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 "Count
it all joy, my brethren, when ye fall into manifold temptations;
knowing that the proving of your faith worketh patience."
(Jas. 1: 2,3). The temptations spoken of by James here refer to
trials (In vs. 12 he deals with temptations in the form of
enticements.) These trials come in all sizes and shapes as
suggested in the term "manifold." They are an
inescapable part of life under the sun. But these things that
bring despair and misery to most, James says to "count all
joy"! Then, he shows why. Trials test one's faith. The
testing of faith produces patience and patience produces the
spiritual maturity spoken of in v.4: "that ye may be
perfect and entire, lacking in nothing". Adversity, then,
properly viewed and dealt with, can help us achieve spiritual
stature that might otherwise be impossible. The
"patience" that comes from the testing of faith as
defined by Vine is literally "an abiding under". The
ASV footnote calls it "steadfastness". In verb form it
is usually rendered "endure". Someone has
appropriately termed it "staying power". I like that.
Staying power is the pressing need of Christians everywhere —
and always has been. It is what these early Christians needed
when threatened with oppression and persecution. It is what
God's people need today when problems come into the local
church, when their good is evil spoken of, when discouragement
and disappointments come and when faithfulness to the Lord
appears more difficult than ever. When giving up and giving in
would be easiest, that's when we need staying power!
James,
of course, does not imply that all faith will pass the test. He
deals only with
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conquering faith, its attitude and
advantage. It is the nature of the faith, more than the nature
of the tribulation that determines the outcome of the test. The
same fire will harden clay but melt wax. Someone has well said:
"One ship drives east, another drives west, while the
selfsame breezes blow. It is not the gale, but the set of the
sail that bids them where to go." And so it is with the
winds of adversity. They can move us on to maturity or they can
drive us to apostasy — depending on the "set of our
sail", so to speak. Many of the Hebrew Christians succumbed
to the same tribulations wherein others, like the apostle Paul,
were strengthened. He says, "we also rejoice in our
tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh steadfastness;
and steadfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope..."
(Rom. 5:2-4).
Problems
will continue to come. We can be sure of that. When they do, we
will either be their victor or victim. Even if we have once
turned back, as did Peter and others, we need not do so again.
As we apply ourselves to knowing and doing the word of God we
develop the kind of faith that will sustain us; that will
provide the staying power that perfects Christian character. We
must continually pray (Jas. 1:5) and study for such wisdom as
helps us to see afflictions in perspective; to see them as being
conquerable, as potentially strengthening and beneficial. With
such faith and vision we can endure all things, even to the end
(Matt. 10:22). Dan
S. Shipley
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