James opens his epistle to the scattered Jews who are "brethren" in Christ. As Christians, these Jews are subjected to double persecution: they are both looked down upon as Jews and persecuted as followers of Christ. In the face of these difficulties and persecutions however, James exhorts his readers to consider these hardships a joyful experience. Lest one think James is advocating a Pollyanna-type unrealistic approach to suffering, he gives a reason for this attitude: trials and tests build endurance. Just as an athlete endures the pain of a workout in order to build endurance and stamina, so God sends hardships into the lives of believers to build their endurance and strengthen their faith. Although the process is not immediately pleasurable, the believer can rejoice because he knows God is working through the trials to build his faith. As a believer is strengthened in faith and endurance, he grows toward maturity and completeness, filling in the areas that lack. Therefore, James says that a believer can rejoice in the face of trouble, knowing that ultimately, it will make him more like Jesus Christ (cf. Rom 8:29).
In these difficult times, a believer might find himself wondering what to do or how to react. James assures the believers that they can rely on God to give them wisdom. God gives his wisdom generously and without reproach to those who ask in faith. God will not withhold or belittle those who humbly ask him for wisdom.
On the other hand, those who ask God for wisdom in a doubting and faithless manner should not expect anything from God. It would be preposterous to ask God what to do in a given situation when there is not an accompanying desire to obey his will. Examples of this phenomenon include believers praying whether they should marry an unbeliever or a believer praying that God would remove lustful thoughts while continuing a steady diet of lustful material. James calls this person the "double-minded man" or the "two-souled person" (διψυχος). He is a believer who is not living in a manner compatible with the new life he has in Christ. This kind of behavior is characterized by instability or incoherency. This kind of person should not expect to receive anything from God, because of his hypocritical and inconsistent lifestyle.
Difficulties in life are the great equalizer: they happen to people at all stations of life. Rich and poor alike share in life’s hardships and trials. Those of mean circumstances can rejoice in this fact, while the rich can be thankful for the reminder of life’s temporary nature. Fame and fortune are extremely fragile, and can disappear just as quickly as grass and flowers wither in the sun’s heat. In this respect, every believer, rich or poor, is on an equal plane: when hardship comes, they can receive God’s blessing by faithfully persevering. God has promised every one of those he has chosen will fully and finally persevere in their faith, and for this, he will reward them with eternal life.
An inadequate response to testing or trouble is to blame God as the cause of sin. Each believer has the responsibility to respond in a Christlike, obedient way to difficulties, and God has not permitted these trials to enter life to cause believers to sin. Trials are not an excuse for sin, because God never solicits believers to do evil; instead, they are enticed by their own sinful desires. Sin comes when a person follows their own fleshly desire to do evil and sin. Sin’s final and ultimate end is death.
Death is completely antithetical to God’s purposes. God gives good gifts, gifts that end in life. Indeed, God, through means of his holy Word, has given believers new life out of their sinfulness. He is not seeking to draw them back into sin and death through his testing. Instead, he seeks for them to glorify him by responding correctly to testing.
In these difficult times, a believer might find himself wondering what to do or how to react. James assures the believers that they can rely on God to give them wisdom. God gives his wisdom generously and without reproach to those who ask in faith. God will not withhold or belittle those who humbly ask him for wisdom.
On the other hand, those who ask God for wisdom in a doubting and faithless manner should not expect anything from God. It would be preposterous to ask God what to do in a given situation when there is not an accompanying desire to obey his will. Examples of this phenomenon include believers praying whether they should marry an unbeliever or a believer praying that God would remove lustful thoughts while continuing a steady diet of lustful material. James calls this person the "double-minded man" or the "two-souled person" (διψυχος). He is a believer who is not living in a manner compatible with the new life he has in Christ. This kind of behavior is characterized by instability or incoherency. This kind of person should not expect to receive anything from God, because of his hypocritical and inconsistent lifestyle.
Difficulties in life are the great equalizer: they happen to people at all stations of life. Rich and poor alike share in life’s hardships and trials. Those of mean circumstances can rejoice in this fact, while the rich can be thankful for the reminder of life’s temporary nature. Fame and fortune are extremely fragile, and can disappear just as quickly as grass and flowers wither in the sun’s heat. In this respect, every believer, rich or poor, is on an equal plane: when hardship comes, they can receive God’s blessing by faithfully persevering. God has promised every one of those he has chosen will fully and finally persevere in their faith, and for this, he will reward them with eternal life.
An inadequate response to testing or trouble is to blame God as the cause of sin. Each believer has the responsibility to respond in a Christlike, obedient way to difficulties, and God has not permitted these trials to enter life to cause believers to sin. Trials are not an excuse for sin, because God never solicits believers to do evil; instead, they are enticed by their own sinful desires. Sin comes when a person follows their own fleshly desire to do evil and sin. Sin’s final and ultimate end is death.
Death is completely antithetical to God’s purposes. God gives good gifts, gifts that end in life. Indeed, God, through means of his holy Word, has given believers new life out of their sinfulness. He is not seeking to draw them back into sin and death through his testing. Instead, he seeks for them to glorify him by responding correctly to testing.
Comments