur Buttrick, The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible, R-Z (Nashville, Tennessee; Abingdon Press, 1962) 440.

[10] Peter H. Davids, New International Biblical Commentary, James (Peabody, Massachusetts; Hendrickson Publishing, 1989) 28.

[11] Allen, 108.

[12] Robertson, 40. It is also used of a complete or unbroken household.

[13] Nystron, 49.

[14] See sermon on King of God and its’ meaning – https://drewboswell.com/424413-2/

[15] Buttrick, 22.

[16] Ibid.

[17] See 1 Cor. 1:18-21.

[18] Robertson, 43.

[19] Sic transit gloria mundi is a Latin phrase that means “Thus passes the glory of the world.” It has been interpreted as “Worldly things are fleeting.” It is possibly an adaptation of a phrase in Thomas à Kempis’s 1418 work The Imitation of Christ: “O quam cito transit gloria mundi”.

[20] George Arthur Buttrick, The Interpreter’s Bible, Volume 12 (Nashville, Tennessee; Abingdon Press, 1957) 22.

[21] Buttrick, 26.

In the Crucible; Proverbs 17:3

Proverbs 17:3 says, â€œThe crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.â€

How does the Lord test the hearts of men? If we assume that the three items are given together in order for us to compare them, then we would conclude furnace and crucible share fire. Then we could also assume that God tests menâ€™s hearts through fire as well.

Peter even says in 1 Peter 4:12, â€œBeloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.â€ We should not be surprised when we are tested by the difficulties or â€œfireâ€ of this life, instead we should see them as opportunities for growth. It is through difficulty that we are able to show what we are truly made of, the â€œcontent of our character.”

Trials of this life bring to the surface trash that is mixed with the gold and silver of our hearts. It is only under fire that this dross is loosened and able to be taken off the top. It is a process that the Lord uses to sanctify us and give strength to our being.

During these times of heartache and despair we should not get lost in the pain, but instead examine our own hearts. 2 Corinthians 13:5 says, â€œExamine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?â€”unless indeed you fail to meet the test!â€

It is when the fire is the hottest that there is the most opportunity to pull the trash from our hearts.

A verse that is similar to Proverbs 17:3 is Proverbs 27:21 and it says, â€œThe crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and a man is tested by his praise.â€ When we are in the most pain, and the fire burns the brightest, what comes out of our mouths reveals the content of our heart.

We all desire for it to be praise. But we wonâ€™t truly know until the fire burns bright. We may curse our Creator, mock Him, question Him, or even run from Him. All these things reveal our weakness and Godâ€™s love to show it to us.

When things cool down, we discover that God is still there despite our worst being brought to the surface.

The writer of this Proverbs uses gold and silver and relates them to the heart of men. They are very expensive and precious metals. He could have used lead or any other common metal in his illustration, instead he chose to use precious metals. We are precious in His sight and loved by Him enough to be refined. If he did not care for us, he would leave us as we are, wicked and depraved. These tests are not for condemnation, but loving refinement.

John 3:16-17 says, â€œFor God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17Â For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.â€

Fire brings warmth in the cold, it brings light in the darkness, and it brings refinement of the heart. Do not run from your trial today. Instead hold tightly to your Creator, Savoir, and Friend. He desires to do a great work in your heart and with Him beside you you will pass the test.