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Discipleship: The Great Omission And The Greatest Mission Of All Time (Matthew 28:16-20)

These 2 messages were originally preached in 2002 at Crossroads Christian Fellowship in Kaua'i, Hawaii.

Both messages have the PDF Message (in thorough outline style), as well as PDF Outlines for the listeners (one with blanks and one filled in).

The video versions of these messages may also be viewed here (along with a few other messages on discipleship).

 

1. The Great Omission (Matthew 28:16-20)

2. The Greatest Mission Of All Times (Matthew 28:19-20)

Related Topics: Basics for Christians, Christian Life, Discipleship, Ecclesiology (The Church), Evangelism

1. Responding Well to Trials (James 1:1-4)

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From James, a slave of God and the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes dispersed abroad. Greetings! My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.

James 1:1-4 (NET)

How can we respond well to trials?

James, the brother of Jesus, is the author of this epistle. While Jesus was alive, James didn’t believe Jesus was the messiah (John 7:5). However, after Jesus resurrected and appeared to James, he converted (1 Cor 15:7). James eventually became an apostle—meaning that he testified to Jesus’ resurrection and helped build the church through his ministry. He became known as “James the Just” because of his righteous life and ascetic practices.1 Tradition says that he developed rough knees like a camel because of all the time he spent praying.2 In contrast to Paul’s ministry being primarily to Gentiles, James’ ministry was primarily to Jewish Christians, even as Peter’s was (Gal 2:7-9). When Paul and Barnabas approached the Jerusalem church about whether Gentile Christians needed to practice the law, James presided over that council (Acts 15). He apparently had become the leader of the Jerusalem church.

When writing this letter, he doesn’t address himself as Jesus’ brother; he calls himself “a slave of God and the Lord Jesus Christ” (v.1). By using the word “slave” or “servant,” he proclaimed his absolute obedience and submission to Christ. Since Greeks looked down on slaves3, it was a term of humility, but since the term “servant of God” was used of prophets in the Old Testament like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses (cf. Dt 9:27, 1 Kgs 8:53, Amos 3:7), it was also a term of honor. Paul also called himself a slave or servant of God (cf. Phil 1:1).

Recipients

James addressed this letter to the “twelve tribes dispersed abroad” (v. 1). From this, it is clear that James was writing to Jews who were scattered throughout the world. The fact that he continually calls them “brothers” (cf. James 1:19, 2:1, 14, 5:7, 9, 12, 19, etc.) means the recipients were Jewish Christians. Most likely, James was specifically addressing Jewish Christians who were scattered from Jerusalem because of persecution, as seen in Acts 8:1. He probably had even pastored many of them. In Acts, the gospel spread to the Gentile world, in part, because of Jewish Christians fleeing persecution (cf. Acts 11:19). These believers were being forced to leave their homes, properties, and cities. They were hated by Gentiles and Jews alike—causing them to be scattered like seeds everywhere. No doubt, James’ intention was to encourage them all, even ones not originally from Jerusalem.

Uniqueness of the Epistle

The epistle of James is very unique. It is probably the first New Testament book written—most likely between AD 44-49.4 Many have called it a practical commentary on the Sermon on the Mount because of their similarities. In it, there are at least twenty-one parallel statements with the Lord’s sermon.5 Out of all the NT epistles, it is probably the most practical. Some have compared it to Proverbs because of its short, practical statements about wise living.6 Unlike Paul’s letters which often have a bifid pattern of doctrine for several chapters and then application (cf. Eph 1-3, 4-6; Rom 1-11, 12-16), James’ book has applications throughout. Over half the verses in the book are imperatives (59 out of 108 verses).7 It’s not that James was not concerned with doctrine; it’s just that he was more concerned with people living out the doctrine they knew.

Themes

There are many major themes in the book: (1) One of the major themes is growing in maturity. He uses the word “perfect” several times (cf. Jam 1:4, 17, 25; 2:22; 3:2). James 1:4 says, “And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.” “Perfect” can also be translated “mature” or “complete.”8 God desires for his people to grow in spiritual maturity, and that is one of James’ aims throughout the book. (2) In addition, he focuses on how true faith works. A faith that doesn’t work is a dead faith (Jam 2:15). Therefore, throughout the letter, he provides a series of tests of genuine faith.9 For instance, James 1:22 says, “But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves.” To be deceived means for one to be deceived about the reality of his faith. Christ said the same thing, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven—only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven” (Matt 7:21, cf. 24-27). James 1:26 says, “If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.” “Futile” can also be translated “worthless.” A faith that doesn’t change how a person speaks and lives is not genuine. (3) Finally, another major theme is being faithful in trials (Jam 1:1-18). This would have been extremely important since believers throughout the ancient world were experiencing persecution. Most likely, Jewish Christians experienced this more than Gentile believers since Jews treated them as a sect or cult. Therefore, James teaches them how to respond to trials in the very beginning of the letter, which shows the prominence of this theme.

As we consider this theme in the initial verses of James, we must ask ourselves, “What is our typical response to trials?” and “How can we respond better?” From this text, several principles will be drawn to help us prepare for trials and be faithful when experiencing them.

Big Question: How can believers respond well to the various trials they experience, as demonstrated in James 1:2-4?

To Respond Well to Trials, We Must Expect Them

My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials

James 1:2

It must be noticed that James doesn’t say “if you fall into all sorts of trials” but “when.” This means that being a Christian does not remove trials from our lives. In fact, it may increase them! Christians still experience sickness, discouragement, loss, and at times, even persecution. In 1 Peter 4:12 (ESV), Peter tells suffering Christians, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.”

Interpretation Question: What types of trials were these scattered Jewish Christians experiencing, as seen throughout the book?

(1) The Jewish believers were experiencing religious persecution. James says the rich were oppressing them, dragging them into court, and blaspheming God’s name (Jam 2:6-7). Some had even been murdered by the rich (Jam 5:6). (2) There was conflict with other believers happening within the churches. James talked about quarrels, fights, and envy among them—some had even been murdered in the disputes (Jam 4:1-2). He called for them to not grumble against one another—less they be judged by God (Jam 5:9). (3) Obviously, some were struggling with poverty in the church, as James continually spoke to the poor or about them throughout the letter (Jam 1:9, 2:1-6, 5:1-6). No doubt, some were poor from fleeing persecution in their countries—they were essentially refugees. (4) Finally, a major trial amongst the Jewish Christians was temptation to compromise with the world—maybe to escape criticism and persecution. James said to them “friendship with the world means hostility towards God” (4:4). No doubt, there were also common trials like sickness, loneliness, and discouragement.

Two things to note about trials we experience:

  • The word “fall” suggests something sudden and unpredictable. Often trials happen quickly and come out of nowhere. Earlier today we were fine, and now we are not. Family situations happen, criticism happens, physical problems happen. Sometimes, they happen so quickly, we don’t even realize that we are in a trial.
  • But secondly, James says “all sorts” of trials. This can be translated variegated or multicolored.10 This means that we all encounter various types of trials. Some are small things that simply bother us like being stuck in traffic or being late to an appointment. Other things are big like a long-term sickness, difficult family issues, conflict at work, or financial problems. Living in a fallen world means that we will experience sudden and various types of trials. We shouldn’t be surprised at them, but instead, we should expect them.

Unfortunately, some errant church doctrines or evangelistic techniques imply or directly teach people that following Christ will make life easier. They might even promise health and wealth! That is not necessarily true, and James certainly doesn’t teach the poor Christians that in this letter. When a person becomes a follower of Christ, they become an enemy of Satan. When Satan attacked Job, it manifested in financial loss, family problems, and physical sickness—all allowed under the sovereignty of God. People who are won to Christ based on promises that everything in life will get better, including wealth and health, often don’t last very long when trials come.

When Christ sought to win people to himself, he told them if they were going to be his disciples, they had to be willing to hate their father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, and even their own life. They had to be willing to take up their cross—meaning to be willing to die for him—if they were going to be his disciples (Lk 14:26-27). He told his disciples that in this world they would have tribulation, including people hating them (cf. John 16:33, 15:18, Matt 24:9). Christ was not a religious salesman—selling the benefits but hiding the difficulties. They come together. Following Christ has tremendous benefits, but it is a narrow road which means we’ll often be lonely and have to leave things behind (including people). It is carrying a cross—meaning it will be difficult. Therefore, if we are going to respond well to trials, we must expect them and not be surprised when we encounter them.

Application Question: Why is expecting difficulties so important to responding well to trials? How have teachings infiltrated the church which lessen believers’ expectations of suffering and therefore make them unprepared for it? Share a time when the surprise of a difficulty overwhelmed you (or someone else) and hurt your faith (or their faith).

To Respond Well to Trials, We Must Biblically Evaluate Them

My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.

James 1:2-4

As James spoke to suffering Christians, he said that in order to respond well to trials, they must think properly about them. In verse 2, he says to “consider,” and in verse 3, he says “because you know.” “Consider” is actually a financial term—meaning to “count” or “evaluate.”11 Often when trials come, we just respond emotionally with anger, frustration, or discouragement. And these negative responses often make the situation worse. When we respond negatively to conflict with a friend, family member, or co-worker, it provokes a negative response from them. Negative seeds produce negative fruits (Gal 6:7). Instead of responding negatively, James says that when we encounter a trial, we must first think biblically about them. We must take some time to consider and ponder what we know.

Interpretation Question: What should believers think about when considering their trials?

1. Believers should think about trials as a test of faith.

James says when a trial happens, we must remember that it has come to test our faith (v. 3). When taking a test, one passes the test by focusing on the subject being tested. One will never pass a math test if he spends all his time studying history. In the same way, though there are practical things we must take care of when encountering a trial, the main thing we must focus on is our faith—because that’s what God is testing.

The word “test” was used of testing the genuineness of a metal12 and also purifying that metal from impurities in order to make it stronger.13 Similarly, God allows trials to prove whether we trust in him or not. Therefore, when a trial comes, one should ask himself, “Do I trust God with this situation? Do I believe what God says about trials?” Trials come to reveal the quality of our faith—is it weak, strong, or even authentic? For some, trials make them forget about God—they don’t pray, don’t read their Bibles, and it actually leads them further into sin. This demonstrates a weak faith. For others, their faith draws them to worship, pray, read God’s Word, serve and depend on others, and this demonstrates a strong faith. However, for some, the trial proves that their faith is not authentic at all. Christ described this in the Parable of the Sower of the Seeds (Matt 13:20-21). The seed sown on rocky ground received the Word joyfully but when trial or persecution over the Word came, it did not endure. In fact, because persecution, false teaching, and lawlessness will only grow in these end times, Christ said that the love of many would grow cold and only those who endured to the end would be saved (Matt 24:9-13). We should not be surprised when we find many falling away from biblical Christianity as persecution increases. Their falling away (and not returning) proves that their faith was never truly genuine—their seed was on rocky ground.

Therefore, one of the things we must evaluate as we encounter various trials is our faith. What does the test say about our faith? Are we trusting and obeying him as we encounter the trial or are we drawing away from him? God told Israel that he led them into the wilderness to test them and see what was in their hearts, to see if they would obey his commands (Dt 8:2 NIV). God does the same with us. Will we obey him? When encountering trials, our focus must be on our faith, more than people, circumstances, or other things.

2. Believers should think of endurance as a goal in trials.

Often our focus when in a trial is simply getting out of it. However, one of the main things God desires to create in us during a trial is endurance (v. 3-4). The Greek word literally means to “remain under.”14 It’s a picture of a person standing under the pressure of a heavy weight for a long time. Likewise, that is something we must consider when we encounter trials. The trial at our job does not mean it’s necessarily time to quit or find a new one. The trial in our body does not mean it’s time to give up hope and neither does the trial at home. God often will put us in a trial and require us to stay there for a season until his purpose is accomplished in it. Remember, there is value in holding that heavy weight. When a person wants to get stronger, they put their body under stress and weight in the gym, track, or sports field. And God does the same with our spiritual lives through trials. We must consider this reality in trials, especially in long ones.

In Romans 5:3-4, Paul says we know “that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope.” While faithfully enduring trials, we grow in godly character traits like patience—waiting on God to change our circumstance or bring people to repentance—joy—regardless of our situation—self-control—controlling our emotions and our emotions not controlling us, and many other virtues. Paul said this is something that we “know” (Rom 5:3). When encountering trials, we must consider the value of enduring—remaining under a heavy weight. It is to be desired, and it is priceless!

3. Believers should think about the ultimate outcome of the trial—Christlikeness.

James says, “let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything” (v. 4). God’s purpose in the trial is to make us “perfect” and “complete.” Some have tried to argue that “perfect” only refers to spiritual maturity and not sinless perfection. However, both aspects seem to be wrapped up in the word “perfect.” “Perfect” is the same word Christ used in Matthew 5:48 when he said to his disciples, “So then, be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Christ gave members of his kingdom an impossible standard—perfection, being like God. Certainly, we will never reach perfection on this earth; however, it should be our continual aim—to be more like Christ every day (cf. Phil 3:10-15, Rom 8:28-29). We do this by practicing obedience to his commands, spiritual disciplines like prayer and reading God’s Word, and by turning away from sin and temptation; however, one important aspect of our growth in Christlikeness is trials. God uses them to perfect us—help us get rid of sin and add various virtues to our lives. And, the more like Christ we become, the more God can use us for his kingdom.

When encountering trials, we must think deeply about being conformed to Christ’s image. In fact, it must be our goal. It’s easy to be patient when not having to wait. It’s easy to endure when life is pleasant. It’s easy to love when not dealing with someone who is difficult. It’s easy to be holy when not being tempted. In our trials, our goal must be to become complete, mature, lacking nothing—looking like Christ!

4. Believers should think of how God is in control of our trials.

James never says this, but it is implied. If God were not in control of our trials, they wouldn’t always work to make us more complete—like Christ. That’s the promise of Romans 8:28-29. It says:

And we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose, because those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

This promise is only for true believers. For those whose faith is not genuine, all things don’t work for their good. Trials often lead them into further sin and possibly to turning fully away from God. Death leads to them ultimately being separated from God. But for true believers, everything works for our good. Even death leads us to becoming just like Christ—without sin.

We must remember that God holds the temperature gauge on our trials. First Corinthians 10:13 says, “No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it.” This means that our boss is not in control; terrorists are not in control, and Satan is not in control. God is! And he only allows us to go through things we can bear and which work for our good. As we evaluate our trials, we must see God as totally in control of them and not people or the devil. If we don’t recognize this, we’ll be more prone to anxiety and worry, which commonly lead to depression (cf. Prov 12:25), and we’ll forfeit a lot of the hope that is meant to sustain us in the trial.

If we are going to respond well to trials, we must evaluate our trials biblically. We must consider that the major trial and the minor trial are really about our faith. Even when Satan tried to sift Peter like wheat, the trial was all about his faith. Christ said that he had prayed for him that his faith not fail (Lk 22:32). Are you trusting God in your trial or doubting and drawing away from him? We must remember that endurance is a virtue. Many times, it is not his will to immediately remove that difficult person, that sickness, the busyness, or the waiting season—there is value to it. God uses endurance to make us mature—more like Christ, lacking no virtues.

Application Question: How do you typically respond in trials? What are some of your common negative responses when encountering them? How have you experienced trials that God used to add virtues to your life like humility, patience, joy, and discipline? Why is it important to remember that God is in total control of trials rather than Satan or people?

To Respond Well to Trials, We Must Rejoice in Them

My brothers and sisters, consider it nothing but joy when you fall into all sorts of trials,

James 1:2

Some might think James is insensitive when considering his command to suffering saints to “consider it nothing but joy.” However, as mentioned, James’ command is based on theology—a person properly evaluating their trial in light of God’s Word. This is taught throughout Scripture. Matthew 5:11-12 says,

Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and say all kinds of evil things about you falsely on account of me. Rejoice and be glad because your reward is great in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets before you in the same way.

Why should believers rejoice when persecuted for righteousness? It’s because their reward is great in heaven and because the godly prophets were also persecuted. After considering their persecution in light of Scripture, they should have pure joy. Certainly, we saw this practiced by the apostles in the book of Acts. In Acts 5:40-41, after the apostles were beaten for speaking in Christ’s name, they left rejoicing because they were considered worthy to suffer for Christ. Likewise, in Acts 16:25, Paul and Silas sang hymns to God in prison after suffering. It was a logical conclusion after considering their trials in light of God’s purposes. Again, Paul said this in Romans 5:3-4, “Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope.”

Application Question: How can we practice rejoicing in trials?

1. To rejoice in trials, we must understand that rejoicing is an act of the will and not necessarily emotional.

Joy in trials is not natural, which is why “consider it nothing but joy” is a command in the original language.15 We must choose to rejoice as an act of obedience to God—despite negative thoughts, emotions, and circumstances.

2. To rejoice in trials, we must understand rejoicing is based on our knowledge of God’s Word.

James is not commanding us to enjoy our pain or difficulty (cf. Heb 12:11). He is not encouraging some type of masochism. Again, this joy is based on knowing what God is doing through the trial. He is producing endurance in us and making us mature so he can use us. It’s also based on our recognition of God being in control. It is possible to believe these realities are true and not think upon them in a trial or live them out. For this reason, we must spend greater time in God’s Word when experiencing trials. It helps fill our mind with truth when we are tempted to doubt and despair. If our knowledge of and time in God’s Word is small, our joy will be small or nonexistent in trials. Therefore, we often must increase our spiritual disciplines when in trials to maintain this supernatural joy.

3. To rejoice in trials, we must understand that rejoicing is not independent of proper mourning.

James is not telling believers who have lost their homes or experienced the death of relatives to not mourn or to deny that they are in pain. It is possible for mourning to exist alongside joy. In the second beatitude, “Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted,” the word “blessed” can also be translated “happy” (Matt 5:4). In mourning over sin and its tragic effects, we can also have pure joy because God is in control, has conquered sin, and somehow will use it for good. It’s possible for both genuine joy and mourning to exist together. For example, when Lazarus died and the relatives cried, Christ did not rebuke them. In fact, he cried with them, even though he would raise Lazarus from the dead (John 11:33-35). Paul, in fact, described himself as “sorrowful but always rejoicing” (2 Cor 6:10). Therefore, James is not telling us to put on our happy face and deny the fact that we are hurting. Sometimes it’s wrong to not mourn. We are called to “Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn” (Rom 12:15 NIV). The only difference between Christian mourning and non-Christian mourning is that ours should be done in hope (1 Thess 4:13).

4. To rejoice in trials, we must reject typical, wrong attitudes.

In writing to persecuted believers, the writer of Hebrews warns against two negative responses to trials in Hebrews 12:6:

You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed in your struggle against sin. And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons? “My son, do not scorn the Lord’s discipline or give up when he corrects you. “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts.”

  • Believers should be careful to not “scorn” God in the midst of their trials. In trials, we are tempted to doubt God’s love for us, his goodness, and therefore become angry with him. That’s why the author of Hebrews challenged suffering Jewish Christians to not scorn God’s discipline, which in the context included their persecution. Others may not directly scorn God, but they do so through their complaining. By complaining, they say, “God you are not in control!” or “God you don’t care!” Philippians 2:14 commands us to “Do everything without grumbling or arguing.”
  • Believers should be careful to not “give up” or lose courage in the midst of trials. Some give up on God altogether in a trial—they stop reading their Bibles, stop coming to small group and church, and commonly turn to some type of sin or addiction to cope instead of turning to God. They ultimately lose faith that God is using the trial for their good.

When we adopt either of these bad attitudes in our trials, we hinder God’s purposes (cf. Phil 4:6-7). Oftentimes, by responding negatively, we extend our trials. Like Israel, instead of entering the promised land, we spend extended time in the wilderness until we learn our lesson. If trials are a test of our faith, when we fail the test, we repeat it, and sometimes, the test is harder the next time.

5. To rejoice in trials, we must understand that rejoicing leads to God’s special enablement during and after our trials.

Consider what Paul said when God refused to remove his thorn in the flesh but to instead display power in Paul’s weakness: “… So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me” (2 Cor 12:9). Paul boasted in his trial “so that the power of Christ” would reside in him. Paul understood that an obedient response to trials leads to blessing. If he complained against God or murmured against others, it would rob him of God’s power and potentially lead to discipline (cf. 1 Cor 10:10-11). If we endure and rejoice, we reap the benefits of James’ promise—God uses the trial to complete us, to make us more like Christ.

Some who don’t endure and instead cultivate wrong attitudes and actions in their trials become crippled by their trials instead of stronger through them. They develop a lack of trust for God and others, lack of peace, anxieties, and addictions. After challenging persecuted believers to have right attitudes in their trials and to trust God’s purposes, the author of Hebrews said, “Therefore, strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed” (Heb 12:12-13). It is certainly possible to become spiritually and emotionally crippled by our trials if we respond wrongly to them.

However, if we trust God by rejoicing in our trials, it leads to God’s special enablement—both to endure our trials and to be empowered through them. It was after thirteen years of slavery and prison that God used Joseph powerfully to help nations and the poor people in them. It was after Moses fled for his life from Egypt and became a shepherd for forty years in the wilderness that God called and anointed him to lead Israel. It was after Christ’s time in the wilderness, experiencing temptation, that the Spirit empowered him for his teaching and miracle ministry (cf. Lk 4:14). Often God uses our trials for the same purpose—to prepare us and equip us for a greater ministry if we are faithful in them (cf. 2 Cor 1:3-7). Are we rejoicing as an act of faith in our trials? God wants to bless, equip, and prepare us for greater works through our trials.

Application Question: Why is it so difficult to rejoice in our trials? How can joy and mourning both exist together? In what ways have you seen or experienced how rejoicing in trials leads to God’s blessing and how complaining compounds problems? How have you seen God equip you (or others) for greater ministry through a trial or series of trials?

Conclusion

How can we respond well to trials?

  1. To Respond Well to Trials, We Must Expect Them
  2. To Respond Well to Trials, We Must Biblically Evaluate Them
  3. To Respond Well to Trials, We Must Rejoice in Them

Prayer Prompts

  • Let’s give God thanks for our trials—declaring that he is good and that he has good plans for us through them.
  • Pray that God through the Holy Spirit would give us endurance in our trials and that our character would develop through them—becoming more patient, loving, joyful, and self-controlled.
  • Pray for those who are suffering for their faith throughout the world, just as the audience James wrote to. Pray that God would protect them, strengthen them, and even convert their persecutors.
  • Pray for others who we know are struggling through some trial—a financial trial, a trial of physical or mental sickness, a relationship trial, etc.—for God’s grace and mercy to be abundant over their lives and situations.

Copyright © 2021 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

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1 Accessed 9/15/19 from https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/James_the_Just

2 Hughes, R. K. (1991). James: faith that works (p. 16). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

3 Guzik, D. (2013). James (Jas 1:1). Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik.

4 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 5). Chicago: Moody Press.

5 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 2). Chicago: Moody Press.

6 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 2). Chicago: Moody Press.

7 Richardson, K. A. (1997). James (Vol. 36, p. 24). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

8 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 336). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

9 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 13). Chicago: Moody Press.

10 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 25). Chicago: Moody Press.

11 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 338). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

12 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 26). Chicago: Moody Press.

13 Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953–2001). Exposition of James and the Epistles of John (Vol. 14, p. 33). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.

14 Moo, D. J. (2000). The letter of James (p. 55). Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos.

15 Richardson, K. A. (1997). James (Vol. 36, p. 58). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Related Topics: Christian Life

2. How to Gain Wisdom for Our Trials (James 1:5-8)

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But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, since he is a double-minded individual, unstable in all his ways.

James 1:5-8 (NET)

How can we gain wisdom for our trials?

After commanding suffering Jewish Christians to rejoice and persevere through their trials so God could mature them (Jam 1:2-4), James encourages these believers to ask God for wisdom. Since James was writing to Jewish Christians, they would have had a strong theology of wisdom based on the Old Testament. For Jews, wisdom was not intellectual; it was spiritual. Proverbs 9:10 says, “The beginning of wisdom is to fear the Lord.” And Psalm 14:1 says, “Fools say to themselves, ‘There is no God.’ They sin and commit evil deeds; none of them does what is right.” Therefore, to be wise in this context essentially refers to being obedient to God in our trials, and even more, allowing these trials to mature us—making us more into the image of Christ (cf. Jam 1:2-4).

In considering these verses, Warren Wiersbe questioned:

Why do we need wisdom when we are going through trials? Why not ask for strength, or grace, or even deliverance? For this reason: we need wisdom so we will not waste the opportunities God is giving us to mature. Wisdom helps us understand how to use these circumstances for our good and God’s glory.1

He then shares a story about a former secretary and her request during a major trial. She had a stroke; her husband had gone blind and had been taken to the hospital to probably die. When talking with Pastor Wiersbe, she asked for prayer to “have the wisdom to not waste all of this.”2 She clearly knew the meaning of James 1:5.

In considering this, it is good to remember that it’s possible to miss God’s purpose for our trials. It is possible to fail trials—to fall further away from God through them, instead of closer to him. It is possible to become more immature instead of more mature. It’s possible to grow in anxiety instead of peace, to become more bitter instead of forgiving, to increase in sin instead of righteousness. The author of Hebrews said this in the context of considering God’s purpose in our trials: “Therefore, strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed” (12:12-13). Essentially, the author says it’s possible to go from being hurt to maimed in our trials, instead of being healed and strengthened by them. This is why we need supernatural wisdom. Trials contain both the ability to tremendously bless us and hurt us.

In 1 Corinthians 10:13, God promises this:

No trial has overtaken you that is not faced by others. And God is faithful: He will not let you be tried beyond what you are able to bear, but with the trial will also provide a way out so that you may be able to endure it.

It must be noted that when the verse says God will “provide a way out,” in context, it doesn’t necessarily refer to God removing the trial but enabling us to “endure it.” This is why we need supernatural wisdom: For one, the “way” to endure may be by being transparent with others so he can receive help and prayer. For another, the “way” to endure might be by serving others, even though she feels weak. Proverbs 11:25 (NIV) says that “whoever refreshes others shall be refreshed,” and Matthew 5:7 says that the merciful shall receive mercy. For another, the way to endure might be through deep times of prayer, fasting, and time in God’s Word. For most, it may be a combination of these. God has a specific strategy for each trial, and therefore, we must seek his wisdom while in them.

In realizing this, we must understand that the trials of various kinds we encounter are gigantic opportunities to not only grow in maturity (1:4) but also in supernatural wisdom (1:5). The wisest and most mature people are often those who have gone through some especially hard times which God used for their good. This is God’s purpose for us in our trials as well. And, as we grow in maturity and wisdom, we can then help more people, especially those who encounter similar difficulties as us (cf. 2 Cor 1:3-5). In this study, we will consider how to gain wisdom to grow through our trials and to not waste them.

Big Question: In James 1:5-8, what principles can be discerned about gaining wisdom to grow through our trials?

To Gain Wisdom for Our Trials, We Must Recognize Our Need for It

But if anyone is deficient in wisdom…

James 1:5

This is where many fail in the midst of their trials; they simply don’t recognize their need for wisdom and therefore God. This is often the very reason God allows trials in our lives. He does it to humble us and show us our weakness so that we will draw near him. Before the trial, we may have been content not reading God’s Word, not praying, not going to church, not being obedient, or simply not progressing in our spiritual lives. Then the trial came to wake us up, reveal our deep need for God and his wisdom, and energize us to pursue it. Remember what God said to Israel about their wilderness journey:

Remember the whole way by which he has brought you these forty years through the desert so that he might, by humbling you, test you to see if you have it within you to keep his commandments or not. So he humbled you by making you hungry and then feeding you with unfamiliar manna. He did this to teach you that humankind cannot live by bread alone, but also by everything that comes from the Lord’s mouth.

Deuteronomy 8:2-3

The long, wilderness journey came to humble the Israelites, to reveal what was in their hearts, to show them that they didn’t just need material things like bread, and to teach them that they needed God and his Words to sustain them. Likewise, God does the same with us.

James could have said, “You all need wisdom for your trials!” but he didn’t. He used tact and said, “If anyone is deficient of wisdom…” He does this to make his readers stop in the midst of their trials and evaluate themselves—to help them become humble and recognize their need for God. We must properly evaluate ourselves as well. “Do we realize how much we need God and his supernatural wisdom for our daily lives and especially in trials?” We can tell by how much we daily seek him or neglect him for lesser things. We can also tell by how we respond to God in our trials. If we’re going to gain divine wisdom to not waste our trials, we must recognize our desperate need for it.

Application Question: Why is it so important to recognize our need for wisdom in the midst of trials and even in our daily lives? How have you experienced God humbling you through trials to reveal your great need for him and how did you respond to that humbling experience?

To Gain Wisdom for Our Trials, We Must Continually Pray for It

But if anyone is deficient in wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously and without reprimand, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed around by the wind.

James 1:5-6

When James says, “ask God,” it is in the imperative.3 It’s not a suggestion to pray; it is a command for us to pray.

Observation Question: What does James 1:5-6 teach us about how to pray for wisdom?

1. Believers must go to God before going to others.

This is implied by the fact James says, “ask God.” Charles Spurgeon said this when considering James’ command:

We are all so ready to go to books, to go to men, to go to ceremonies, to anything except to God.… Consequently, the text does not say, ‘Let him ask books,’ nor ‘ask priests,’ but, ‘let him ask of God.’4

Maybe this is why James commands us to “ask God” instead of suggesting it. For some of us, we are more prone to rely on our own wisdom or the wisdom of others, rather than God’s wisdom. We are fast to search the Internet, read a book, or pull somebody to the side. Now certainly, God will often give us wisdom through others, but we must go to the source first. Let us ask God and seek him in trials before anyone or anything else. Remember, this is often God’s primary purpose in the trial—to draw us to himself. In James 4:8, the author says, “Draw near to God and he will draw near to you.” After seeking God, often he will provide guidance through his Word, others, circumstances, or simply his work in our hearts.

2. As mentioned, believers will often have to pray continually for God’s guidance.

In the Greek, “ask” is not only an imperative but also in the present tense. It could be translated “ask and keep asking.” Often when seeking God for wisdom in our trials, we will need to pray more than once. Before going to the cross, Jesus, who was weary unto death, prayed three times for one hour each. Paul, when dealing with a thorn in the flesh, likewise, prayed three times. Often in wilderness seasons, it is wise to implement fasting, extra prayer, and more disciplined and consistent quiet times. Unfortunately, when trials come, we often get busier, more anxious, then discouraged, which can make us struggle with spiritual motivation. However, those are the times we must seek God the most and will often find his presence and grace more abundant and tangible. Psalm 34:18 says, “The Lord is near the brokenhearted.” To gain wisdom, we must ask and keep asking. Like Solomon said in the Proverbs, we must seek after wisdom more than silver and precious stones for it will bring protection, health to our bodies, and prosperity.

3. Believers must pray in faith, without doubt.

James describes believers who pray but yet doubt God’s character, like the waves of the sea, tossed by the wind. Throughout Scripture, the necessity of faith to receive God’s promises is continually mentioned. In Hebrews 11:6, it says, “Now without faith it is impossible to please him, for the one who approaches God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” God is pleased by faith, and he rewards it. Matthew 21:21 says if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we can tell a mountain to move and be tossed into the sea. This seems to be a figure of speech for conquering an impossible situation or trial. Likewise, we must believe God’s promise to give us wisdom for our trial and not doubt that we will receive it.

Now with that said, verses on our need for faith have, at times, been twisted to mean for us to have faith in faith instead of faith in God. For those who teach this, they would say something like if we just believe in what we want or think is right and push all the doubt out of our mind, we can claim anything, including miracles. This is incorrect. First John 5:14-15 says:

And this is the confidence that we have before him: that whenever we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us in regard to whatever we ask, then we know that we have the requests that we have asked from him.

Our faith must be in God’s clearly revealed will—not simply in achieving our desires.

How do we know what God’s will is? We know it according to his Word. In the context of James 1:5, God’s revealed will is that he will give us wisdom for our trials, as long as we trust him. We should have faith in that and not doubt. However, we can’t always have full confidence it is God’s will to remove a specific trial. With Paul, he prayed continually for God to remove his thorn in the flesh, and God said no (2 Cor 12:7-9). Therefore, he chose to rejoice and persevere because God was going to empower him through the trial.

Our faith must always be in God’s clearly revealed will; which means in situations where God’s will has not been revealed, we should pray with our limited knowledge and in faith trust that God knows best and will do what is best. Like Christ, we might pray, “Lord take this away, but nevertheless your will be done.”

Interpretation Question: How can we develop faith so we can experience God’s promises as we pray for them?

  • Faith comes from knowing God’s Word.

The more we know Scripture and the promises God has given us, the more faith we will have to receive God’s promises. Romans 10:17 says faith comes by hearing and hearing by God’s Word. Therefore, to not consistently be in God’s Word is to have weak faith and therefore have many unanswered prayers.

In addition, there may be times where God supernaturally gives clarity of his will in situations that are not addressed in his Word. As mentioned, God told Paul it wasn’t his will to remove the thorn in his flesh. In the same way, God may give someone a supernatural word on revival, healing, or deliverance, and they should pray in accordance. With these types of impressions, they must be tested by God’s Word and other mature believers (cf. 1 Cor 14:28). Most times, we won’t ultimately know these impressions are God’s will until God accomplishes them. This was the criteria God gave the Israelites for testing prophecies in Deuteronomy 18:20-22. They asked, “How can we tell if the message is from the Lord?” He, then, essentially said, “If the prophecy doesn’t come true, it’s not from me.” Therefore, we must hold our impressions of God’s will lightly until God confirms. Many don’t do this and become angry at God when what they thought was God’s will didn’t work out. Impressions are fallible; God’s revealed will in Scripture is not.

  • Faith comes from knowing God’s character.

In this text, James aims to increase our faith while in trials by telling us more about God’s character. (1) By implication, James shares with us that God is wise. That’s why we can gain wisdom from him. Scripture teaches that he is not just wise but also omniscient—all-knowing. (2) James says that God is generous. He delights to give. He gave us his Son as he died on the cross for our sins. Since he gave us his best, how much more will he not give us everything else we need for life (cf. Rom 8:32)? Certainly, he will give us wisdom so that we can persevere and mature through our trials. (3) In addition, James shares with us that God is gentle in response to our requests for wisdom. Since God has promised to give us wisdom, he will never “reprimand” us for continually asking (Jam 1:5). With humans, it’s very easy to wear out someone’s generosity by staying at their house too long, continually asking for things, etc. But with God, James says that’s impossible. He will not reprimand us for asking for wisdom. He won’t say, “Oh! You again!” or “What did you do with the wisdom I gave you last time?” or “What took you so long to ask?” God won’t do that to us; therefore, James encourages us to boldly seek God for wisdom in our trials. God is wise; he is generous, and he is gentle. He wants to bless us. The more we understand God’s character, the more our faith will increase.

This is the same logic Christ used with his disciples in Luke 11:11-12 when encouraging them to pray. He essentially says, “Don’t human fathers, who have sin natures, give good gifts to their children? Well then, how much more will God give good gifts to his children when they ask—including the ministry of the Holy Spirit?” Christ wanted the disciples to reflect on God’s good character, so they would, in faith, pray to God for good things.

Likewise, James is trying to make sure these suffering saints know that God is good, even though their trials might suggest differently. In James 1:13, he does the same thing when he says, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God.’” Later, James says every good and perfect gift comes from God, which in context includes our trials (1:15). James probably continually emphasized God’s good character in the context of trials because, in the midst of trials, we are more tempted to doubt God’s love and care for us. Often when we go through trials, Satan tries to attack our view of God. He says, “God doesn’t love you! God doesn’t want to bless you or care for you! If he did, why would he allow this to happen?” As with Job, Satan’s desire for us is to doubt God and then curse him. We must be aware of this tendency and temptation in our trials. Therefore, James continually emphasized God’s good character to these suffering saints as a protection for them and to help them not only stand in trials but receive God’s best during them, including wisdom.

If we are going to receive wisdom, we must ask God first before others, pray continually, and pray in faith—in accordance with God’s Word and character. Then God promises to give us wisdom—his strategy for our trial—so that we can mature through it.

Application Question: In what ways has God, at times, used trials to help you grow in your prayer life? How has the teaching about “praying in faith” for things been abused by the church? How can we have faith while praying for things that are not clearly revealed in God’s Word?

To Gain Wisdom for Our Trials, We Must Be Fully Committed to God

For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, since he is a double-minded individual, unstable in all his ways.

James 1:7-8

When James challenged these believers to not be double-minded, he wasn’t just referring to not doubting (v. 8). It’s not just referring to a person who is up and down with believing God will give him wisdom or not. “Double-minded” can literally be translated “double-souled.” James seems to be pointing to a deeper problem amongst these scattered Jewish Christians. To be double-souled is to be uncommitted to God. It suggests a person that asks God for wisdom but who isn’t sure he will even follow what God says. If he likes what God says, then he will obey. If he doesn’t like what God says, then he will do what he already wanted to do.

Evidence that James is referring to an uncommitted believer is in how he addresses the same people later in the letter. In James 4:4, he describes them as adulterers and worldly. He says, “Adulterers, do you not know that friendship with the world means hostility toward God? So whoever decides to be the world’s friend makes himself God’s enemy.” Then, in James 4:8, he calls these same believers “double-minded” and for them to “cleanse” themselves and make their “hearts pure.” To be double-minded means to be worldly—wanting to live for God and the pleasures of the world at the same time.

However, James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous person has great effectiveness.” John 15:7 says, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you want, and it will be done for you.” Likewise, Psalm 66:18 says, “If I had cherished iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” There is power in the prayers of those who are fully committed to Christ and living by faith. Worldliness and compromise make our prayers ineffective, which was the double-minded believers’ problem. If God blessed them while they were living in sin and pursuing the world, it would only encourage further sin instead of repentance. As James taught, answered prayer is often tied to righteous living (5:16).

If we are going to gain wisdom to grow from our trials, we must be fully committed to the Lord. The prayers of the righteous, who live by faith, are effective. But, double-minded, worldly believers will receive nothing from God (1:7-8)—they will have ineffective prayer lives. Therefore, instead of maturing through their trials, the trials will be wasted and continually repeated until the double-minded repent and devote themselves to the Lord and to living by faith.

Application Question: In what ways have you experienced double-mindedness—wanting to live for God and for the pleasures of the world, wanting to know God’s will but not sure if you would follow it if you knew? What are some of the consequences of being double-minded? How can we rid ourselves of double-mindedness so we can gain wisdom to grow in our trials?

Conclusion

Pastor Steve Cole shares about Joni Eareckson Tada in his sermon on this passage. He said,

Joni Eareckson Tada, as most of you know, was paralyzed from the neck down in a diving accident when she was 17. She wrote this about her suffering (Joni [Zondervan], p. 154):

God engineered the circumstances. He used them to prove Himself as well as my loyalty. Not everyone had this privilege. I felt there were only a few people God cared for in such a special way that He would trust them with this kind of experience. This understanding left me relaxed and comfortable as I relied on His love, exercising newly learned trust. I saw that my injury was not a tragedy but a gift God was using to help me conform to the image of Christ, something that would mean my ultimate satisfaction, happiness—even joy.

That is God’s wisdom on how to endure a major trial with joy! She did not get that wisdom from the world. She did not make it up herself. It came from God, through His Word. If you need God’s wisdom for how to endure any major or minor trial with joy, ask Him in faith and He will give it.5

How can we gain God’s wisdom to grow through our trials and not waste them?

  1. To Gain Wisdom for Our Trials, We Must Recognize Our Need for It
  2. To Gain Wisdom for Our Trials, We Must Continually Pray for It
  3. To Gain Wisdom for Our Trials, We Must Be Fully Committed to God

Prayer Prompts

  • Let’s confess our need for God and his wisdom and ask for forgiveness for not seeking him as we should.
  • Pray for God to supply wisdom abundantly and the strategy for this specific season of life.
  • Pray for God to give perseverance, joy, and ultimately make us more like Christ.

Copyright © 2021 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

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1 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 340). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

2 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, p. 340). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

3 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 36). Chicago: Moody Press.

4 Guzik, D. (2013). James (Jas 1:5–8). Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik.

5 Accessed 9/16/19 from https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-2-how-obtain-wisdom-god-james-15-8

Related Topics: Christian Life

3. Applying God’s Wisdom to Our Trials (James 1:9-12)

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Now the believer of humble means should take pride in his high position. But the rich person’s pride should be in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a wildflower in the meadow. For the sun rises with its heat and dries up the meadow; the petal of the flower falls off and its beauty is lost forever. So also the rich person in the midst of his pursuits will wither away. Happy is the one who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God promised to those who love him.

James 1:9-12 (NET)

What is some practical wisdom for our trials—insights which will help us persevere and grow through our difficulties?

James is writing to Jewish Christians who have been scattered throughout the ancient world because of persecution. They have left their homes, properties, and lands. Consequently, many of them became poor because of this. James encourages these believers to see their trials from God’s perspective. Though evil people have mistreated them, God was using their trials to develop their character—making them mature like Christ. In James 1:4, he said, “And let endurance have its perfect effect, so that you will be perfect and complete, not deficient in anything.” Though evil people and circumstances were against them, God was in control and using everything for their good.

With that said, James realized not everybody becomes more complete and mature through their trials. Sometimes we become more broken through them—less trusting of people, more bitter, and more prone to doubt God. Therefore, he calls these believers to ask God for wisdom to grow in maturity from their trials (Jam 1:5)—wisdom in order to not waste them. We all need this supernatural wisdom; therefore, when encountering trials, we should continually petition God for it and trust that he will give it. God promises to answer this prayer as long as we approach him in faith—not doubting (1:6-8).

In James 1:9-12, James is still dealing with the theme of seeking wisdom for our trials—so he gives practical wisdom for two specific groups experiencing trials. Amongst these scattered Jewish Christians, there were both poor and rich. Though we are tempted to think that the poor have it most difficult, from a spiritual perspective, the rich may have it even worse. Both poverty and wealth are trials that can hinder our spiritual growth if we don’t understand and respond to them well. Therefore, he challenges these two types of believers to respond to their trials wisely so they can mature in Christ and ultimately be rewarded for how they handled their trials.

In James 1:9-12, we gain practical wisdom for our trials. James speaks to the poor first, then to the rich, and finally, to all believers. As we consider these, though James’ comments might seem straightforward, there are diverse views on the meaning of them—all with merit and rich applications for us. We’ll consider these and their applications.

Big Question: What practical wisdom does James offer believers who are going through trials in James 1:9-12?

In Trials, the Poor Should Rejoice in Their High Spiritual Position

Now the believer of humble means should take pride in his high position.

James 1:9

When James says, “the believer of humble means,” he seems to be primarily dealing with people who lack financial resources, but it could also have reference to those who might not be looked highly upon in society for various reasons—disabilities, limited education, old age, appearance, ethnic background, etc. In general, societies typically lift up the “haves” and put down the “have nots.” For these humble believers, they would be tempted to become discouraged and hopeless because they evaluated themselves by society’s wrong standards—not educated enough, wealthy enough, beautiful enough, or athletic enough. Many believers struggle with great insecurity and even depression because they have accepted society’s negative views of them and their situation—instead of how God views them and their situation. James speaks to these suffering Christians and says, they should “take pride in their high position.” To “take pride” could also be translated to “boast” or “glory.”

Interpretation Question: What does James mean by calling these poor believers to take pride in their high position?

As mentioned, there is actually quite a bit of debate about what James is saying, since he doesn’t clearly explain it. We are left to discern by considering the context. Here are two views:

1. Some believe to take pride in their high position means that the poor should focus on their spiritual status instead of their earthly status.

Instead of focusing on what the world says about them, they must consider their heavenly status in Christ. Christ was also poor on this earth; he lost his father at a relatively young age and had to care for his family. He was mocked because of the neighborhood he was from. They said, “Can anything good come out of Galilee?” He most likely lacked the education others might have from schools in Jerusalem and other places. Eventually, he was rejected, lied about, and crucified by the leaders of Israel. However, though his earthly status was low, his heavenly status was high. He was the Son of God, the Creator of earth, the owner of all things, and the Savior of the world, and while on earth, he never forgot that.

Likewise, though these poor believers might be rejected by the world, they needed to recognize their supreme, heavenly position. They were children of God, co-heirs with Christ (Rom 8:17)—whatever is Christ’s is theirs. They will one day inherit the earth and judge those on the earth, including angels (1 Cor 6:3). If Christ focused on his earthly position and how people viewed him, it might have kept him from doing the things God had called him to—ultimately, saving the world. Likewise, his disciples were also poor, despised, and hated, and yet, through Christ, God called them to save the world. Poor believers may be rejected, but God has called for them to be the salt and light to all. They are immensely valuable. Their earthly body is just their cocoon; they will one day shed their temporary abode and earthly status and be revealed as the children of God.

To respond wisely to their trials, poor believers must recognize their heavenly status. To do the things God has called them to do, they must realize how special they are. The majority of the early church was poor—many of them were slaves—and yet, they turned the world upside down. We now have the gospel because of them and their witness. For James, wisdom for the poor in their trials meant continually remembering their status and mission given by God.

2. Others believe to take pride in their high position refers to the poor rejoicing in the spiritual benefit of their trials.

These interpreters focus on the connection of verse 9 with verses 2-4, where James called for suffering believers to consider their trials nothing but joy because God was maturing the believers through them. They should not only consider their situation a joy but take pride in it and boast in it. Why? It’s because their earthly situation was tremendously beneficial from a spiritual perspective. Though Scripture does not say that being poor is better than being rich, it does say that poverty has potential for being spiritually advantageous, and wealth has some strong potential for being spiritually disadvantageous. Christ said it was hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God (Matt 19:24). Paul said that the desire to be wealthy is a temptation, and the love of wealth is the root of all kinds of evil—many have pierced themselves with many sorrows because of it (1 Tim 6:9-10). And about the poor, James said, “Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?” (Jam 2:5). The poor are more likely to run to God in the midst of their trials because they see him as their only hope; while the rich are more likely to trust in their bank account—their financial reserves to take care of them—instead of God in their trials. Because poverty is a trial, the poor are more inclined to prayer—seeking God’s wisdom to provide for their situation. If one ever does missions to a third world country, the churches in those nations are often more vibrant than in developed nations. There is shouting, crying, and great religious zeal. Often services can last more than half a day. The poor are more prone to make God their everything, because they have nothing else.

Now with that said, poverty also has many temptations. The poor sometimes have unique temptations towards crime to meet their basic needs. They might be tempted to love money because they have none or even get mad at God. However, their trial also has many unique benefits when properly viewed. That’s why James commands them to take pride in their high position. Christ essentially told his disciples the same thing. In Luke 6:20, he said, “Blessed are you who are poor.” This doesn’t seem to be referring to being “poor in spirit,” as in the Sermon on the Mount, or the poor in general. Christ referred to his disciples who had become poor to serve Christ—leaving their homes and careers to spread the gospel. God would bless them for their sacrifice. Likewise, the Jewish believers James addressed, who were suffering persecution and poverty for Christ, should rejoice in their high position before God.

With all that said, this doesn’t mean that the poor shouldn’t work hard to have a better financial standing. Scripture says that we should work hard to provide for our families and to have reserves to help others in need (cf. Eph 4:28, 1 Tim 5:4, 8, 2 Cor 8:7).

Though poor believers may be mocked, they must remember their high position before God and the fact that their trial is an ideal ground for spiritual growth (cf. Jam 1:2-4). That’s the wisdom James encourages them to apply in their trials so they could endure them with joy and become mature through them. Likewise, we must remember these realities as well so we can benefit from our trials.

Application Question: Which view (1 or 2) do you think fits more with the context? In what ways could poor believers having a low estimation of themselves by accepting the world’s standards hinder their ability to grow in trials and to complete their God-given mission to reach the world for Christ? How should James’ counsel to poor believers affect how we view them (or ourselves)?

In Trials, the Rich Should Rejoice in Their Humbling

But the rich person’s pride should be in his humiliation, because he will pass away like a wildflower in the meadow. For the sun rises with its heat and dries up the meadow; the petal of the flower falls off and its beauty is lost forever. So also the rich person in the midst of his pursuits will wither away.

James 1:10-11

Unlike the poor, the rich face a different trial: People celebrate them, rejoice in their success, and want to befriend them. The rich are tempted towards pride—causing them to think highly of themselves and sometimes to even look down on others. Therefore, the rich are called to rejoice in their humiliation. Again, there are various views on what James is saying.

Interpretation Question: What does the text mean by calling the rich to rejoice in their humiliation?

1. Some believe that the rich taking pride in their humiliation means for them to rejoice in their humble status as ones associated with Christ—the one who was rejected and despised.

The rich are challenged to remember that their Lord Jesus Christ was rejected and despised by the world and many fellow believers with him. Though the rich may be lifted up in society because of their wealth and abilities, and potentially avoid some persecution because of it, they must remember their true humble position as followers of Christ. Certainly, this is a discipline Christians in developed countries who are not openly persecuted must practice. Although they are not imprisoned like many believers around the world, they must remember that they are associated with them. They must not be fooled or dulled spiritually by a perceived accepted status in their society. Christ and his followers have historically been persecuted by the world, and therefore we must not forget it, even though we may not suffer at the moment. Like the author of Hebrews said to believers not suffering the same torment as others, “Remember those in prison as though you were in prison with them, and those ill-treated as though you too felt their torment” (Heb 13:3). We must rejoice in our humiliation—our association with Christ and suffering saints—and respond accordingly.

Therefore, the first view applied both to the poor and rich is to not focus on their material status but their spiritual status—associated with Christ. This will deliver the poor from discouragement and anger with God and deliver the rich from pride and spiritual apathy, which they so commonly struggle with. God has called wealthy and less persecuted believers to help those who are persecuted and to use their resources to support kingdom work throughout the world (cf. Matt 25:34-40, Lk 16:1-13).

2. Others believe that the rich taking pride in their humiliation refers to them rejoicing when they are humbled by trials.

These interpreters connect verse 10 with verses 2-4. Though the poor live in a constant state of trial (a high status) which reveals their vulnerability and need for God, the rich don’t. Therefore, the rich should rejoice when they are humbled. Trials reveal to them that they need God and reminds them that their wealth and their life will pass away just like the wildflowers (v. 10-11). Though flowers bloom and are beautiful for a season, that season is brief. The weather quickly changes causing them to wither. That’s how the rich man’s life and wealth are. Circumstances change—the stock market may crash, their health may fail resulting in an inability to work, or they might get caught up in litigation. Wealth is not something that we should put our trust in. Therefore, the rich should rejoice when God reminds them of the brevity of wealth and life. Nobody can take their wealth with them to eternity. Though the world exalts the wealthy, death is the great equalizer of people. We will all die.

The fact that life is fleeting should remind us to focus more on eternity instead of temporary things. For that reason, the wealthy should be thankful when they experience constant reminders of how temporary their life and wealth are. Those are meant to remind them to focus on God and eternal things. In developed nations, we need to consider this reality constantly. We are constantly tempted to be consumed with moving up the corporate ladder, getting the latest electronic products, watching the newest movie releases, and enjoying leisure. We are tempted to live from high to high (and document them all on social media). While doing this, we often forget that life is fleeting. God has a purpose for us in building his kingdom; therefore, we must live for eternity.

3. Others believe the rich taking pride in their humiliation refers to unbelieving wealthy people recognizing their mortality (and therefore repenting).

The reason some believe that the rich in this text are not believers is because the poor are called believers (v. 9, “lowly brother” ESV), but the rich are not. Also, James later refers to the wealthy who were not believers persecuting those who were. For example, in James 2:6-7, James describes how the rich were dragging believers to courts and blaspheming God’s name. Furthermore, some believe the wealthy landowners who were oppressing their poor workers in James 5:1-6 were not believers.

If James is writing directly to the unbelieving rich, he is writing like an Old Testament prophet who would at times address the oppressors (or even unbelieving nations) in his letter. If this is happening, James is speaking with irony. The rich unbelievers oppressing the Jewish Christians should boast in their approaching death. The irony is meant to shock these unbelievers and bring them to repentance.

James calls for the rich believers to focus on their low status, as those affiliated with Christ and suffering saints. This would remind them to not be haughty, to be faithful in serving Christ, to work to relieve the pain of the saints, and to continue spreading the gospel. When these wealthy believers went through trials, it should remind them that they and their wealth are like wildflowers—briefly here today and gone tomorrow. Again, they should live for the kingdom instead of temporary things.

Application Question: Which view seems most correct to you (1, 2, or 3) in the context? In what way is wealth a trial for believers (cf. Dt 6:10-12)? How can we keep our mind on spiritual things and not secular things when not going through trials? In what ways is James’ challenge to the wealthy needed to be heard by Christians in developed nations who don’t live in constant lack?

In Trials, All Believers Should Focus on God’s Reward

Happy is the one who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God promised to those who love him.

James 1:12

Wisdom from God not only makes us properly evaluate ourselves and our trials but also enables us to focus on God’s reward while in trials. God’s wisdom makes us look past the temporary to the eternal, which sustains us in difficult times.

Observation Question: What aspects of God’s reward should we focus on in our trials?

1. In trials, believers should focus on God’s blessing.

When James says, “Happy is the one who endures testing,” it can also be translated “Blessed is the one….” As hard as it may be to discern this in the various tests of life, whether that be the tests of poverty or wealth, we must realize that during these tests God is with us to bless. These blessings are both present and future oriented. During trials, God’s blessing is experienced as he equips us to persevere, transforms us into his image, and gives us joy as we focus on him (Jam 1:2-4). Therefore, as we experience God’s grace in these areas, we must rejoice and give God thanks. We must remember the truth that those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, mount up on eagle’s wings, run and not grow weary, and walk and not faint (Is 40:31). Even if we’re in a season where we’re just walking and not fainting, that is God’s blessing for those hoping in him. In addition, divine joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit which is given as we abide in God (Gal 5:22). It is not based on our circumstances. Therefore, we must pursue it and seek to maintain it in our trials by abiding in God (Gal 5:16)—as we do this, we experience God’s blessing in our trials, his happiness. While in trials, we must focus on God’s blessing—perseverance, growing in character, and divine joy through the Holy Spirit.

With that said, God’s blessing is also future-oriented, which we will consider.

2. In trials, believers must focus on God’s eternal reward.

The word “crown” does not refer to the crown of royalty but the one earned in an athletic contest. It was the winner’s crown—the wreath placed on the winner’s head. It is called the crown of life. There is some argument about what the crown refers to.

Interpretation Question: Is the crown of life for all believers or only for those who are especially faithful during trials?

(1) Those who believe this crown is given to all believers point to the fact that the “crown of life” can be translated the “crown which is life.”1 This would mean that our perseverance and faithfulness in the various trials and tests of life prove that our faith is genuine—that we are truly saved. Therefore, though we all receive eternal life at the moment of faith (cf. John 17:3), the crown of life would be the full experience of it in heaven, which is for every believer. For further support that this crown is for every believer, they point to the fact that this crown is promised to those who “love” God. In Scripture, loving God is a characteristic of all true believers. First John 5:1 says, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been fathered by God, and everyone who loves the father loves the child fathered by him.” Again, this fits with one of James’ major themes, he is providing tests of true salvation. Persevering through trials, instead of turning away from God in them (and ultimately denying him), proves that our faith is genuine. Therefore, we should be motivated to persevere in trials because one day we will receive the full experience of eternal life. This life is short, but our next life and its blessings last forever.

(2) Those who believe the crown is a special reward for those who persevere through suffering faithfully point to the fact that it is an athletic crown—one earned—instead of one given to royalty as a birthright. Since salvation is not something earned, they believe it’s best to consider this crown as one of the many rewards God promises believers for faithfulness. It then would be similar to how, in the Sermon on the Mount, Christ called those who were persecuted for righteousness to rejoice because their reward is great in heaven (cf. Matt 5:10-12). In heaven, not everyone will receive the same rewards. They will be given based on faithfulness. Therefore, the crown of eternal life might refer to a greater capacity to experience the joys of heaven. It’s been said that in heaven everyone’s cup will be full, but some will have bigger cups. For that reason, in trials, we must focus on future rewards as a motivation to persevere. This seems to be what Paul referred to in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 as he discussed his own sufferings:

Therefore we do not despair, but even if our physical body is wearing away, our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light suffering is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison because we are not looking at what can be seen but at what cannot be seen. For what can be seen is temporary, but what cannot be seen is eternal.

We must focus on the greater glory that persevering through trials is producing in heaven for us—a greater glory which makes our current sufferings light in comparison.

Either way, this crown pushes us to focus on eternity and how great it will be in comparison to our short experience of trials in this life. Both focusing on God’s present blessing and the eternal one will help us persevere in trials.

Application Question: Which interpretation of the crown of life (1 or 2) seems best in context? How has the experience of trials helped you grow in eternal hope and expectation (cf. Rom 5:3-4)? Is it wrong to be motivated by heavenly rewards? Why or why not?

In Trials, All Believers Should Focus on Their Love for God (And Growing in It)

Happy is the one who endures testing, because when he has proven to be genuine, he will receive the crown of life that God promised to those who love him.

James 1:12

Many commentators believe that not only is our love for God one of the reasons God will reward us in heaven, but also, as an implication of James 1:12, our love for God is possibly our greatest motivation to persevere under testing and temptation.

David Guzik said this, in considering temptation specifically:

Some resist temptation because of the fear of man. The thief suddenly becomes honest when he sees a policeman. The man or woman controls their lusts because they couldn’t bear to be found out and thus embarrassed. Others resist the temptation to one sin because of the power of another sin. The greedy miser gives up partying because he doesn’t want to spend the money. But the best motive for resisting temptation is to love Him; to love Him with greater power and greater passion than your love for the sin.2

Charles Spurgeon’s comments are also helpful:

“So that those who endure temptation rightly, endure it because they love God. They say to themselves, ‘How can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?’ They cannot fall into sin because it would grieve him who loves them so well, and whom they love with all their hearts.”3

As we grow in love with God, we will better persevere in trials and stand against temptation. We grow in love for God as we spend time with him, continually reflect on his goodness (and past goodness), and serve him faithfully. Unfaithfulness only pulls our hearts away from his and weakens us in our trials.

Application Question: In what ways is love for God a great motivation to persevere in trials or be faithful when tempted? How has growing in love for God been a protection for you in trials and temptations?

Conclusion

What is practical wisdom for our trials?

  1. In Trials, the Poor Should Rejoice in Their High Spiritual Position. The poor must remember who they are in Christ, and act upon that—not their standing in the world. Also, they must remember that their trial is a special place for spiritual growth and experiencing God’s power in them.
  2. In Trials, the Rich Should Rejoice in Their Humbling. The rich, though exalted in the world, must remember their association with their rejected Lord and persecuted believers. In addition, they must rejoice when God allows trials, as the trials help keep the wealthy humble and help them focus on eternity instead of their temporary life and riches.
  3. In Trials, All Believers Should Focus on God’s Reward. Our temporary trials do not compare with God’s present blessing and the future glory of eternity. Focusing on those realities should encourage us and enable us to persevere.
  4. In Trials, All Believers Should Focus on Their Love for God (and Growing in It). Love for God—wanting to please him and not disappoint him—will help us remain faithful in trials and not fall to temptation. Therefore, we must seek to grow in our love for God—by being with him and enjoying him.

Prayer Prompts

  • Pray to grow in maturity and wisdom through present and coming trials.
  • Pray to have the joy of the Lord regardless of our situations, for it is our strength (Neh 8:10).
  • Pray to view ourselves according to our identity in Christ and not what others, including the world, say.

Copyright © 2021 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

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Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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1 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 42). Chicago: Moody Press.

2 Guzik, D. (2013). James (Jas 1:12). Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik.

3 Guzik, D. (2013). James (Jas 1:12). Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik.

Related Topics: Christian Life

4. Conquering Temptation (James 1:13-15)

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Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death.

James 1:13-15 (NET)

How can we conquer temptation?

Again, James is writing Jewish Christians who have been scattered throughout the ancient world because of religious persecution. He comforts them by teaching that God is in control of their trials, using them for their spiritual maturity. Therefore, they should rejoice and persevere in them (Jam 1:2-4).

With that said, James realizes that with every trial comes a temptation. In fact, he uses the same Greek word throughout Chapter 1 for both trials and temptations. They always come together. When God placed the forbidden tree in the Garden of Eden, it was a test to prove the faith of Adam and Eve. However, with that test came a temptation, as Satan tempted them to eat of the tree. When God tested Abraham by asking him to sacrifice his son in Genesis 22, there was also a temptation. The temptation was to not trust God and therefore disobey him. With Job, God allowed Satan to bring various trials into Job’s life—financial, family, and physical health trials. God allowed Satan to do this in order to prove and build Job’s faith, while Satan’s purpose was to hurt Job’s faith—by tempting him to curse God. Trials and temptations always go together. We can either grow through our trials or be crushed by them—wandering further away from God (and others) because of them.

Therefore, James addressed this reality when writing these suffering Jewish Christians. His purpose was to equip them to conquer temptations that came alongside their trials. Likewise, we must realize with our trials, there are various temptations which we must respond to appropriately. James doesn’t say “if” tempted but “when” tempted (v. 13). Temptations continually happen to us all, so we must be prepared for them. In this study, we’ll consider principles for conquering our temptations.

Big Question: What principles about conquering temptation can be taken from James 1:13-15?

To Conquer Temptation, We Must Resist the Urge to Blame Others

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and he himself tempts no one.

James 1:13

When James commands these believers to not think of God as tempting them in their trials—inciting them to do evil—it was because he understood human nature. Since Adam’s fall in the garden, humanity has been prone to evade responsibility. When God asked Adam if he ate of the forbidden fruit, he immediately blamed God and the woman. He said, “The woman whom you gave me, she gave me some fruit from the tree and I ate it” (Gen 3:12). Then, the woman blamed the serpent. Now, this is humanity’s natural tendency—to blame others and evade responsibility. Therefore, people are quick to blame parents, friends, bosses, churches, and government. Sometimes, they even blame the sin itself by calling it a disease or an orientation, as if there was no choice involved. Ultimately, people blame God. Proverbs 19:3 says, “A person’s folly subverts his way, and his heart rages against the Lord.”

These Jewish Christians might have been especially tempted to blame God because of pagan influence from the societies they lived in. Pagans commonly blamed the deities for everything. Since pagan deities originated from human imagination, they had human desires, including their flaws. They were lustful, deceptive, short-tempered, and generally evil. They warred with one another and people. They came down and had sex with women, deceived people, etc. Therefore, some Jewish Christians might have thought God was the same. To combat this, James said God cannot be tempted by evil nor will he tempt anyone. Essentially, James said the God of the Bible is not like pagan deities—he is absolutely holy, perfect, and incorruptible. Scripture teaches that God hates sin so much that people deserve death for only one sin (Rom 6:23). Yet, because God is also loving, he sent his Son to die for the sins of the world, so we might have salvation through faith in him (John 3:16). It was important for these believers to understand God’s character so they wouldn’t blame God, but also, so they would be victorious over temptation. If we become angry at God and turn away from him, especially in trials, we lose the ability to stand against temptation.

Interpretation Question: In what ways are people tempted to blame God for their sin?

  1. Some blame God for allowing certain circumstances. They might say, “Why did God allow that accident or difficulty to happen?” or “Why did God allow me to marry this person?” Because of their circumstances, they rebel against God—doubting his goodness and love for them.
  2. Some blame God by saying (or implying) they were created a certain way. Not all blame God directly; they simply say, “This is just who I am!”, “This is my personality!” or “I was born this way!” Since it seems normal to them, they declare God understands and approves.

James’ point is clear: people will never conquer temptations they encounter if they continually blame God or others, and neither will we.

Application Question: In what ways have you seen or experienced this tendency for people to blame others and avoid responsibility? Why are people so prone to this?

To Conquer Temptation, We Must Recognize Our Depraved Nature

But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires.

James 1:14

In this text, James is not focusing on outside temptations such as the world and the devil; he will do that later (cf. Jam 3:15, 4:4, 7). He focuses on our primary enemy—our own desires. God is not our problem James says; it’s the evil nature that we are born with. In Matthew 15:19, Christ said it this way: “For out of the heart come evil ideas, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.” Likewise, in Galatians 5:19-21, Paul said:

Now the works of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, depravity, idolatry, sorcery, hostilities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish rivalries, dissensions, factions, envying, murder, drunkenness, carousing, and similar things. I am warning you, as I had warned you before: Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!

John Calvin described James’ purpose as “to teach us that there is in us the root of our own destruction.”1

Yes, in order to conquer temptation, we cannot blame God, others, the devil, the government, or anyone else. We must look ourselves in the mirror and recognize how bad our nature really is.

Because our nature is so corrupt, God did two things for us:

1. At the cross, the power of our sin nature was broken.

In Romans 6:6, Paul says, “We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.” This doesn’t mean that we no longer have a sin nature; it just means that on the cross Christ conquered it. We are still tempted by it, but we are no longer slaves to it—our inability to defeat it has been removed. Paul said this reality is something that believers should “know” and that we must constantly “consider.” In Romans 6:11, he said, “So you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.” After we build a correct theology of our sin nature, we must accept Christ’s victory over it and battle from that reality. Knowing that we have victory over a certain sin or inclination is very important. It gives us encouragement to fight, even when it seems like we are losing. It helps us fight the lies of the enemy who says we’ll never get free or that we’re not even a Christian.

Our fight against sin is similar to Israel being sent into the promised land to conquer the cities with giants in the book of Joshua. The victory was won because God said it was, but they still needed to go fight the battle in faith. If they doubted God or weren’t obedient to him, they could still lose and even become enslaved. However, the victory was ultimately a sure thing, and that is true for us as well. As the Israelites fought based on God’s promise, we must fight based on what Christ did for us on the cross—he paid the penalty of our sin and broke the power of it. Yes, we are still tempted, but the victory is ultimately ours. The outcome of the war was settled 2000 years ago, but we must faithfully fight our battles until the war is over. Because of Christ’s victory, we don’t have to be slaves to sin, doubt our ability to walk in victory (even after failures), or doubt the ultimate outcome. It was settled on the cross; therefore, we must take courage in our fight and fight in faith.

2. In addition, at salvation, God gave us a new nature, which is empowered by God’s Spirit, to fight against our sinful inclinations.

Paul described this in Galatians 5:16-17:

But I say, live by the Spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to each other, so that you cannot do what you want.

This battle inside us has often been described as two fighting dogs, and the dog who wins is the one that we feed. (1) We must live in the Spirit by constantly being in God’s Word and obeying it, fellowshipping with saints, serving, and worshipping. (2) But, not only must we live in the Spirit, we must starve the flesh. We must avoid things that would excite our sinful nature or strengthen it. As we do this, God’s Spirit empowers us to conquer the flesh; therefore, we can start to have sustained victory over our sinful inclinations. (3) When we fall into sin, we should look at those failures as hunger pains. We are not feeding the Spirit as we should. Like Paul said, if we live in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh (Gal 5:16).

A great deal of becoming spiritually mature is learning how to live in the Spirit instead of visiting it—consistently reading the Word, praying, attending small group and church, serving, etc. In addition, again, part of spiritual maturity is learning how to starve the flesh. The immature often stir up their flesh through the TV they watch, the music they listen to, and the friendships they cultivate—therefore they continually succumb to it. With the mature, like Paul, they declare that “nothing good lives” in them (Rom 6:18), and therefore, they flee temptation and pursue righteousness with other mature believers. In 2 Timothy 2:22, Paul said this to his mentee, Timothy: “But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others who call on the Lord from a pure heart.”

In order to conquer temptation, we must recognize the root. When we blame others, we focus on the wrong culprit. It doesn’t mean Satan and others don’t have any responsibility; it just means our victory is based on recognizing our sinful nature and conquering it through the Spirit. Are you living in the Spirit and therefore conquering the flesh? Or are you succumbing to the flesh by not prioritizing your spiritual life?

Application Question: In what ways have you experienced more consistent victory over sin when “living” in the Spirit instead of inconsistently “visiting” it (Gal 5:16)? How is God calling you to grow in “living” in the Spirit and “starving” the flesh? How would you encourage a Christian with Scripture who is continually succumbing to a sinful inclination or action?

To Conquer Temptation, We Must Recognize Its Course and Abandon It

But each one is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desires. Then when desire conceives, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is full grown, it gives birth to death.

James 1:14-15

Next, James describes temptation’s course and ultimate end. It is clear that temptation is not static—it is always leading one in the direction of death and destruction. James’ clear implication is that the longer we stay on the course, the more prone to sin and its devastating consequences we will be. Likewise, the earlier we abandon the course, the more victory and fewer consequences we will experience.

Observation Question: What is temptation’s course?

Temptation’s steps are often summarized by four words beginning with “D.”

1. Temptation begins with “deception.”

The verbs “lured” and “enticed” are very instructive. “Lured” was used of a hunter setting a trap to catch an animal, and “enticed” was used of a fisherman baiting a hook to lure fish.2 With fishing specifically, the fisherman hides the hook inside the bait, and the fish is drawn to the delicious looking bait which is hiding the deadly hook. In a similar manner, we are enticed and lured by temptations to do evil.

The deceptive bait is that sin is always presented as fun, exciting, fulfilling, and as if we can’t live without it. However, the consequences, which ultimately lead to our destruction, are the hook. Eve would never have eaten from the tree if the temptation was, “Eat this, you will constantly fight your husband. The discord in your marriage will show up in your children’s lives. Your oldest son will kill your youngest son. Eventually, the whole world will be destroyed because of your offspring’s evilness!” No, the deception was, “Eat this and you will be like God!” Temptation starts with the deception. It shows the fun of hanging out with friends or the fulfillment of some desire; it doesn’t show the continually worsening after-effects.

Therefore, in order to stop the process of temptation, we must recognize the deception—the hook which will eventually hurt us and others. We recognize deception by thoroughly knowing the truth, which is God’s Word. David said, “In my heart I store up your words, so I might not sin against you” (Ps 119:11). Like Christ being tempted in the wilderness, we must respond to every wrong thought with God’s Word and then turn away from it—shut the TV off, close the book, change the conversation, leave the situation to stay away from the potential temptation.

2. Deception aims to cultivate evil “desires.”

The word “desires” is neutral—it can refer to both good and bad desires. In the context, it refers to natural desires fulfilled in an evil way. There is nothing wrong with being hungry, but when we continually overeat, it becomes gluttony. There is nothing wrong with leisure—sleeping and watching TV—but when we do it too much, it turns into slothfulness. Sexual desire is good. It was meant for people’s enjoyment inside the marriage union of a male and female and to produce offspring. However, when it happens outside the marriage union, it is sexual immorality. Likewise, Satan constantly tempts us to fulfill our natural desires in perverted ways—dragging us away from God and his perfect will for our lives.

To stop the temptation process at this point, again we must recognize ungodly desires and repent of them. If we fight temptation on the heart level, it will never become an action. In 2 Corinthians 10:5, Paul described spiritual warfare as taking “every thought captive to make it obey Christ.” As we repent of wrong thoughts, ask for God’s grace to overcome them, and fill our mind with God’s Word, we can control our sinful desires. In Psalm 119:37, David prayed, “Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.”

3. Evil desires lead to “disobedience.”

James said when desire conceives, it brings forth sin (1:15). He leaves the hunting and fishing terminology and begins to use pregnancy terminology. Sin does not only refer to a specific act; it refers first of all to an accepted and nurtured ungodly thought. Christ said that to lust after a woman is to commit adultery (Matt 5:28). It’s important to consider that James says desire leads to sin, which means desire or temptation is not necessarily sin. When tempted both from within by our sin nature and also from without by the world and the devil, we are not sinning. In fact, since “tempted” in the original language is in the present tense, that tells us that temptation will be constant and continual. We are bombarded with temptation all the time. Temptation becomes sin when we choose to continually think on it, which cultivates our sinful desires. If we see something provocative, it’s not a sin to see it; it’s a sin to continually look at it and cultivate the evil desires that arise from seeing it. If we have a wrong thought, we haven’t sinned; it’s the acceptance and cultivation of that wrong thought which is sin.

The fact that being tempted is not a sin is very important to consider because some Christians are especially sensitive to sin (which is good), but because of this, they get overly discouraged when constantly tempted with wrong thoughts or inclinations. Satan can essentially depress and immobilize them by constantly attacking. He will even tempt them to think they’re not Christians because of their struggles! Because of this reality, it is crucial to remember that it is not sin to be tempted. This will be our battle while living in bodies affected by sin and living in a sinful world. Growing in spiritual maturity doesn’t mean that we will battle temptation less; it just means that we will become more victorious over temptation and that temptation will have less power over us.

4. Disobedience leads to “death.”

Interpretation Question: What does James mean by “death” (Jam 1:15)?

After sin is birthed and becomes fully grown, it gives birth to an even uglier child called “death” (1:15). To be “full grown” refers to going from cultivating a sinful thought, to practicing a sinful action, probably to making the sinful action a habit, and so on (v. 15). Sin always has drastic consequences, which is especially true for children of God. Hebrews 12:7-8 says,

Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? But if you do not experience discipline, something all sons have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons.

The writer says that every child of God receives discipline, and if we don’t, we are illegitimate. When a child of God is in sin, God rebukes him through the Word, oftentimes by his reading the Bible or through another believer. If he doesn’t repent, God disciplines him through trials which are meant to turn him away from sin and back to God (Heb 12:5-6). If he still continues in sin, it may result in death. There are three possible types of deaths that James may be referring to (1:15).

(1) God may discipline a believer by allowing him to experience an early death. This is what happened with the Christians in 1 Corinthians 11. They were abusing the Lord’s Supper, and in 1 Corinthians 11:30-32, Paul said this to them:

That is why many of you are weak and sick, and quite a few are dead. But if we examined ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned with the world.

Part of God’s discipline for these believers who continually abused the Lord’s Supper (and one another by doing so) was an early death. Therefore, James warned these believers against continually practicing unrepentant sin, and consequently, experiencing an untimely death because of God’s discipline. Ananias and Sapphira experienced early deaths as well (Acts 5:1-10), and John warned the believers in Ephesus of the same thing when he said this in 1 John 5:16-17:

If anyone sees his fellow Christian committing a sin not resulting in death, he should ask, and God will grant life to the person who commits a sin not resulting in death. There is a sin resulting in death. I do not say that he should ask about that. All unrighteousness is sin, but there is sin not resulting in death.

(2) In addition, since James is writing to some who professed Christ but weren’t truly saved (cf. James 2:17-19, faith without works is dead), he also might be saying that continually practicing unrepentant sin might prove that they are not saved—which ultimately results in eternal death. Eternal death is separation of the body and soul from God’s favor eternally (cf. Jam 5:19-20). Since James continually used the Sermon on the Mount as a template for the book, unsurprisingly, Christ taught the same thing as well. In Matthew 7:22-23, Christ said:

On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers!’

These professing believers who continually practiced unrepentant sin while professing to know the Lord were ultimately separated from God’s favor eternally. In 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Paul also warned believers that the continual practice of unrepentant sin might prove false faith:

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! The sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, passive homosexual partners, practicing homosexuals, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, the verbally abusive, and swindlers will not inherit the kingdom of God.

It is not that believers are saved by their works or kept by them; it’s that a continual life of sin may prove that one had never been saved—that they never truly “knew” the Lord (Matt 7:23). Those who are born again are new creations in Christ (2 Cor 5:17), and there should be changes in their lives, including how they relate to sin. First John 1:6 says, “If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.”

(3) Finally, James might also have in mind how sinful desires commonly lead to death in the sense of murder—including suicide, homicide, abortion, and war. Cain was jealous of his brother Abel—leading Cain to murder him (Gen 4). David’s lust led him to commit adultery and then murder (2 Sam 11). Judas’ betrayal of Christ led to Christ’s crucifixion, shame for Judas, and ultimately Judas committing suicide (Matt 27:3-5). James later shares how these scattered Jewish believers were warring with and murdering one another because of their unfulfilled, evil desires (4:1-2). We must realize this when dealing with temptation. Satan desires to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10)—his ultimate goal with temptation is to lead people to death and its various forms.

Because of the grave consequences of temptation which those believers were especially prone to because of the trials they were encountering, James strongly warned them: Temptation gives birth to sin and then sin to death—either an early death, eternal death, or murder. Therefore, to not fall to temptation, one must consider the final outcome—death in its various forms—and abandon the course before it’s too late. We must soberly consider James’ warning as well.

Application Question: Why is it so important for believers to recognize that being tempted, such as having a wrong thought or inclination, is not a sin? If God will discipline believers even to the point of allowing an early death, in what ways should this affect how we counsel believers living in unrepentant sin or how the church (as a whole) responds to them?

Applications

Here are a few further applications to consider:

  1. To conquer temptation, we must discern our special areas of vulnerability. Though we all experience common temptations, for some people certain temptations are stronger based on exposure or even genetics. For instance, if I’m put in a room with cocaine, I won’t have any temptation towards it—because I’ve never experienced it. However, for a person that has, he or she might have a major battle in that area. Satan knows our special vulnerabilities and will aim to lead us into those temptations. Therefore, we must study ourselves to help conquer temptation.
  2. After knowing our special areas of vulnerability, we must devise strategies to avoid tempting situations. For a person who struggles with great insecurity, he or she needs to avoid things that feed those insecurities. Sometimes for women, that means avoiding magazines that teach that their bodies need to look a certain way or even avoiding people that continually feed those insecurities. For a person who struggles with lust, that means avoiding anything that might stir it up—movies, television, Internet sites, and even establishing extra boundaries in relationships. For the person struggling with depression, that might mean avoiding activities and thought processes that lead to discouragement and practicing ones that lift him up. For a person who struggles with temptation towards drunkenness, it might mean not drinking at all and not being around people enjoying that freedom. Often, because of our vulnerabilities, we need to take special precautions that others might not need.
  3. In addition, we should memorize specific Scriptures that help with our special vulnerabilities. Christ used specific Scriptures which corresponded to the temptations he experienced in the wilderness (Matt 4). We should do the same.
  4. Finally, we should find accountability partners—people that we trust, who will ask us hard questions and lovingly hold us accountable. In 2 Timothy 2:22, Paul told Timothy, “But keep away from youthful passions, and pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace, in company with others who call on the Lord from a pure heart.” Also, Proverbs 13:20 says, “The one who associates with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” Everybody should develop these types of relationships—being around people who are serious about the Lord and serious about our faithfulness to him. We should find them and follow the Lord together—confessing sin to one another, praying for one another (Jam 5:16), and helping each other avoid and conquer temptation. If we lack these people, we miss much of God’s grace given through his body to walk victoriously over temptation.

Application Question: What specific vulnerabilities do you struggle with? How do you protect yourself from stumbling in them? How can one find good accountability partners? Who are your accountability partners and how do you serve one another in those roles?

Conclusion

James writes to these saints experiencing various trials and encourages them on how to conquer temptation.

  1. To Conquer Temptation, We Must Resist the Urge to Blame Others
  2. To Conquer Temptation, We Must Recognize Our Depraved Nature
  3. To Conquer Temptation, We Must Recognize Its Course and Abandon It

Prayer Prompts

  • Pray for God to reveal more of his character to us and to remove any wrong views or thoughts of him we might have.
  • Pray for grace to consistently live in the Spirit (spending time in God’s Word, prayer, fellowship, and service).
  • Confess major temptations/distractions and ask for grace to conquer them.
  • Pray to be surrounded with godly people to walk with and to be blessed through them.
  • Pray these requests for others.

Copyright © 2021 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

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1 https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-4-source-force-and-course-temptation-james-113-15

2 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 342–343). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Related Topics: Christian Life

5. How to Not Be Deceived While in Trials (James 1:16-18)

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Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

James 1:16-18 (NET)

How can we protect ourselves from being deceived about God when encountering trials? Trials are inevitable, and temptations always come with them. One of those temptations is to question and doubt God’s goodness. James writes to Jewish believers who were being persecuted for their faith. It’s clear that some of these believers were already starting to question God’s character because of their difficult circumstances. Some were even accusing God of tempting them to do evil (1:13). When James said, “Don’t be deceived,” it can be literally translated, “Stop being deceived” (1:16).1

People are especially vulnerable to this deception when going through trials. This is true both because of temptations from Satan and inclinations from our depraved nature (cf. Jam 1:14). When God allowed Job to encounter trials, God’s purpose was to test Job’s faith—to reveal that it was genuine—and to make his faith stronger. Satan’s purpose through Job’s trials was to tempt him to curse God (Job 1:11). Many of us have seen or experienced this in various ways. When going through a difficult problem at church—a pastor has a moral failure or there is church conflict—people often begin to attribute these failures to God, doubting his goodness, and some even his existence. Even after Adam sinned in the garden, his first inclination, stemming from his newly formed sin nature, was to blame God. He said, “The woman YOU gave me, gave me the food, and I ate!” Our unredeemed nature commonly tries to avoid responsibility for evil—blaming everybody, including God and sin itself (often calling it a disease).

Therefore, James seeks to equip and protect these believers from being deceived into doubting and blaming God and potentially turning away from him when experiencing trials. In James 1:16-18, we learn several principles about protecting ourselves (and others) from this deception.

Big Question: According to James 1:16-18, how can believers protect themselves from the deception of doubting, accusing, or even rejecting God because of trials?

To Not Be Deceived in Trials, We Must Recognize the Nature of God’s Gifts

Don’t be deceived, my dear brothers and sisters. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:16-17

When James describes God’s gifts as “good” and “perfect,” these adjectives might simply be synonymous. In that case, the repetition is meant to emphasize that God is a “superb Giver.”2 But, “good” and “perfect” could also have different emphases. “Good” would then seem to refer to the character of the gift. God only gives things that are righteous and good and never evil. He only gives us good things like life, breath, friendship, opportunities to grow, etc. “Perfect” might then refer to how God gives us exactly what we need.3 Do we need love? He gives us family, friends, and church. Do we need discipline and patience? He puts us in situations to develop them. God’s gifts are always good in character and match perfectly what we need. Because God knows us individually, he is always giving us the unique gifts that we need for our development.

With that said, since the context of James’ comment is trials and how God uses them to mature us (1:2-4), it is clear that James even sees the trials we experience as God’s good and perfect gifts. This is important to recognize in order to keep us from getting angry at God or falling away from him when encountering difficulties. God is in control of our trials. He will never allow us to be tried beyond what we can bear (1 Cor 10:13), and he only gives what is good and perfect, so we can become more like Christ (Rom 8:28-29).

God being in control of trials and them being gifts is taught in other places in Scripture. When Paul wrote the Philippians, who were suffering persecution for the faith, he said, “For it has been granted to you not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for him” (Phil 1:29). The word “granted” was used of gifts. Both the ability to believe in Christ and suffer for Christ is a gift from God. Likewise, the author of Hebrews said this to suffering saints, “Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline?” (cf. Heb 12:7; cf. 12:4, 13:3, 10:32-36). They were to consider all suffering as discipline—something God was using to make them holy (cf. Heb 12:11).

Therefore, if we are going to protect ourselves from deception in the midst of our trials—to think God doesn’t love us or that he’s rejected us—we must have a proper view of our trials. They are gifts from God meant to help us grow. When we view them as such, like Paul considering his thorn in the flesh which God wouldn’t take away, we can rejoice in them because we know God is using them for our good (2 Cor 12:9-10; cf. Jam 1:2). These trials include ones from Satan, from evil people, ones that come from our own mistakes, natural disasters, and even random events. All of these are somehow under God’s sovereign hand and being used for our temporal and eternal good (Rom 8:28-29).

No doubt, the greatest example of this truth—how even trials are God’s good gifts—is demonstrated in the cross. The murder of God’s Son by evil men is the worst thing that ever happened in the world; however, it is also the best thing that ever happened in the world. This trial—though horrible and undeserved—was under God’s control and was ultimately good and perfect, meant to bless the world. It paid the penalty for our sins and resulted in Christ’s exaltation (Phil 2:6-11) and our salvation (John 3:16).

If we are going to be protected from a wrong view of God in our trials, we must recognize the nature of God’s gifts. He will only give us good things—nothing evil. His gifts are perfect—perfect for us and meant to help us mature.

Application Question: How can we remember that our trials are good and perfect gifts from God when they are so difficult? In what ways have certain trials turned out to be God’s special gifts in your life?

To Not Be Deceived in Trials, We Must Know God’s Character

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

James 1:17

One of the greatest protections against an accusation directed toward someone is that person having godly character. When someone gossips against a person whose life is above reproach, people are less likely to listen and will commonly give the accused the benefit of the doubt. In their mind, they would assume, most likely, there must be a misunderstanding or that it was a false accusation. Likewise, one of our greatest protections against wrong thoughts and accusations against God is knowing his true character.

In trials, Satan is quick to attack our view of God. When he tempted Eve, he told her that God knew that if she ate of the forbidden tree she would be like God. Essentially, he attacked God’s character—wanting her to believe he was holding back the best from her. Satan does the same with us, and unfortunately, our unredeemed flesh is prone to accept those lies. Therefore, to protect ourselves from being deceived about God, we must know and be convinced of God’s character.

For that reason, James tells these suffering believers several things about God in order to increase their knowledge and trust in him.

Observation Question: In James 1:17, what does James tell these believers about God’s character?

1. God is good. This is done by implication. When James says that God only gives good and perfect gifts, the implication is that God’s character is good. God is good, and therefore, he only gives good and perfect gifts to his people. James had already told these believers that it was impossible for God to tempt or be tempted (1:13). Why? It’s because God is holy and good. He won’t do anything that contradicts his holy character. When tempted to doubt God or become angry with him in trials, we must recognize that God’s character is good, and he only does what is good, including how he gives gifts.

2. God is the Creator. James calls God the “Father of the heavenly lights” (v. 17). In this, he referred back to Genesis 1 when God created the solar system including the sun, moon, and stars through his spoken word. The lights themselves were actually some of God’s good gifts to humanity. They were given to chart times and seasons. The sun in particular provides heat and light—enabling life to grow and prosper on the earth. God created light, and he also created humanity. He is our good Father. The implication is, if God created humanity and gave them good gifts like the sun so they could live, then God’s desire is to bless humanity—not hurt them. Just as he gave us light, he gives us many other good things.

3. God does not change. When James says God “does not change like shifting shadows” (v. 17), he compares God to our experience with the sun, moon, and stars. Though the sun, moon, and stars don’t change, from our earthly viewpoint, it seems like they do. For example, with the sun, we have cloudy days when we don’t see the sun at all. The movement of the clouds affects our ability to receive light. Also, the movement of the earth affects our ability to feel heat. Though the sun appears to change from our earthly perspective, in reality, it’s the same. Likewise, our relationship with God is similar. He doesn’t change. He stays the same at all times. There are times when he feels distant, but that is based on us changing—not him. Unlike the clouds, God doesn’t shift or change.

Understanding God’s unchangeableness or immutability, which is the term scholars use, is very important. This means that he was holy thousands of years ago, and he is holy now. He was merciful thousands of years ago, and he is merciful now. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:8). People are always changing which makes it difficult to truly get to know them. They like a specific meal, get sick from it one time, and now they don’t eat it anymore. People are always changing, but our God stays the same. We don’t have to worry about his character being changed by some circumstance—for instance, him becoming evil or not keeping his promises. Though there are times in Scripture that says God repented or changed his mind (cf. Gen 6:6), that doesn’t refer to his character changing. It refers to him responding to people’s change in character.

He judges when we are in unrepentant sin and, yet, forgives when we confess. These are a reflection of his immutability—he is always just and at the same time merciful. Essentially, James said to these suffering Christians, “God has not changed! He is still good. Only your circumstances have changed which is affecting your view of him! Trust what Scripture says about God because he is unchanging.”

If we are to protect ourselves from deception about God, we must know his character. We learn more about his character by studying his Word and considering his works such as creation. Jesus told the disciples to look at the lilies of the field to learn about God’s care for creation and, therefore, help them stop worrying (Matt 6:25-34). We also learn about God’s character by walking faithfully with him both in good times and bad times—developing a history with God. Then, we can look back at times of God’s faithfulness to encourage us when tempted to doubt. We can remember times he delivered us from Egypt, split the Red Sea, provided manna in the wilderness, and provided fire by night and clouds by day to guide us. As we faithfully walk with God, we develop a history with him, which can encourage us in the various seasons of life. Even when not walking faithfully with God, we’ll find that he is still faithful to his character. He will faithfully discipline us to turn us back to himself (Heb 12:6-8), and when we return, he will graciously forgive (1 John 1:9).

God is good. He is the Creator, and he is immutable—meaning he always stays the same. Understanding these realities will protect us when tempted to doubt, accuse, or turn away from God when experiencing difficult things. These difficulties are just clouds, which affect our view of God. However, God has not changed; he is still good like he’s always been.

Application Question: Why should God’s immutability (unchangeableness) encourage us, especially when in trials? What other aspects of God’s character encourage you most when going through hard times and why? Are there certain verses or stories about God and his faithfulness which commonly encourage you when going through difficulties? If so, which?

To Not Be Deceived in Trials, We Must Recognize God as Our Father

He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

James 1:18

After talking about God’s good and generous character, James provides another example of his goodness in the believers’ new birth. Salvation is the best gift one can receive from God. The implication is if God did everything to save us eternally, won’t he take care of us in the meantime, especially when encountering trials?

Observation Question: How does James describe the new birth?

1. The new birth begins with God’s decision—not people’s.

Though experientially with believers, we all came to a place in our life where we heard the gospel, repented of our sins, and chose to follow God, Scripture tells us this work began with God, even before the foundation of the earth. Ephesians 1:4-5 says,

For he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world that we may be holy and unblemished in his sight in love. He did this by predestining us to adoption as his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the pleasure of his will

Some believe that God doesn’t really choose believers; he simply looks into time and recognizes that we would eventually choose him. So he chooses us before time because he knew we would choose him. However, that really is no choice on God’s part at all, and it is inconsistent with the rest of Scripture.

Scripture teaches that even our ability to believe is a gift of God. Philippians 1:29 says, “For it has been granted to you not only to believe in Christ but also to suffer for him.” Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast.” We couldn’t choose God unless he first chose us and gave us faith.

If this were not enough, Scripture teaches something called human inability—or others call it human depravity. Romans 8:7 says, “because the outlook of the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to the law of God, nor is it able to do so.” Also, 1 Corinthians 2:14 says, “The unbeliever does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. And he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” When sin came into the world, it affected people in such a way that they reject God, cannot understand his Word, and cannot obey him. This is why God had to choose some before time. If he didn’t, nobody would choose him. In God’s justice, he judges those who willingly choose to reject him, but in his mercy, he chooses a remnant and gives them grace to believe. Therefore, no one can boast about their salvation (Eph 2:8-9)—it was all a work of God, a gift of his grace to evil people.

This is a mystery, but Scripture teaches it. Humanity left on their own will always reject God. That’s how sin affected their nature. For example, the lion will always choose meat over salad—it’s his nature. That’s how our sin nature is—it will always reject God, apart from grace. Therefore, to save some, God had to elect them, give them faith at some point in time, and then give them a new nature which could understand God’s Word, obey it, and faithfully follow him.

With that said, again this is a mystery. Though God chose some before time—Scripture says the gospel is open to all, and all are urged to receive it. It teaches people will not be saved if believers don’t pray for them and share the gospel (cf. Ez 22:30, 1 Tim 2:1-4). The means of God saving some is through the faithful work of believers. Romans 10:14 says, “…And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them?”

And when unbelievers repent and believe, they later learn the mystery that they were elected before time, and that their ability to repent and believe was a gift of grace. The gospel call and election are often described as one door: In the front, it says, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” However, when walking through the door and looking back, it says, “Elect! Chosen before time!” It is truly a mystery! Though this mystery is controversial in the contemporary church—often causing debate and conflict—for the early church, it was their great boast. They called each other elect (cf. 1 Pet 1:2, 2 John 1:1) and worshiped God for his wisdom and mercy in election (Rom 11:33-36; cf. Matt 11:25-30 where Christ worships God for election).

2. The new birth happens through the gospel.

“The word of truth” is used generally to refer to all of the Bible; however, in this text, it refers specifically to the gospel. Ephesians 1:13 uses the phrase in the same way: “And when you heard the word of truth (the gospel of your salvation)—when you believed in Christ—you were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit.” The way God saves someone starts before time with election. Then, there is a moment in time when they hear the gospel—that they were separated from God and under judgment because of their sins, that Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for their sins and rose from the dead, and that they must believe in Christ’s work and follow him. Then, by God’s grace, they believe and are saved. At that moment, they are born again—God gives them a new nature and the Holy Spirit. They find that they have new desires—a desire to worship God, pray, read God’s Word, obey God, go to church, share their faith with others, and the like. They become new creations in Christ (2 Cor 5:17).

With that said, there are different views on when exactly the new birth begins: Some believe that it precedes faith. (This is probably the most common Reformed view.) In the new birth, God takes somebody who is dead in their trespasses and sins, gives them new life so they can believe and be saved (cf. Eph 2:1-6). Others believe that the new birth succeeds faith—happens after it. The ability to believe is still a gift from God (cf. Eph 2:8-9, Phil 1:29) since people do not have the ability to believe apart from grace. However, the new birth is the imparting of the new nature after belief, instead of it being given so one can believe. There are good arguments on both sides. Crucial to deciding is considering how Jesus talks about the new birth to Nicodemus in John 3:1-8. There, he talks about the need to be born again to enter the kingdom of God. He compares this experience to the wind. We can’t see the act of someone being born again, but we can see the effects, even as we can tell when the wind is moving something. Since Nicodemus asks Christ, “How can these things be?” when trying to understand what being born again meant and then Christ responds with the need for people to believe in Christ to have eternal life (3:9, 15-16), it seems that the actual act of being born again happens after God imparts faith to believe the gospel. Also, John 1:12 says, “But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God’s children.” Again, it seems that becoming children (being born again) comes after receiving Christ. With that said, the choice ultimately resides with God, which happened before time (cf. John 1:13, Jam 1:18, Eph 1:4).

But either way, James’ point is that salvation is a gift from a good God. God chose us before time, ensures that we encounter the gospel and believe, then gives us his own nature so we can serve him (2 Pet 1:4). The whole salvation process is from God. Salvation testifies to how good God really is.

3. The new birth is meant to glorify God through a redeemed remnant.

Finally, James describes God’s purpose in the new birth—that believers would be the firstfruits of all creation.

Interpretation Question: What does James mean by calling believers firstfruits?

According to the Mosaic law, when the harvest came, the firstfruits were given to God (Ex 23:19). They were to be the best and typically were indicators of the future harvest.4 (1) Likewise, believers have been chosen out of the world to be God’s possession and especially devoted to him. Believers are to be holy, continually seek to be righteous like God. Believers are to be salt and light to the world (Matt 5:13-16)—doing good works and teaching God’s Word to help the world know God. (2) In addition, believers are just a foretaste of God’s future work on the earth. Eventually, God is going to break the curse on creation (Rom 8:19-20)—no more earthquakes, typhoons, famines, droughts, or other natural disasters. There will be perfect peace in the eco-system, including among animals. God will renew the heavens and the earth and rid it of all evil (Rev 21-22)—including people who won’t repent of their sins and follow Christ. Believers are just the beginning of the great harvest to come, when God renews creation and makes it perfect.

Therefore, when believers go through trials, they should remember, “This is not it! There is more to come. One day, there will be no more trials, no more tears, and no more pain!” What God is doing in us slowly through sanctification—as he makes us into his image, which will be fully complete at Christ’s coming when he renews our bodies—is just a picture of how he will one day renew all of creation. The curse on creation will be removed and only God’s blessing will remain. This reality would have encouraged the believers who were suffering persecution, and it should encourage us as well. Our trials and temptations are only temporary—a great harvest in the world is coming, of which we are the firstfruits.

With that said, again James’ primary purpose seems to be to remind believers that God is their Father. If God chose us before time, gave us the new birth, and made us his children, won’t he as our Father provide for all our needs? Won’t he take care of us, especially in the midst of trials and difficult times? Likewise, in Romans 8:31-32, Paul said this:

What then shall we say about these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Indeed, he who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, freely give us all things?

If God gave us his best—his Son—to save us—won’t he give us everything else we need? Why worry about the future? Why doubt God’s goodness and love during trials? He proved his love 2000 years ago. Believe it. God’s gifts are good, even if they come in the form of trials, and the best is yet to come!

Application Question: Share your testimony. How did you come to a saving knowledge of God? In considering being born again, does it precede faith or succeed it? Why should God’s saving us encourage us about his providing future provisions—both on earth and throughout eternity? Do you ever get excited about eternity? If so, why? If not, why not?

Conclusion

How can we protect ourselves from being deceived about God—doubting, accusing, or even rejecting him—when encountering trials?

  1. To Not Be Deceived in Trials, We Must Recognize the Nature of God’s Gifts
  2. To Not Be Deceived in Trials, We Must Know God’s Character
  3. To Not Be Deceived in Trials, We Must Recognize God as Our Father

Prayer Prompts

  • Thank God for all his gifts—life, family, friends, church, opportunities to serve, our salvation, and even our trials.
  • Pray that God would protect us from temptations to doubt God or fall away from him during our trials.
  • Pray that God would reveal more of himself to us through his Word, creation, and others.
  • Pray that others would be saved and experience the new birth.

Copyright © 2021 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.


1 Accessed 9/29/20 from https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-5-avoiding-deception-trials-james-116-18

2 Motyer, J. A. (1985). The message of James: the tests of faith (p. 55). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.

3 Motyer, J. A. (1985). The message of James: the tests of faith (p. 56). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.

4 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 63). Chicago: Moody Press.

Related Topics: Christian Life

6. How to Grow in Spiritual Maturity (James 1:19-21)

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Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. For human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls.

James 1:19-21 (NET)

How can we grow spiritually?

In James 1:18, James described the new birth of Christians. He said, “By his sovereign plan he gave us birth through the message of truth, that we would be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.” Even before time, God planned to save us. It’s a mystery in Scripture called election (Eph 1:4). However, in time, by God’s sovereign plan, we encountered the gospel, accepted it, and it saved us. We were born into the family of God.

When a person accepts Christ, it is a wonderful thing. Scripture says the angels rejoice in heaven over one person’s conversion (Lk 15:10). However, like natural babies, spiritual babies are prone to various dangers because of a lack of wisdom and maturity. For example, with the Corinthian church, Paul said this to them:

So, brothers and sisters, I could not speak to you as spiritual people, but instead as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready. In fact, you are still not ready, for you are still influenced by the flesh. For since there is still jealousy and dissension among you, are you not influenced by the flesh and behaving like unregenerate people? For whenever someone says, “I am with Paul,” or “I am with Apollos,” are you not merely human?

1 Corinthians 3:1-4

Since the majority of the church was spiritual infants, they could not receive deep doctrine—they could only handle milk. They were in discord with one another, and they were overly exalting teachers in the church, which meant they were prone both to idolatry and spiritual deception.

Likewise, many of our churches today are full of immature believers—spiritual infants. They have a low understanding of doctrine. They are prone to fighting and discord with others (including God, cf. Jam 1:13) and are prone to idolizing people—their pastors, worship leaders, Christian recording artists, etc. Because of this undue worship, many fall away from God when their spiritual leaders sin or make a mistake. The church can never complete what God has called it to unless its members mature and grow up in Christ.

In 1 John 2:13-14, John classified the church as children, young men, and fathers. He said that the children knew God—they had a saving relationship with him. The young men were conquering the devil because the Word of God was strong in them. Finally, he said the fathers, like the children, knew God. However, this knowledge was much deeper based on experience and their knowledge of God’s Word. Also, because they were fathers, they were leading others to Christ and mentoring believers. This is the spiritual pathway God has for all of us—ultimately becoming spiritual mothers and fathers.

After James reminds these believers of their new birth, in James 1:19-21, he writes to them about how they can grow spiritually. They were experiencing trials as scattered Jewish Christian refugees. In their scattering, God was using their trials to perfect and mature them (Jam 1:2-4); however, to mature, they needed to respond well to their trials. In James 1:19-20, he gives them further instructions on how to do so. They needed to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. Then in James 1:21, he summarizes these commands by saying, “So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls.” By getting rid of evil and welcoming God’s Word, these believers could be saved. Since James is writing to believers and he previously talked about their new birth (1:18), this saving seems to refer to a present and future tense of saving (cf. Phil 2:12-13, Rom 13:11)—becoming sanctified by growing in spiritual maturity and one day being glorified at Christ’s coming, as they persevered in the faith. James was calling for them to grow.

In this study, we will consider principles about growing in spiritual maturity.

Big Question: How can believers grow in spiritual maturity according to James 1:19-21?

To Grow Spiritually, We Must Be Quick to Listen

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.

James 1:19

To be “quick to listen” has the sense of “hurry up and listen!” or “run to listen.” When you find someone who is a good listener, you will find someone who is mature or who will mature quickly, if they keep being a good listener.

Interpretation Question: In what ways should believers be quick to listen?

1. Believers should be quick to listen to God’s Word.

Since the surrounding context talks about being born again by the word of truth (v.18), being saved by the message implanted (v. 21), and being doers of God’s Word and not hearers only (v. 22), the command to be quick to listen must first be applied to our hearing of God’s Word. Unfortunately, this is why many believers are not growing. They don’t hurry up to take part in opportunities to hear the Word! They don’t hurry up to read Scripture daily, be involved in small groups and worship services, or read Christian literature! Today, we have more opportunities than past generations to study God’s Word because of the Internet, TV, radio, and modern transportation, and yet, it’s highly likely that believers are less biblically literate than past generations. To really grow spiritually, we must be zealous in taking advantage of opportunities to hear and study the Word. (1) To do this means that we must get rid of apathy. In 1 Peter 2:2, Peter actually commands believers to “crave” or “yearn” for the spiritual milk of God’s Word like an infant. Peter doesn’t command believers to read it or study it. He commands us to desire it, because when we desire it, we will read it. We’ll hurry up to hear it. This means when we find ourselves apathetic towards God’s Word, bored in the midst of the sermons, we must repent of our hard hearts. (2) Not only must we be careful of apathy, we must be careful of busyness. As in the Mary and Martha story (Lk 10:38-42), it’s very possible to be busy doing good things, including ministry, which keep us from the best thing—sitting at Jesus’ feet, hearing and studying his Word. Are you hurrying up to listen to God’s Word? Or, are you apathetic and too busy to spend time in God’s Word? Being zealous for God’s Word is crucial for spiritual growth.

2. Believers should be quick to listen to others.

(1) Not listening to others probably leads to most of our arguments and fights in society, whether that be in families, churches, work, or government. This was a problem amongst the scattered Jewish Christians, as James says they were warring and fighting with one another (4:1-2)—no doubt prompted by the stress of their persecution. In their situation, listening to others and really hearing them would be very important to have peace. Listening is difficult because we are naturally prideful and selfish. Because of this, we tend to believe that the way we view things is correct and how others view things is wrong—which leads to discord with others who likewise think they are correct. Typically, when people are fighting over something, each person is correct to some extent—they are just focusing on different angles. In the church, sometimes there is an argument over the emphasis of preaching the gospel versus social justice (caring for the poor, etc.). Both are actually important and the Christian duty. Christ preached the gospel, but he also healed the sick and fed the poor. Certainly, a person’s eternal destiny must be more important than his or her temporary needs, but both are important. In politics, sometimes there are fights over things like national security on the border—not allowing criminals or terrorists to enter the country. No one would say this is unimportant. But on the other side, most believe a country should also be hospitable (cf. Lev 19:34, Ps 146:9)—providing a place of refuge for the persecuted, oppressed, or marginalized. Both are important—protecting the country and being hospitable to those in need. In order to avoid needless discord and fighting, which lead to sin, we must learn to listen. It has often been said that God gave us two ears that always stay open and one mouth which we can close, so we could listen twice as much as we talk.

(2) Listening is not only important to avoid discord and fighting, but it’s also important to help others, especially when counseling or serving them. We need to listen to what people are saying. We need to listen to what they are not saying—often people leave out things intentionally for fear of rejection and sometimes even to deceive. We need to consider their body language. Seventy percent of communication is nonverbal, so in listening we need to watch what a person’s body is saying. We also need to prayerfully listen to the Spirit while ministering to people. God has special things he wants to speak and do in people’s lives; therefore, we must be sensitive to his leading while ministering to others. When Nehemiah was talking to the Persian king, he prayed in his heart before responding to him (Neh 2). We should be praying and listening to the Spirit when talking to others as well. Listening is very important for counseling and serving people.

(3) Being a good listener includes practicing “active listening” skills like asking follow-up questions so that we can learn more and also repeating what was said for clarification. As people understand that they are being heard, it builds trust and they are more likely to share more and listen to what we say. It’s often been said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care!”

Are we quick to listen? To grow spiritually, we must be quick to listen to God’s Word and also quick to listen to others—both of these will aid in keeping us out of sin and discord and also in serving others.

Application Question: Why is listening so important for spiritual growth? Why is listening so hard to do well? How has God helped you grow as a listener? What are some good tips for listening?

To Grow Spiritually, We Must Be Slow to Speak

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger.

James 1:19

Proverbs 10:19 says, “When words abound, transgression is inevitable, but the one who restrains his words is wise.” Also, Proverbs 13:3 says, “The one who guards his words guards his life, but whoever is talkative will come to ruin.” When we talk too much, we won’t be good listeners and therefore will be more prone to sin. For that reason, in order to grow spiritually, we must be slow to speak.

Interpretation Question: In what ways should believers be slow to speak?

1. Believers should be slow to speak when listening to God’s Word.

Again, since the context is dealing with Scripture (1:18, 21, 22), we must first apply the command to our listening to God’s Word. In the ancient context, people owned very few books because they were so expensive, and even less would have owned a Bible. Typically, people went to church or synagogue to hear the Word read and preached. However, the ancient worship context was less formal than modern worship settings. People would commonly interrupt the sermons to ask questions or contest the teaching. This is probably part of the reason Paul told the ladies at Corinth to ask their questions at home to their husbands instead of at church (1 Cor 14:34-35). Some were obviously disrupting the worship. Likewise, in small groups and informal teaching services, we should be slow to speak and instead focus on learning. Unfortunately, in informal Bible study settings, some needlessly dominate the conversations, not allowing others to talk, and also not adding much valuable content. Being slow to speak does not forbid good dialogue and conversation while in Bible study—it just means that our words should be thoughtful, strategic, and edifying to others. We should prayerfully consider our words so that they clarify God’s Word and build others up. Remember, in the multitude of words, sin is not lacking. In addition, when hearing God’s Word, we must be careful to not talk in our mind—having a running dialogue while Scripture is taught. Often in regular conversations, people do very little listening because they are thinking about what they are going to say next or some other business they need to attend to. People do the same when hearing Scripture taught. For that reason, when reading or listening to God’s Word, we must quiet our minds and focus on what God is saying so we can learn. This is crucial for our growth.

2. Believers should be slow to speak when teaching or counseling others according to God’s Word.

As mentioned, being slow to speak doesn’t mean to never speak. God wants us to ask wise questions and strategically share God’s Word with others. In James 3:1, James said that not many should seek to be teachers because they will receive a harsher judgment. Obviously, some were pridefully mishandling God’s Word—causing division and hurting people. The Word of God is powerful—both when taught correctly and when taught inaccurately. Our wrong conclusions on Scripture hurt people, and we’ll be judged for it—both by people and God. Paul said he taught God’s Word with fear and trembling (1 Cor 2:3-4). Many believers don’t have a healthy fear when speaking God’s Word. They speak pridefully, hastily, and sometimes angrily, which hurts people. The Bible is a two-edged sword, which can both hurt and heal (Heb 4:12). When a doctor does surgery, he makes sure that he is not only knowledgeable but clean and sober because performing surgery is a matter of life and death. Believers should likewise aim to be knowledgeable, morally clean, and sober in handling God’s Word. When in sin, which includes spiritual sins like pride, lust, anger, and unforgiveness, we’ll be more prone to misinterpret and abuse Scripture (cf. Jam 1:21, 1 Peter 2:1-2, 1 Tim 4:1-2). Sometimes, it’s wise to not speak or teach God’s Word until we have repented of certain sins. In addition, we should hold back from teaching on topics that we are unsure about from a biblical perspective. It’s wise, even for teachers, to say, “I don’t know. I need to study that more.” Personally, there are some topics I won’t teach publicly on because I’m still wrestling to understand the texts and doctrines. If I do teach them, I share the various views and where I’m at in my current understanding of the text or doctrine.

To grow spiritually, we must be slow to teach God’s Word. We should have a healthy fear and trembling because God’s Word is powerful, our sin affects our ability to properly understand and teach it, and because God will hold us accountable for what we teach (Jam 3:1, Matt 5:19).

3. Believers should be slow to speak in regular conversations.

We are made in God’s image, and God created the earth through his Words. Therefore, there is the power of life and death in our words (Prov 18:21)—to build and destroy. No doubt, because of this, Christ said that we will be judged for every idle word (Matt 12:36). For that reason, we must be slow to speak. We should carefully consider the potential outcomes of what we say. Will this encourage others, build them up, or discourage them? We should refrain from criticizing others. We must keep our tongues from lying and exaggeration. We must keep our tongues from boasting. We must learn to only speak edifying words. Ephesians 4:29-30 says:

You must let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but only what is beneficial for the building up of the one in need, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

When unwholesome talk comes out of our mouths, we grieve the Holy Spirit—meaning we pain the Lord and hinder his ministry in and through us. We can’t grow when speaking ungodly words, and it hinders the growth of others. Therefore, to grow we must be slow to speak.

Application Question: Why is it so important to be slow to speak? In what ways do you commonly fail in your speech? What tips have you found helpful in being slow to speak?

To Grow Spiritually, We Must Be Slow to Anger

Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters! Let every person be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger. For human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness.

James 1:19

Anger is another tremendous hindrance to spiritual growth. In Ephesians 4:26-27, Paul warned believers to not go to bed angry, lest they give Satan a foothold. Unresolved anger hinders our growth both individually and corporately, as communities and local churches. Many churches are not growing spiritually because of discord and fighting, which opens the door to the enemy.

James warns that human anger does not accomplish God’s righteousness. Again, this means that it will hinder our spiritual growth and others’. Seeds of anger sown into others typically produce destructive fruit in them. In fact, Christ taught anger was the seed of murder (Matt 5:21-22).

Interpretation Question: In what ways should believers be slow to anger?

1. Believers should be slow to anger when hearing God’s Word.

Throughout the story of the Bible, God’s people often became angry at the prophets for speaking God’s Word to them. They even killed them at times! Likewise, in the New Testament, Paul said this to the Galatians, “So then, have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?” (5:16). Since the Word is a sword, it cuts us when we read it or hear it preached. When it challenges us about some sin—illegal downloading, cheating on taxes, harboring unforgiveness, not submitting to leadership, sexual immorality, etc.—our natural response often is anger, especially when the Word comes from a preacher, member of the church, or friend. This is not just true when God speaks to us about a sinful act but also when God’s Word confronts us theologically about some wrong view we harbor. Often when topics like God’s role for women in the church or home are taught, people immediately start struggling with anger during the study. When Scripture talks about our need to submit to the governing authorities, especially when they are ungodly or oppressive, people commonly struggle with anger. They would rather criticize or rebel against the leaders. Today, when the sexual ethics of the Bible are taught—how God forbids lust, including same-sex attraction and sex outside of marriage—again, people often struggle with anger. Believers can’t grow spiritually when they are angry at God’s Word. Our job is not to judge the Word! It is to correctly interpret it and then submit to it. Instead of becoming angry at those who tell us the truth, we should honor them and encourage them because it’s a hard job (1 Tim 5:17). As mentioned, others have been killed for preaching truth. And other teachers simply skip hard truths—to protect themselves—rather than loving God and others by preaching God’s Word. Paul warned that in the last days, preachers would simply itch people’s ears—teaching feel-good topics and building up a great following—instead of preaching sound doctrine (2 Tim 4:1-4). The prophet, typically, has never been loved.

2. Believers should be slow to anger in relationships.

Again, Christ taught that anger was the seed of murder, and Paul warned that it opened the door to Satan in our lives. Even when people harm us, Scripture calls us to bless them. Romans 12:19-21 says,

Do not avenge yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. Rather, if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing this you will be heaping burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Instead of being angry, we should serve those who hurt us. Christ said that we should pray for them instead of cursing them (Matt 5:44). God is a just God. He will pursue justice for how we have been harmed—either in this life or the next. In the meantime, we should bless our enemies, and overcome evil with good.

3. Believers should be righteously angry.

In the same way, being slow to speak doesn’t mean to never speak, being slow to become angry also doesn’t mean to never be angry. There is a righteous anger we should have. Certainly, we see this in Christ. When Christ was lied about and mocked while being tried by the Sanhedrin, he said nothing (Mark 14:53-65). He was gentle like a lamb. But, when people were cheating the poor and dishonoring God’s house—the temple—he was ferocious like a lion. He pulled out a whip, flipped tables, and kicked those sinning out of God’s house (John 2). Likewise, there is a righteous anger that we should have. Sometimes, we sin by not being angry (Eph 4:26).

What’s the difference between righteous anger and sinful anger? In general, as demonstrated by Christ, sinful anger is typically selfish—concerned primarily with ourselves and our rights. But righteous anger is typically concerned with God and others. We should be like lambs when personally offended and mistreated and like lions when God or others are mistreated or offended.

Selfish anger doesn’t lead to a righteous life—it typically leads both us and others into sin. But righteous anger—which fights for others and for God’s honor—leads to righteousness. It cares about the poor, the abused, and the neglected and that burning passion stirs people up to do something about injustice. When selfishly angry, we must humble ourselves. When righteously angry, we must wisely discern how to use the anger for the benefit of others and God’s glory.

Application Question: In what ways do you struggle with anger? How is God calling you to respond to your anger and better control it? How can we discern whether our anger is sinful or righteous? How can we protect ourselves from sinning, even when righteously angry (cf. Eph 4:26-27)?

To Grow Spiritually, We Must Joyfully Receive God’s Word

So put away all filth and evil excess and humbly welcome the message implanted within you, which is able to save your souls.

James 1:21

Not only must we be quick to listen to God’s Word and not angry when hearing it, but we must also joyfully receive it. When James says to “welcome the message,” the word “welcome” has the sense of to “receive with hospitality” or to “receive favorably.”1 Therefore, like a good host, we must always receive God’s Word joyfully into our hearts. One can constantly read Scripture, hear it preached, and yet not truly receive it and allow it to change them. Certainly, that was the sin of the Pharisees. They were always reading and studying but not truly receiving what God said. They ultimately rejected Christ—who was God’s Word incarnate (John 1:1). Likewise, we must joyfully receive the truths that God teaches us when studying Scripture for our morning devotions. We must joyfully receive it when it is preached. We must joyfully receive it when we are corrected because of our sinful actions or beliefs. Proverbs 9:8 says, “… reprove a wise person and he will love you.”

Observation Question: How can we joyfully receive God’s Word?

1. We joyfully receive God’s Word by getting rid of all sin.

“Put away” in other places is used of taking off dirty clothes. In the same way, if we are going to receive God’s Word, we must get rid of the old clothes we’ve been hanging onto—ungodly actions, thoughts, entertainment, etc. In addition, “put away” is derived from a Greek word that refers to wax in the ear.2 It may have this sense in the reading. Therefore, James is calling us to get rid of sin which clogs our ears to God’s voice. In 1 Peter 2:1-2, Peter said something similar. He says, “So get rid of all evil and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. And yearn like newborn infants for pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up to salvation.” Since Peter connects getting rid of sin with yearning or craving God’s Word, it tells us that sin affects our appetite. When born again, it is very natural for a spiritual child to want to eat—just like a baby does. But practicing and enjoying sin negatively affects our spiritual appetite. Enjoying sinful entertainment, conversations, or actions affects our desire to read, study, and obey God’s Word. It’s often been said, “The Bible will make a person get rid of sin, or sin will make a person get rid of the Bible.” Sin makes us stop desiring God’s Word and enjoying it. It makes us start to disobey the Word we hear. Then, it eventually stops us from going places or doing things where we are hearing or learning about the Word. This is a common process many go through. Therefore, James essentially says get rid of sin—by being quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to being angry, and turning away from any other sinful thoughts or actions—so we can joyfully welcome God’s Word.

2. We joyfully receive God’s Word by humbly submitting to it.

The word “humbly” can also be translated “meek.” It was used of a wild horse that originally couldn’t be ridden but was eventually tamed by its owner. After taming, the owner could make the horse run, walk, speed up, slow down, and even stop. Likewise, we must submit to our Master, God, by humbly submitting to his Word. We should be quick to hear what our Master says through the Word. We shouldn’t be thinking about tomorrow’s business while listening to what it says. We shouldn’t argue with what it teaches. We should soberly and discerningly share its truths with others. We shouldn’t be angry when it confronts our sin or wrong ideologies. We should turn from sin when it convicts us. We must study the Word to “master” it, so it can “master” us. We must humbly submit to it. Psalm 25:9 (NIV) says, “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.”

Are you joyfully welcoming God’s Word in your life? This is how God saves us—changes us into his very image. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this present world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may test and approve what is the will of God—what is good and well-pleasing and perfect.” We’re transformed as we reject worldliness and sin, hear God’s Word, and humbly submit to it.

Application Question: How have you seen or experienced the statement, “The Bible will make us get rid of sin, or sin will make us get rid of the Bible?” In what ways has not turning away from sin (including sin within your entertainment and relationships) affected your spiritual appetite?

Conclusion

How can we grow in spiritual maturity? God gave us the new birth through his Word; however, it was never his intention for us to stay spiritual children. Children don’t know God’s Word. They are prone to discord, idolatry, false teaching, and even becoming angry at God. Therefore, James teaches these believers how to grow spiritually which was God’s purpose behind the trials they were experiencing (Jam 1:2-4).

  1. To Grow Spiritually, We Must Be Quick to Listen
  2. To Grow Spiritually, We Must Be Slow to Speak
  3. To Grow Spiritually, We Must Be Slow to Anger
  4. To Grow Spiritually, We Must Joyfully Receive God’s Word

Application Question: Which of the four points do you struggle with most and why? How is God calling you to grow in that area?

Prayer Prompts

  • Pray for grace over our listening (to God’s Word and others).
  • Pray for grace over our words (for them to glorify God and edify others).
  • Pray for grace over our anger (that it would build up and not destroy).
  • Pray for grace to grow in holiness and obedience.

Copyright © 2021 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.


1 Received from the Net Bible website’s Greek explanation of “welcome” in James 1:21. Accessed 10/18/19 from https://netbible.org/bible/James+1

2 Barclay, W. (2003). The Letters of James and Peter (3rd ed. fully rev. and updated, p. 65). Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press.

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7. Evidences of True Saving Faith Pt. 1 (James 1:22-25)

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But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone who gazes at his own face in a mirror. For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets what sort of person he was. But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out—he will be blessed in what he does.

James 1:22-25 (NET)

What are evidences of true saving faith?

One of James’ major themes is genuine faith. The Jewish Christians James wrote to were being scattered because of persecution, and trials tend to show what is truly in someone’s heart. Some were accusing God of evil (Jam 1:13) and beginning to follow the world (4:4); others were fighting with one another and some had even murdered (Jam 4:1-2). No doubt because of this, throughout the letter, he shines a light on what true faith looks like. He does that particularly in James 1:22-27, as he twice mentions the possibility of being deceived about one’s faith. In James 1:22, James says, “be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves.” Then he says something similar in 1:26, “If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.”

As mentioned previously, James seems to be patterning his message after Christ’s in the Sermon on the Mount. It’s virtually a practical commentary on Christ’s teachings with at least twenty-one parallel passages.1 This is also true in considering people being deceived about their faith. In Matthew 7:22-23, Jesus said,

On that day, many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, didn’t we prophesy in your name, and in your name cast out demons and do many powerful deeds?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you. Go away from me, you lawbreakers’

To these professed believers who knew the Lord and served in the church, Christ said that he never knew them. Though serving in the church, they were never truly saved. They were deceived about the reality of their faith.

Because of this reality, other New Testament authors challenge believers in local churches to test their faith. In 2 Corinthians 13:5, Paul said, “Put yourselves to the test to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize regarding yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you—unless, indeed, you fail the test!” Likewise, John wrote a whole letter with tests of true faith. In 1 John 5:13, he said, I have written these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Like Christ, and his other apostles, James challenges these scattered Jewish believers to be sure about their faith, and he gives them tests to do so. As we consider James 1:22-25 (and eventually verses 26-27), we will consider evidences of true saving faith. None of us will model these perfectly, but, if we are saved, they should be resident in our lives to some extent. And, we should continually be seeking to grow in them.

Big Question: What evidences of true saving faith can be found in James 1:22-25?

Those with True Faith Diligently Study God’s Word and Persevere in Doing So

But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves. For if someone merely listens to the message and does not live it out, he is like someone who gazes at his own face in a mirror. For he gazes at himself and then goes out and immediately forgets what sort of person he was. But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out—he will be blessed in what he does.

James 1:22-25

In describing a person who has true faith and one who is deceived, James gives an illustration of two people listening to God’s Word. Both of them are described as looking into a mirror. The Bible is a mirror because when we study it, it reveals who we are (and the character of the world around us). Hebrews 4:12 says it reveals our thoughts and attitudes. Not only does it reveal when we have wrong or right thoughts but also wrong or right actions.

Both of these individuals look into the mirror of God’s Word but not in the same way. James says the first person “gazes” at himself in the mirror (v. 23, 24). The word “gazes” has the sense of giving “careful scrutiny.”2 This wasn’t a quick glance. Ancient mirrors were made of metal. Glass mirrors weren’t made until the fourteenth-century.3 Therefore, to see one’s appearance, a person had to consider oneself at the right angle and lighting to get a fair view of oneself. The person had to look with scrutiny.

As mentioned, the second person’s look at the mirror is different than the first. In James 1:25, James said that this person “peers” at the mirror and “fixes his attention there” (v. 25). The Greek word “peers” is a stronger verb than the one used for “gazes.”4 It was used of a person bending over to look at and study something.5 It is used of John and Mary when they bent over to look into Christ’s tomb (John 20:5, 11)—trying to figure out where he was and what happened. They were studying the scene. It is used of how angels try to understand the matters of the gospel (1 Pet 1:12). Since angels have never experienced grace (unmerited favor) and know only of God’s justice in how he judged the fallen angels, they peer in trying to understand something they’ve never experienced. Not only does the second person “peer”—bending over to study God’s Word—but he also “fixes his attention there”—meaning, he continues to study it. Both the deceived believer and the true believer listen to God’s Word—they are both sitting in the crowd on Sunday. But, the true believer listens to it and studies it in a deeper way.

When rabbis, like Christ, taught in ancient times, many people listened. But there were certain people who listened in a deeper manner than the rest of the crowds, and they were disciples. They wanted to not only understand, but also to follow and teach the same words to others. A good illustration of the disciple and ancient listener might be comparing them to a student and an auditor in a college class. A student is responsible for homework, projects, and tests, but the auditor is not. Because of the students’ responsibility, there is often a deeper listening than that of an auditor.

In church every Sunday, there are students who are true disciples and also listeners, who are often deceived. The difference between them is discerned by their commitment to the Word taught. True believers are committed to Scripture; they bend over to study it deeply and they continue in it. Jesus said this to the Judeans who believed in him, if you “abide in my word, you are truly my disciples” (John 8:31 ESV). Christ was very aware that there were many listeners around him, but only those who abided in what he said were true disciples.

Likewise, Paul told Timothy, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim 2:15 KJV). And in 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, Paul described himself and his associates as stewards of God’s Word who must be found faithful. He says, “One should think about us this way—as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Now what is sought in stewards is that one be found faithful.” Similarly, David taught one of the distinguishing factors between the wicked, who won’t be able to stand in the judgment, and the righteous, who God watches over, is how the righteous “delight” in and “meditate” on God’s Word (Ps 1). Unfortunately, many professing believers don’t delight in God’s Word and therefore never really study/meditate on it. As disciples of Christ, we should delight in God’s Word, study it, and share it with others. Like believers before us, God has called us to be faithful stewards of his message (1 Cor 4:1-2).

Application Question: What are some practical ways to study God’s Word?

It has been said that we remember 10% of what we read, 20% of what we hear, 30% of what we see, 50% of what we see and hear, 70% of what we discuss, 80% of what we personally experience, and 95% of what we teach.6 Therefore, to truly study God’s Word, we must approach it in various ways to truly hide it in our hearts.

  1. We must read it.
  2. We must listen to it.
  3. We must meditate on it.
  4. We must memorize it.
  5. We must discuss it.
  6. We must teach it.

The more ways we study Scripture, the better it will be hidden in our hearts. We must study it telescopically to learn the big picture of the Bible and how things fit together (continually reading through the whole Bible). We must study the Bible microscopically—seeking to understand various passages, Bible books, and doctrines, as we meditate on and research them. Studying includes using various tools to help us better understand Scripture, including using a study Bible (which briefly introduces books of the Bible, explains passages, provides cross-references, etc.), commentaries (which explain specific passages and books in the Bible), and systematic theologies (which help us learn what the Bible teaches on various topics like Jesus, God, the Holy Spirit, salvation, etc.). God has chosen to help us grow through pastors and teachers (cf. Eph 4:10-16), and Bible study aids are written forms of their teachings.

The Necessity of Continuing in Scripture

Not only does James say true believers not only bend over to study, but they also “fix” their eyes there (v. 25)—they persevere in studying God’s Word. This is an important distinction. Certainly, there are many in the church who once diligently studied Scripture (maybe even attending seminary and pastoring) but then began to doubt its validity—its truthfulness, leading them to stop studying God’s Word and eventually even falling away from God altogether. Their problem was not that they didn’t peer into Scripture—bending over to deeply study— it’s that they didn’t fix their attention there. They didn’t persevere in it, which is part of James’ proof of true faith. Some who studied eventually became confused and asked, “Can anyone ever truly understand Scripture, and does it really matter if we understand?” This led them to slowly stop fixing their attention on Scripture—opening the door to false teaching, worldliness, and for some even apostasy. Those with true faith both peer at Scripture to deeply study it and fix their eyes there. To fix our attention means that we will continue to study it for the rest of our lives—that’s what true disciples do. Again, Christ said this in John 8:31 (ESV), “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples.”

Are you still bending over and fixing your eyes on Scripture? Are you still living in God’s Word? This is one of the factors James uses to distinguish the truly born-again believer and the one who is deceived about his faith.

Application Question: How did salvation change your relationship to God’s Word? How would you currently describe your relationship with God’s Word on a scale of 1-10 and why? What methods of studying Scripture have you found most helpful and why? How is God calling you to grow in your study of Scripture? How have you seen or experienced those who once peered into Scripture and seemingly fixed their eyes on it, but eventually fell away from it and God?

Those with True Faith Obey God’s Word

But be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves… But the one who peers into the perfect law of liberty and fixes his attention there, and does not become a forgetful listener but one who lives it out—he will be blessed in what he does.

James 1:22, 25

Not only is there a difference in how the deceived person and true believer listen to God’s Word, but the major difference is in what they do with it. In James’ illustration, the one with only a profession of faith looks into the mirror of God’s Word, sees the reflection, and walks away (v. 23-24). He is a forgetful hearer. However, the true believer studies God’s Word and obeys it (v. 22, 25).

James is not the only one to give obedience as a test of salvation. As mentioned, Christ and John did as well. In Matthew 7:21, Christ said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven—only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” Likewise, in 1 John 2:4-5, John said:

The one who says “I have come to know God” and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person. But whoever obeys his word, truly in this person the love of God has been perfected. By this we know that we are in him.

Obedience to Scripture is the ultimate proof of salvation. Being a forgetful hearer is a characteristic of the deceived.

Interpretation Question: Why does the person with only a profession forget God’s Word?

1. This person forgets God’s Word because it’s not a priority.

When James calls the person a forgetful hearer, in reality, he probably is not focusing on this person’s mental disposition. It’s probably more of a problem with the person’s priorities. It’s not that this person forgot that God forbids the practice of sexual immorality, lying, stealing, cheating, seeking vengeance, drunkenness, or using ungodly language. This person knows the truth but has other priorities—things that are more important to him. Being accepted by friends is more important, having fun, and being successful, even if that means cheating at times. There are many idols in this person’s life that keep him from obedience. Certainly, he wants God to deliver him from hell and to bless his endeavors, but this person has other things that come before God—other priorities, which make him neglect what God’s Word teaches. Again, if this person doesn’t live a life characterized by obedience to Scripture, then he is deceived.

2. This person possibly forgets God’s Word because of accepting false doctrine.

For some, not obeying God’s Word is not so much a priority problem; it’s a false doctrine problem. Because they don’t want to accept the hard teachings of Scripture, especially on sin, they adopt liberal views. Maybe, they’ll say, “Scripture can be trusted when it comes to salvation, but you can’t trust what it says about marriage, sexual ethics, gender roles, miracles, etc.” Sometimes bad behavior comes from accepting false doctrine, and sometimes false doctrine comes from accepting bad behavior. Therefore, these professing believers adopt views that contradict crucial doctrines in God’s Word. It seems that the Corinthians were trying to adopt sexual immorality, saying the body didn’t matter to God as it was temporary. Sex was like eating food—a natural tendency to be enjoyed without hindrance. In 1 Corinthians 6:13, they said, “Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both.” However, Paul rebuked them by saying, “The body is not for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.” Many in the church do the same. They twist Scripture so they can practice sin or accept others who are practicing it. This is dangerous. In John 10, Christ taught that his sheep hear his voice, and they will not follow the voice of another. Understanding and following Scripture is a proof of salvation (cf. 1 Cor 2:14, Rom 8:7, John 8:31). Therefore, turning from Scripture by twisting major doctrines—such as the need to repent of sin and practice righteousness—may be proof that one is not truly part of God’s sheepfold. They are forgetful hearers because they reject what Scripture teaches—again potentially proving they are not truly born again.

3. This person probably forgets God’s Word because of lack of study.

The secret to learning (which is necessary for obeying) is study, including repetition. Since this person doesn’t prioritize God’s Word, as mentioned, he doesn’t study it deeply. If people only hear a message on Sunday and don’t revisit its truth, they will forget it and ultimately not obey it. Likewise, if people simply read Scripture and don’t meditate on it, most of what was learned will be forgotten. Unfortunately, many in the church simply listen on Sunday (and potentially read occasionally throughout the week) without any intention to study. Therefore, the message is lost and not obeyed. This goes back to the first point about true faith. There is a difference in the diligence of the true believer and the one who is deceived. This is a reminder to be serious about God’s Word and to study it. Repetition is crucial for learning and therefore obedience. Otherwise, we will simply forget what God taught us.

The one deceived about his faith is a forgetful hearer—probably for many reasons. They don’t prioritize it; they may have accepted some false doctrine, which leads them to disregard Scriptures’ teachings; or again, they just don’t study, and therefore forget.

On the other hand, true believers hear God’s Word and submit to it—they don’t try to change it to fit their preferences or fit the culture, and they don’t dismiss it for other priorities. When Christ spoke to those considering becoming his disciples, he said they must hate their father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, and even their own life to be his disciple (Lk 14:25-33). For true believers, God and obedience to him are the priority. This doesn’t mean that idols don’t at times creep into their lives, that they don’t fall into sin, or at times fall into false doctrine. They do. But, like Peter, after their stumble, they eventually come back to God. The righteous fall seven times and get back up (Prov 24:16). Judas, on the other hand, was deceived about his faith. He listened, taught, and served, but he didn’t obey. He lived a lifestyle of unrepentant sin—stealing people’s money and eventually denying Christ altogether. Christ said he was never saved—he was a devil (John 6:70, cf. John 13:10). He listened to God’s Word and knew it better than most, but it never changed him. He was a forgetful hearer and was deceived.

While the one with only a profession of faith forgets, the true believer obeys God’s Word, which James calls the “perfect law of liberty” (v. 25).

Interpretation Question: What does the title “perfect law of liberty” say about God’s Word?

  1. In being “perfect,” Scripture is without error. It is inerrant in what it teaches about history, science, and faith. Therefore, it is trustworthy. In Psalm 19:7-9, David said God’s Word was perfect, reliable, fair, pure, right, and absolutely just. We can trust what it says about how to be saved, ethics, parenting, conflict resolution, work, leadership, sexuality, etc. It is absolutely perfect and trustworthy.
  2. In being God’s “law,” Scripture teaches God’s moral requirements. Yes, it is full of doctrine—teaching. But it also clearly tells us what we should and should not do. Over half of James is imperatives, commands, where God is challenging us on right living.7
  3. Finally, as the law of “liberty,” Scripture gives us freedom. Christ said he who sins is a slave of sin (John 8:34) and also that the truth shall set us free (John 8:32). Though sin feels like freedom, it is really bondage. It keeps us away from right relationships with God, others, and ourselves. It keeps us away from fulfilling God’s call on our lives. However, God’s Word, as we obey it, sets us free from sin. It helps us have right relationships with God and others. It sets us free to be all God has called us to be and to do all God has called us to do. Our ability to complete our God-given callings is connected to God’s Word. His Word truly gives us freedom.

In addition, James says that a person who looks into the perfect law of liberty and obeys it will be “blessed in what he does” (1:25).

Interpretation Question: In what ways does obedience to God’s Word lead to blessing?

Other than receiving “freedom,” there are many other blessings:

1. God blesses the obedient by giving them more understanding of God’s Word.

In Mark 4:24-25, Christ said this to the disciples about their hearing and obeying of God’s Word:

And he said to them, “Take care about what you hear. The measure you use will be the measure you receive, and more will be added to you. For whoever has will be given more, but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.”

If we hear God’s Word and faithfully obey it, God will give us more. He will unlock further truths for us. However, if we hear and don’t obey, even what we have will be taken away. To be taken away, means we will continually forget what we’ve learned (Heb 5:11-12 NIV) and eventually our hearts will become hardened towards God’s Word as we continue to disobey it. We will start to lose the ability to understand and obey it. That’s how Christ described Israel in Matthew 13:14-15. He said:

‘You will listen carefully yet will never understand, you will look closely yet will never comprehend. For the heart of this people has become dull; they are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes, so that they would not see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’

Since they continually heard God’s Word, but did not obey, their hearts became “dull,” as prophesied by Isaiah (Matt 13:15). They would continually “listen” but never “understand” or “comprehend” the truth (Matt 13:14). In fact, Christ’s giving the Israelites parables, instead of clear teaching, was part of this taking away. The context of the passage is Christ answering his disciples’ question about why he was speaking in parables (Matt 13:10-13). After Israel and the Pharisees rejected Christ—declaring that he worked miracles by the power of Satan, blaspheming the Holy Spirit (Matt 12:22-45)—he began to give them stories, which at times weren’t even explained, instead of clear teaching. One has to wonder if that is what has happened to the modern-day church. Clear exposition of Scripture is very rare. Most sermons are a text, unexplained, with a bunch of stories linked to it, and some light, moral encouragement. No doubt, the contemporary church is experiencing a taking away and a hardening of the heart, as they continue to reject God’s Word.

For those who hear and disobey God’s Word, it hardens their hearts—making them more vulnerable to false teaching, sin, and fully turning away from God. But for others who obey, God blesses them by giving them even greater understanding of his Word.

2. God blesses the obedient with favor over various areas of their life.

God said this to Joshua when he was called to be the military leader of Israel, “This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful” (Josh 1:8). Joshua’s success as a military general was tied to his faithfulness to God’s Word. This is also true for us. No doubt, there are both failures and successes in the places God has called us to—marriage, parenting, the workplace, school, and ministry—that are often attached to what we are doing with God’s Word. Diligent study and obedience lead to blessing, while lack of study and disobedience lead to failure. During Joshua’s leadership of Israel, when Achan and his family disobeyed God, it affected the whole nation—leading to the nation being defeated by a small army (Josh 7).

If God’s words to Joshua were not enough, David taught the same thing in Psalm 1:2-3. For those who “delight” in and “meditate” on God’s Word, God makes them like trees—referring to how they will be a blessing to others, instead of living selfish lives. They will bear fruit in season—love, patience, mercy, and wisdom, among other graces, when needed. Their leaves will not wither—representing their endurance in the hard seasons of life. Everything they do will prosper. It’s an amazing promise to those who abide in (and obey) God’s Word.

Since the promises are so good and the consequences so bad, we must ask ourselves, “Are we studying and obeying God’s Word or just listening?” Study of and obedience to God’s Word are proofs of true faith, and they are pathways to blessing. Not studying God’s Word and not obeying it, lead to deception and a hardened heart.

Application Question: Of the three reasons listed for becoming forgetful hearers, which one stood out most to you and why? How have you experienced God’s blessing when faithfully studying and obeying God’s Word—including fruits of the Spirit, favor over certain situations, and more understanding? How have you seen or experienced a hardening of the heart for a lack of obedience to God’s Word?

Conclusion

Christ, at the end of his Sermon on the Mount, gave the same challenge as James. After sharing how some would be deceived about their faith in following him (Matt 7:21-23), he described the deceived and the true follower by way of illustration. Instead of two people looking in a mirror, Christ described them as two different types of builders who were listening to his words (Matt 7:24-27). Some would simply listen and not obey—building their house on the sand. Others would hear, diligently consider those words as a roadmap for building, and follow the instructions—building their house on the rock. When the storms of life and ultimately God’s judgment came, only the house built on the rock would stand, while the house on the sand would be destroyed. Those who build their house on God’s Word are truly born again. Those who simply listen are deceived about their faith.

In referring to how we listen to his words, Christ would ask, “What are you building the house of your life on?” Likewise, James would question, “What are you doing with what you see in the mirror?” Our answers tell us something about the authenticity of our faith.

  1. Those with True Faith Diligently Study God’s Word and Persevere in Doing So
  2. Those with True Faith Obey God’s Word

Prayer Prompts

  • Pray for grace to diligently study God’s Word and for God to reveal wonderful things from his law.
  • Pray for grace to persevere in studying God’s Word, even when busy or tempted not to.
  • Pray for grace to grow in obedience to God’s Word and to turn away from sin.
  • Pray for God to bless his people in all areas of life—work, marriage, relationships, serving, etc.

Copyright © 2021 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

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1 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 2). Chicago: Moody Press.

2 Guzik, D. (2013). James (Jas 1:22–25). Santa Barbara, CA: David Guzik.

3 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 84). Chicago: Moody Press.

4 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 85). Chicago: Moody Press.

5 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 85). Chicago: Moody Press.

6 Accessed 11/10/2019 from http://www.uh.edu/~dsocs3/wisdom/wisdom/we_remember.pdf

7 Richardson, K. A. (1997). James (Vol. 36, p. 24). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Related Topics: Christian Life

8. Evidences of True Saving Faith Pt. 2 (James 1:26-27)

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If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile. Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

James 1:26-27 (NET)

What are evidences of true saving faith?

As mentioned previously, one of James’ major themes is genuine faith. The Jewish Christians James wrote to were being scattered because of persecution, and trials tend to show what is truly in someone’s heart. Some were accusing God of evil (Jam 1:13) and beginning to follow the world (4:4); others were fighting with one another and some had even murdered (Jam 4:1-2). No doubt, because of this, throughout the letter, he shines a light on what true faith looks like. He does that particularly in James 1:22-27, as he twice mentions the possibility of being deceived about one’s faith. In James 1:22, James says, “be sure you live out the message and do not merely listen to it and so deceive yourselves.” Then, he says something similar in 1:26, “If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.”

In James 1:22-25, James described the reality of the church by way of illustration. He describes God’s Word as a mirror, which reveals aspects about ourselves. Two people look into the mirror of God’s Word; one studies himself in the mirror and simply walks away (v. 23-24). He is a forgetful hearer. And one studies himself more deeply and makes changes accordingly. This person is blessed by God. In James’ mirror illustration, the two hearers differed both in how they studied Scripture and their responses to it. The one who was truly born again “peers” into Scripture (v. 25), which is a stronger verb than “gazes” in the Greek (v. 23)—meaning to bend over and study something intently. He also “fixes his attention” on the mirror—he not only studied God’s Word but continued to study it. He also “lives it out,” obeying what God’s Word says (Jam 1:25). If we only listen to God’s Word and don’t study and obey it, we are deceived about our faith (v. 22). Unfortunately, there are many in the church that only listen to Scripture, and therefore are deceived.

James is following Christ’s teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 7:21-23, Christ described how many who called Christ Lord and even served in the church were not truly born again. Christ would declare to them in the last days, “Depart from me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you” (paraphrase). Likewise, in the Parable of the Weeds (Matt 13:36-43), Christ taught that the kingdom was full of weeds—planted by Satan—and wheat—planted by God. In this season of the kingdom, the church is full of true and false believers. Therefore, we must examine whether our faith is truly real (2 Cor 13:5).

Not only are tests given in James 1:22-25, but also in 1:26-27. In this study, we will consider three more evidences of true saving faith shared by James.

Big Question: What evidences of true saving faith can be found in James 1:26-27?

Those with True Faith Restrain Their Tongues

If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile.

James 1:26

In James 1:26, James challenges people who consider themselves “religious.” The Greek word for “religious” focuses on outward displays of religion1 such as Christian rituals like reading the Bible, praying, going to church, etc. It is possible to be like the Pharisees and have only outward displays of religion and yet not have any inward changes, which prove one’s new birth. James says that though one might attend church and small group, vote for the “right political party,” and use religious jargon like “evangelical” and “pro-life,” his faith might only be outward and not inward.

How can one discern the validity of their faith? The tongue is a tremendous litmus test for true salvation as it always reveals what’s in our hearts. In Matthew 15:18, Christ said: “But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart…” Likewise, James said, “If someone thinks he is religious yet does not bridle his tongue, and so deceives his heart, his religion is futile” (1:26).

When James uses the term “bridle” or “tight rein” (NIV), it pictures our tongues as powerful horses. Horses in the ancient world were used primarily for transportation and work. They were very useful and expensive. However, they were only useful if they were trained; otherwise, wild horses were dangerous. Likewise, our tongues can do tremendous evil if not controlled. In fact, our natural nature leads our tongues toward evil. Apart from God’s redeeming grace in salvation, our hearts are prone toward pride—leading our tongues to boast in ourselves, our race, or nation. Our hearts are prone toward anger—leading us to criticize those who don’t hold to the standards we expect or look the way we would like them to look. However, when we are born again and experience a heart change, our tongues, though not perfect, should demonstrate God’s grace over them. Our words should be more prone to give mercy instead of criticism, love instead of anger, edification instead of criticism, worship instead of idolatry. True salvation is demonstrated in this growing ability to control our tongues and use them for good, which is a reflection of a redeemed heart.

Proverbs 17:27 says, “The truly wise person restrains his words....” Being “wise” in the Old Testament does not refer to a person’s intellectual condition but to his spiritual condition. The wise fear and obey God, while the fool dishonors and disobeys God. Psalm 14:1 says, “Fools say to themselves, ‘There is no God.’ They sin and commit evil deeds; none of them does what is right.” In addition, Christ said the same thing to the Pharisees who were attacking him. Their evil words proved that their hearts were evil and that they were not truly born again. In Matthew 12:23-27, Christ said,

Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit. Offspring of vipers! How are you able to say anything good, since you are evil? For the mouth speaks from what fills the heart. The good person brings good things out of his good treasury, and the evil person brings evil things out of his evil treasury. I tell you that on the day of judgment, people will give an account for every worthless word they speak. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.

In the last days, each of us will be judged by our words. They will prove whether we are good or evil—born again or unregenerate. The regenerate restrain their words and aim to use them in a way to glorify God and build others up; while the unregenerate tend to build themselves up by their words and bring God and others down. James will revisit this topic in Chapter 3 as he argues that fresh water and saltwater can’t come from the same spring (v. 11-12). Words reflect the reality of our hearts and therefore our faith.

What do our words say about our faith? Are our words constantly filled with sexual innuendo, pride, greed, anger, or even racism? Or are they filled with worship, gentleness, love, and mercy?

Since James is describing those who think they are “religious,” he may have some specific types of evil language in mind. The religious often restrain their language to some extent—they are typically not known for cursing and swearing. They are not known for drunkenness, partying, or stealing. They tend to control some of the baser sins but fail at controlling inward sins like pride, anger, and lust. Only being born again can do that. Since the religious often control the baser sins and practice outward religion, they are extremely prone to pride, which comes out in how they use their tongues. They are prone to boasting in themselves and their religious performance. Like the Pharisees, they boast in their tithing, their religious position in the church, and their good works. But also, the religious struggle with judgmentalism (cf. the Pharisee and the tax collector, Lk 18:9-14). They criticize and mock others as a way to lift themselves up. The pharisaical spirit tends to tear down those who fail in the church and often aims its criticism at the leadership; they even tend to think they can lead better! Criticism, gossip, and judgmentalism are common to the outwardly religious—revealing the evil that is really in their hearts. We should beware if this marks our tongues because it reveals a serious heart problem.

What do our words say about our heart?

Application Question: Why are the outwardly religious so prone to boasting about themselves and criticizing and gossiping about others? How have you seen or experienced this? What aspects of speech do you struggle with most? How is God calling you to better control your tongue to edify both yourself and others?

Those with True Faith Serve Others (Especially the Needy)

Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

James 1:27

Orphans and widows were the neediest people in the ancient world. There were no welfare or insurance programs, and jobs for them were scarce. Since families took care of one another, to not have a family left a person vulnerable to poverty, abuse, and even trafficking. In a world where strength was admired and weakness despised, these people were shunned and neglected. However, since the Bible teaches that God made every person in his image (Gen 1:27) and that each person has great dignity, Christians were known for ministering to the outcasts of society. In fact, Christ taught when throwing a party, we should invite the poor and despised instead of the rich and popular because the poor cannot pay us back. If we do this, we’ll be rewarded in the coming kingdom (Lk 14:13-14). For these reasons, historically, Christians have shown great interest in the poor—both in ancient and modern times. Today, in many societies where Christianity has flourished, a good number of the hospitals, schools, orphanages, and shelters were founded by Christians and still bear Christian names.

Likewise, James said when Christians cared for the needy, it was actually a proof that they were born again—that God had changed their lives. In Scripture, God is called the father of the orphan and the defender of the widow (Ps 68:5-6), as he provides special care for them; therefore, those who have his nature inside of them will commonly do the same. For James, true faith was not just outward rituals like attending church, reading the Bible, and prayer; it included loving other people. Jesus taught the greatest commandments are loving God and others (Matt 22:37-40). Therefore, when born again, aspects of both of these should be present in our lives. In fact, as we grow in Christ, the more we should love God and others. This becomes demonstrated through service, especially in serving the vulnerable.

When James said to “care” or to “visit” (ESV) orphans and widows (Jam 1:27), this referred to more than just stopping by to say hello. The Greek word comes from the same root as “overseer” or “bishop”—one of the titles for pastors of a church.2 This means, as a form of love, we must care for the hurting in whatever ways are needed—financial, emotional, social, and spiritual. In fact, the word “misfortune” or “distress” used of these needy people literally means “pressure.”3 There are financial, emotional, relational, and social pressures, among other things, that we must attend to when caring for these people. Because of these factors, this ministry is often hard and discouraging. When caring for people who are hurting, there is a sense in which we are taking on their burdens—bearing some of their pain to provide relief for them (cf. Gal 6:2). This is a Christian duty and a proof of true salvation.

Christ taught the same thing in the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats (Matt 25:31-46). In the parable, which describes the end times, Christ calls for the sheep to enter his kingdom because they had visited him in prison, clothed him when he was naked, and fed him when he was hungry. The sheep declared, “Lord, when did we do such things?” Christ replied, “When you did this to the least of these, you did it to me” (paraphrase). Their caring for those under distress and pressure was proof that they were born again. They weren’t saved by doing good works, but their good works proved their faith. Likewise, Christ said to the goats, who also called him “Lord,” to depart from him because they didn’t care for and serve the least among them (Matt 22:44).

In 1 John 3:17, John essentially said the same thing, “But whoever has the world’s possessions and sees his fellow Christian in need and shuts off his compassion against him, how can the love of God reside in such a person?” John said caring for those in need proves that we have experienced God’s love—which represents his saving grace.

True faith serves those who are in need. If we are harsh, stingy, and uncaring, especially to those who are hurting, maybe God’s love has never entered us and changed us. Faith that is pure and undefiled, that God accepts, serves others.

Application Question: How should believers practically provide for those in need?

Pastor Bruce Goettsche, from Union Church in Illinois, gives great practical suggestions on how to care for others in his sermon on this passage. Believers can:

  1. give someone a ride to the doctor, court, work, etc.
  2. help someone with repairs they can’t afford or do themselves
  3. provide food for someone in need
  4. take the time to listen to someone who most people ignore
  5. stop to help a stranded motorist
  6. provide a job to someone in need
  7. tutor a child (or adult) who needs help
  8. stand up for someone who’s being gossiped about or bullied
  9. adopt a child who doesn’t have parents.4

Paradoxically, Scripture teaches that our God is a servant. Christ washed the feet of his disciples (John 13). He died for those who had no way to save themselves. As orphans, God adopted us into his family (Rom 8:15-16). In the coming kingdom, Luke 12:37 says Christ will put on the dress of a servant and serve those who have faithfully served him. It’s a phenomenal concept. Our God is a servant. Therefore, as believers grow to be more like God, they will naturally serve others, especially the needy. It’s a proof that they are children of God. Who is God calling us to serve in this season?

Application Question: Why is serving those in distress so difficult? Share an experience in doing this type of ministry. How is God calling you to grow in your service of others? Who would be the modern-day widows and orphans—representing the neediest of us all—in our society?

Those with True Faith Practice Holiness

Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

James 1:27

James says religion that is pure and undefiled “keeps oneself unstained by the world” (v. 27). The Greek word “keep” is in the present tense and indicates a regular and continuous action.5 This means true believers will be known by fighting sin and aiming to be holy. This doesn’t mean they won’t stumble and fall. They will do this often. However, when they do, they will get back up and fight to be holy again. Proverbs 24:16 says the righteous fall down seven times and get back up.

John said it this way:

No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

1 John 3:9-10 (ESV)

True faith changes a person’s relationship to sin. They cannot enjoy it as they used to. When they fall, they are convicted by the Holy Spirit and challenged to turn back to God (cf. 2 Cor 7:10). A lifestyle of living in sin and being unrepentant might prove one has never been born again (Eph 5:3-6). This is the problem with the self-deceived who will approach Christ in the last days as described at the end of the Sermon on the Mount. Christ will say to them, “Depart from me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you” (Matt 7:23 paraphrase).

If our profession of faith has not changed our relationship with sin, our profession of faith probably has not changed our eternal destiny. The continual practice of those who truly know God is keeping themselves untainted from the world—not adopting the sinful worldviews of the culture, not enjoying the sinful entertainment, not celebrating the culture’s rebellion from God’s Word.

Again, John said, “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15). Our relationship to the world and its sinful culture will prove whether we have truly experienced God’s love or not. James will later say to be friends with the world is to be an enemy of God (James 4:4). There is no in-between. We must ask ourselves, “Are we loving and adopting the world and its antigod culture? Or are we, as a lifestyle, keeping ourselves unstained from the world?”

Certainly, believers will fall and make mistakes. James and John are talking about lifestyles—the patterns of true believers. Before Christ, we thought like the world, talked like the world, and lived like the world. Even our righteousness was filled with wrong motives to be seen by others or even to achieve merit with God. However, when born again, our pattern and pathway changed. We started to live for God. Along this path, we will repeatedly stumble but the pathway and direction are the same. We ultimately want to live for God and aim to do so. As we grow, we never stop stumbling but our stumbling becomes less as we grow in holiness. James is challenging these believers to consider their pathway and patterns. Were they keeping themselves untainted by the world, which is the pattern of true believers? We must ask ourselves the same.

Application Question: Why is a change in our relationship to sin an important evidence of true salvation? How is God calling for you to grow in holiness?

Conclusion

What are evidences of true saving faith as described in James 1:22-27?

  1. Those with True Faith Diligently Study God’s Word
  2. Those with True Faith Obey God’s Word
  3. Those with True Faith Restrain Their Tongues
  4. Those with True Faith Serve Others (Especially the Needy)
  5. Those with True Faith Practice Holiness

Prayer Prompts

  • Pray for forgiveness for our sins—not using our words to edify God and others, not serving the least of these, and not separating from the ungodly world culture.
  • Pray for grace to use our words to worship God and edify others.
  • Pray for the needy among us that God would provide for them and meet their needs and for opportunities to participate in ministering to them.
  • Pray for God’s church to grow in holiness and to not adopt the patterns, practices, and views of the world.
  • Pray for any in the church who are not truly saved to be convicted, truly repent, and be born again by God’s grace.

Copyright © 2021 Gregory Brown

Unless otherwise noted, the primary Scriptures used are taken from the NET Bible ® copyright © 1996-2016 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. All rights reserved.

Holy Bible, New International Version ®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (ESV) are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked (NASB) are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, and 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.

All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added.

BTG Publishing all rights reserved.


1 Barclay, W. (2003). The Letters of James and Peter (3rd ed. fully rev. and updated, p. 70). Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press.

2 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 89). Chicago: Moody Press.

3 Hughes, R. K. (1991). James: faith that works (pp. 82–83). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

4 Accessed 10/30/2019, from http://www.unionchurch.com/teaching-resources/sermon-archive/worthwhile-religion/

5 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 91). Chicago: Moody Press.

Related Topics: Christian Life

9. Why Prejudice Is Incompatible with the Christian Faith Pt 1 (James 2:1-7)

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My brothers and sisters, do not show prejudice if you possess faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ. For if someone comes into your assembly wearing a gold ring and fine clothing, and a poor person enters in filthy clothes, do you pay attention to the one who is finely dressed and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and to the poor person, “You stand over there,” or “Sit on the floor”? If so, have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil motives? Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him? But you have dishonored the poor! Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme the good name of the one you belong to?

James 2:1-7 (NET)

Why should believers not practice prejudice?

James is writing to Jewish believers who are scattered throughout the ancient world because of persecution. It seems that during this persecution these believers were being tempted to live worldly lives (Jam 4:4) and to accuse God of evil (Jam 1:13). In this letter, James challenges them by giving them tests of true faith. Later in Chapter 2, he will say that faith without works is dead (v. 17). Being a follower of Christ should change the way we live in various ways. If our faith is just a profession but does not change our hearts and the way we live, our faith is not genuine.

In James 2:1-7, he challenges these believers about showing partiality to the rich and prejudice to the poor, which for James is incompatible with true faith. He gives an illustration about a rich man and a poor man entering one of their services. In response, the rich man is honored by being offered a preferred seat while the poor man is dishonored. He is told to stand or sit on the floor. James said showing partiality and prejudice is to harbor evil motives (2:4).

Partiality and prejudice were common throughout the ancient world. People were labeled based on their status in society. Women and children, in general, did not have a high status. In the work force, working with one’s hands was looked down upon and left to the poor and slaves. Marriages were often arranged based on status. It would have been dishonorable to marry someone from a low standing.

Though James focuses on prejudice between the rich and poor—his challenge applies to all prejudice including racism, classism, chauvinism, etc. Unfortunately, the early church commonly struggled with forms of racism and classism. In fact, the role of the deacons came about primarily because the Greek speaking Jewish widows were being neglected in favor of the Hebrew speaking widows in Acts 6. A Jew that did not speak Hebrew was looked down upon as lesser—like he or she wasn’t a true Jew. In addition, God judged the Corinthians not only because they mistook the Lord’s Supper but because, in doing so, they were dishonoring the poor—leaving them without food (1 Cor 11:22).

Sadly, prejudice has been continually found in the church since ancient times. Similar to James’ illustration, Gandhi, the famous Indian leader, once considered becoming a Christian. After studying Jesus’ teachings, he felt that Christianity held the answer to fixing India’s caste system. Being convinced of this, he tried to attend a local church. When he entered the church, which was filled with white people, he was told to attend church with his own people. He left and never went back. He said to himself, “If Christians have caste differences also, I might as well remain a Hindu.”1 No doubt, many have experienced this in the modern church today. It’s commonly been said that the most divided hour in the world is on Sunday when people huddle together in churches of the same ethnic and cultural background—often showing that culture rules over faith.

This is exactly what James is rallying against. True faith should change how believers view and treat people of different backgrounds than their own. God has made the church a body, which includes Jews and Gentiles—people from different backgrounds. Having different backgrounds makes us more prone to discord, but it is also a tremendous opportunity to grow in love. In fact, Christ taught that by demonstrating our love to one another, people will know that we are his disciples (John 13:35). James essentially makes the same argument except by focusing on the negative. True believers should not demonstrate prejudice to others. In this study, we will consider reasons why believers should not practice prejudice.

Big Question: Why should believers not practice prejudice according to James 2:1-7?

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Is an Ungodly, Worldly Practice

Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to care for orphans and widows in their misfortune and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

James 1:27

James’ challenge to not practice prejudice should be considered in the context of the previous verse. In James 1:27, he describes religion that God accepts as “pure and undefiled”; it cares for the needy in society and keeps itself “unstained by the world.” When James talks about the world, he is talking about a system of values and practices that are antigod—against a biblical worldview. In James 4:4, he says friendship with the world is enmity with God. Likewise, John teaches that loving and embracing the evil world system is a proof of not having genuine faith. In 1 John 2:15-17, he says,

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him, because all that is in the world (the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the arrogance produced by material possessions) is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away with all its desires, but the person who does the will of God remains forever.

He says the person who loves the world does not have the love of God in him. He also describes an aspect of worldliness as the “arrogance produced by material possessions” (v. 16). This “arrogance” produced by wealth often leads to classism and prejudice. This evil world system will pass away but the person who does God’s will remains forever (v. 17).

Again, following Christ means to go in a different direction from the world. If a person professes Christ and as a pattern lives just like the world including its racism, classism, sexism, etc., this person may not have true faith. Only those who do God’s will have eternal life.

Therefore, if we dislike people of other races and look down upon them, if we exalt the rich and dishonor the poor, if we mock those with developmental needs or other physical ailments, etc., we must question if our faith is real. Are we living for the world or living for God? When reading in context, James clearly is alluding to religion that God “accepts” (1:27 NIV), which keeps itself unstained from the world and cares for the poor—needy widows and orphans.

Are we keeping the worldly stains of prejudice off our clothing?

Application Question: In what ways is prejudice a normal pattern of the world? In what ways has prejudice slipped into the church, among Christians? How have you struggled with it when considering people different from you? How should believers break patterns of partiality/prejudice?

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because Our Glorious Lord Was Likewise Misjudged

My brothers and sisters, do not show prejudice if you possess faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ.

James 2:1

In calling Jesus Christ “our glorious Lord,” James declared that Jesus was God. In the Old Testament, God would often appear to Israel in a glory cloud. When leading Israel through the wilderness, he led them by cloud during the day and fire at night. At times, his presence would come down to the tabernacle and later the temple in a glory cloud. However, when Christ came to the earth, his disciples declared that he was the glory of God. John said this, “Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father” (John 1:14). When John said Christ “took up residence,” it literally can be translated, he “tabernacled.” Christ was the tabernacle of God on the earth. He was the place that God’s glory dwelled. The writer of Hebrews, likewise, called Christ the radiance of God’s “glory” and the “representation of his essence” (Heb 1:3). It seems that James is referring to this reality when he calls Christ “our glorious Lord.”

This should have challenged believers who were judging the poor by their outward appearance, since Christ was likewise misjudged because of his humble outward appearance. Those who dishonored Christ did not recognize the glory that resided in him and what was his from an eternal perspective. When most people saw Christ, they saw a man who came from the ghetto of Nazareth, Galilee. People declared, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46), “No, for the Christ does not come from Galilee, does he?” and “No prophet comes from Galilee” (John 7:41, 52). Christ came from the wrong neighborhood. His family was poor. When they offered sacrifices to God, they had to offer two doves which was only allowed for the poor to offer (Lk 2:24). In 2 Corinthians 8:9, Paul said this about Jesus, “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that although he was rich, he became poor for your sakes, so that you by his poverty could become rich.” Our Savior was poor. He didn’t have the educational background that those from Jerusalem would have. He worked with his hands as a carpenter in a society that despised manual labor and those who did it for a living. He didn’t have the handsome looks that many would esteem in society. Isaiah 53:2 says, “he had no stately form or majesty that might catch our attention, no special appearance that we should want to follow him.”

Everything that society exalted—beauty, education, wealth, and family background—Christ did not have. When they saw his poor appearance, they did not realize it veiled the very glory of God. In the same way, there are poor people in this world who are uncomely in outward appearance but gloriously rich because of their relationship with Christ. They have every spiritual blessing in heavenly places (Eph 1:3) and are co-heirs with Christ—everything Christ has is theirs (Rom 8:17). And there are those who are rich and attractive on this earth but are extremely poor and haggardly as far as eternity is concerned.

In 2 Corinthians 5:16, Paul said, “So then from now on we acknowledge no one from an outward human point of view. Even though we have known Christ from such a human point of view, now we do not know him in that way any longer.” Likewise, as believers, we should not view people from a secular viewpoint; we should see everyone as God sees them—in relation to Christ. We should see people as those who need to experience Christ’s saving love and those who are related to Christ because of his love. Therefore, it is incompatible with our faith in Jesus Christ—"our glorious Lord”—to show prejudice. Our Lord was poor but glorious on the inside and from an eternal perspective. We must view people from an eternal perspective as well.

Application Question: Why is it so easy to judge people based on outward appearance? How should the fact that Christ was not esteemed by worldly standards (beauty, education, wealth, and family background) challenge us about how we view ourselves and others?

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Makes Us Unjust, Evil Judges

My brothers and sisters, do not show prejudice if you possess faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ… If so, have you not made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil motives?

James 2:1, 4

When James says, “do not show prejudice” or “show no partiality” (ESV), the Greek construction means to stop an act that was already in progress.2 It literally means, “don’t receive the face.”3 It refers to not receiving somebody based on external appearance only, without considering their true merits—such as character and abilities.4 Leviticus 19:15 says, “You must not deal unjustly in judgment: you must neither show partiality to the poor nor honor the rich. You must judge your fellow citizen fairly.”

When Samuel was searching for the next king of Israel, he went to Jesse’s house to consider his sons. As the first son came out, Samuel thought to himself, “Surely, here before the LORD stands his chosen king!” as he considered the man’s height and appearance (1 Sam 16:6). However, God rebuked him saying, “Don’t be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way men do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart” (1 Sam 16:7). No doubt, God often desires to rebuke us as well because of the way we view and rank people based on external things. When we do this, we are acting like unjust, evil judges. If a courtroom judge gave people favor or condemned them based on their appearance or wealth, he would be evil and unjust. We would despise him for doing so. Unfortunately, we often do the same daily when viewing people.

As believers, we must view people the way God does, by considering their character and relationship to God. When Solomon’s mom counseled him about finding a wife, her focus was totally spiritual. In Proverbs 31:34, she said, “Charm is deceitful and beauty is fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord will be praised.” Similarly, when talking about the beauty of women, Peter described how God doesn’t focus on the external but on the “lasting beauty of a gentle and tranquil spirit,” which is precious in his sight (1 Pet 3:3-4).

When considering people, we must be like God who is a just judge. We must focus on a person’s character and relationship to God rather than mere externals. It has been wisely said, “We should not judge a book by its cover.” If we do this with people, we are harboring evil thoughts and have become unjust judges—exactly what everybody hates in society, corrupt leaders. God hates it as well, as it falls short of his glory and plan for his people.

Application Question: Why are we, and society in general, so prone to judge people by external factors such as education, beauty, clothing, and family background? Why is making judgments based off external factors alone wrong and deceptive?

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because God Has Elected the Poor

Listen, my dear brothers and sisters! Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom that he promised to those who love him?

James 2:5

When James said, “Did not God choose the poor in the world to be rich in faith,” the Greek word for “choose” is the same word we get the English word “elect” from.5 Though controversial, Scripture teaches that God chose people before time for salvation (Eph 1:4). This election is not based on any merit of our own, but simply God’s right to choose from those who deserve wrath. That’s why salvation is by grace—the unmerited favor of God. James had already mentioned this previously when describing how believers are born again. James 1:18 says, “By his sovereign plan he gave us birth.” The NIV translates it, “He chose to give us birth.” In the same way nobody planned their natural birth, nobody planned their spiritual birth. Though we responded to the gospel, Scripture teaches that even our faith is a gift of God, planned even before time (Eph 1:4, 2:7-9, Phil 1:29)).

Now, when James says God chose the poor, he is speaking in generalities. God did not elect all the poor to salvation, but when considered historically, the majority of believers have always been poor. The majority of the early church were slaves and poor people. Paul described this in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29:

Think about the circumstances of your call, brothers and sisters. Not many were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were born to a privileged position. But God chose what the world thinks foolish to shame the wise, and God chose what the world thinks weak to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, what is regarded as nothing, to set aside what is regarded as something, so that no one can boast in his presence.

When describing the “circumstances” of the Corinthians’ “call” to salvation (v. 26), Paul noted how God often did not choose the privileged and powerful. Instead, he chose what the world thinks is foolish and shameful. God chose to bring his Son out of poverty. He chose people often looked down upon by society, such as fishermen and a tax collector, to be his apostles. He chose to save the person who was persecuting and having Christians killed to be his greatest apostle. He chose the poor to hear the gospel. In Luke 4:18, Christ said the Spirit of God had anointed him to preach the gospel to the poor; they were the first recipients of the gospel and the primary ones to accept it. As mentioned, the early church was primarily poor people and slaves. In God’s sovereignty, he chose what was shameful, “weak,” “low,” “despised,” and “regarded as nothing” by the world (1 Cor 1:27-28). In fact, Christ praised God for this reality in election:

At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your gracious will.

Matthew 11:25-26

We may not fully understand God’s purposes behind electing the poor, but like Paul, James, and Jesus, we can clearly see that it is true.

Certainly, on the human side of salvation—meaning our decision to follow God—there are factors that affect this reality. The poor are more prone to accept God and trust in him because they have nothing else. Their outward circumstances of poverty commonly make them poor in spirit (Matt 5:3)—dependent upon God like a child, which is the door to salvation (Matt 18:3). And likewise, the rich are more prone to trust in their riches than God, which makes it hard for them to enter the kingdom (Matt 19:23). Wealth tends to make us proud and independent, while the door to the kingdom is humility and dependence.

Either way, James’ point is that showing partiality to the rich over the poor is incompatible with election. From the divine standpoint, God has chosen the poor to be rich in faith. And on a human standpoint, the poor are more prone to accept God, while the rich reject him. If we dishonor the poor, we dishonor those God has commonly chosen for salvation and to care for in a special way.

It must be remembered, that when God elected Israel to be his people, in his covenant with them, they were called to care for the poor. They were to leave grain in their fields for the poor (Lev 19:9-10). The poor were to never be charged interest on a loan (Lev 25:35-37). The poor were to be released from their debts every seventh year (Dt 15:1-2), and slaves were to be released from slavery on the year of Jubilee, if they wanted (Lev 25:8-13). The Jews were to care for the poor, and if they did, God would bless them, and if they didn’t, God would judge them. Psalm 41:1 says, “How blessed is the one who treats the poor properly! When trouble comes, the Lord delivers him.” Proverbs 28:27 says, “The one who gives to the poor will not lack, but whoever shuts his eyes to them will receive many curses.” Therefore, even when Paul and Barnabas were commissioned to share the gospel with the Gentiles, the apostles encouraged them to “remember the poor” (Gal 2:10).

One of the reasons we should not show prejudice is because it’s incompatible with God’s election of the poor and his special care for them. Like Israel before us, we are called to care for them and honor them.

Application Question: In what ways can we see God’s election of the poor biblically and historically? In what ways can churches better honor the poor by making them feel comfortable in church and reaching out to them in the community?

Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Honors Those Who Dishonor God and His People

But you have dishonored the poor! Are not the rich oppressing you and dragging you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme the good name of the one you belong to?

James 2:6-7

Finally, James says that believers should not honor the rich over the poor because the rich have typically persecuted believers and slandered God’s name. Certainly, this appears to have been commonly happening to these early Jewish believers. In James 5:1-6, he specifically rebukes the rich who were persecuting believers. They were withholding the pay of their workers (5:4); they were condemning and murdering righteous people (5:6). Some believe that James may specifically have in mind the Sadducees who were the wealthy, liberal Jewish teachers who partnered with the Pharisees to kill Jesus. Even as they persecuted Christ, they were probably dragging believers to court—suing them and blaspheming Jesus.6

No doubt, this is still true today. Much of the litigation against Christians in modern day courts are carried out by wealthy, powerful, liberal groups. They attack those who believe that marriage should only be between a man and woman. They persecute those who advocate for the rights of the unborn. They seek to silence the preaching of the Bible—calling it hate speech and divisive. In many countries, believers have been muzzled by the rich in power. James challenges these believers to consider who they were exalting.

Now with that said, James is not saying the poor should be honored and the rich dishonored. He is also not saying that we shouldn’t honor those in authority over us. Scripture consistently calls us to submit to those in authority over us because all authority is from God (cf. Rom 13:1-7). However, James is saying that the rich should not be honored over the poor. Believers should give a poor farmer the same respect given to a wealthy doctor.

The world often honors the wealthy to seek favor from them and dishonors the poor because they can give nothing in return. However, for believers, we are part of another kingdom. In this kingdom, the first will be last and the last will be first (Matt 20:16). There is a great reversal. Therefore, we are not bound by the culture of this world and shouldn’t live by it. As believers, we should not practice prejudice or partiality at all. We should honor and respect all people, as made in the image of God.

Application Question: In what ways are the wealthy persecuting believers throughout the world today? How should Christians respond to this persecution both privately and publicly?

Conclusion

When considering God’s characteristics, we often think of his omnipotence, omnipresence, holiness, mercy, and love; however, we often don’t consider God’s impartiality—that he is not a respecter of persons. In Deuteronomy 10:17-19, Moses said this to the Israelites:

For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, mighty, and awesome God who is unbiased and takes no bribe, who justly treats the orphan and widow, and who loves resident foreigners, giving them food and clothing. So you must love the resident foreigner because you were foreigners in the land of Egypt.

Because God is impartial, not exalting people based on race, socio-economic status, beauty, or abilities, Israel was supposed to be impartial as well. Like Moses before him, James challenged these Jewish believers who claimed to follow Christ, to not practice prejudice as it was incompatible with their faith. As followers of Christ, we must also never practice it!

  1. Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Is an Ungodly, Worldly Practice
  2. Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because Our Glorious Lord Was Likewise Misjudged
  3. Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Makes Us Unjust, Evil Judges
  4. Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because God Has Elected the Poor
  5. Believers Should Not Practice Prejudice Because It Honors Those Who Dishonor God and His People

Prayer Prompts

  • Pray for God to forgive and deliver the church from ethnocentrism, racism, classism, sexism, nationalism, and any other worldly vices.
  • Pray for believers to see people as God sees them—based on their innate worth as bearers of God’s image and their relationship with Christ.
  • Pray for believers to love and honor those who are different than us in various ways—including their appearance, abilities, culture, views, and socio-economic status.
  • Pray for unity in the church and the world even though we are different from one another.

Copyright © 2021 Gregory Brown

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1 Accessed 12/1/2019 from https://bible.org/seriespage/lesson-8-why-partiality-wrong-part-1-james-21-7

2 Utley, R. J. D. (2000). Jesus’ Half-Brothers Speak: James and Jude (Vol. Volume 11, p. 30). Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International.

3 Hughes, R. K. (1991). James: faith that works (p. 90). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

4 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 98). Chicago: Moody Press.

5 Utley, R. J. D. (2000). Jesus’ Half-Brothers Speak: James and Jude (Vol. Volume 11, p. 32). Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International.

6 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1998). James (p. 110). Chicago: Moody Press.

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