James: Context & Background

The Book of James: Context & Background

Purpose

At the heart of the book of James we find these words: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  James 1:2-4

This is God’s blueprint for developing His children.  Through His sovereign will, God has chosen the method of  trials to build our faith and develop us into mature and complete Christians.  He is equipping us for service.  In 2 Corinthians 5:17-21 God calls us “ambassadors” who have been given the task of representing Him and delivering His message to the lost.  The message is simple, “God is reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them” (vs. 19).  In order to deliver this message effectively God has chosen to put His children... His ambassadors, through a series of tests, or trials, to strengthen their faith, and to help them grow up spiritually.

Author

This book was written by James the brother of Jesus Christ.  Matthew 13:55 tells us Jesus had  four brothers: James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas (also known as Jude).  The text also refers to “all his sisters” with most bible scholars believing Jesus had at least 3 sisters.  Early in Jesus’ ministry James had rejected the idea his brother was the promised Messiah (John 7:1-5) and had even thought Jesus was “out of his mind” (Mark 3:21).  It wasn’t until the resurrection of Jesus and his appearance to James (1 Corin. 15:7) that he finally came to believe.

James faith grew rapidly and in a very short time we find him leading the church in Jerusalem.  This was the first New Testament church ever established.  It was a church of Christian Jews started by the disciples, and in fulfillment of God’s promise that salvation would come first to the Jew and then to the Gentiles (ref. Luke 24:47; Acts 3:26; Acts 13:46-47; Romans 1:16).  As this church grew in number the disciples handed the reigns of leadership over to James and the established Elders from within the congregation (ref. Acts 12:17; Acts 15:12-21; Acts21:17-19; Gal. 2:9).

Setting

The book of James was written in response to the persecution of the believers in the church of Jerusalem.  Jesus had warned the disciples telling them, “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also (John 15:18-21).”  He also spoke of persecution in his sermon on the mount saying, “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me (Matthew 5:11).”

After seeing tremendous growth, the Church of Jerusalem found themselves persecuted for their faith in Christ.  It began with the arrest of Peter and the apostles (Acts 5) and then grew in intensity with the arrest and stoning of Stephen (Acts 6:8-8:1).  Hatred toward the church grew from that point as “a great persecution broke out against the church at Jerusalem” (Acts 8:1-3) and continued with King Herod imprisoning some of the Jerusalem church members along with the apostle James (not James the brother of Jesus) with the intention of “persecuting them” (Acts 12:1-2).  During this time King Herod had the apostle James executed.

This persecution brought about the scattering of the Christians in Jerusalem as stated in Acts 8:1, “...all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.”  As bad as this sounds it was still in complete accord with God’s will because the people who were scattered “preached the word wherever they went” (Acts 8:4).  God allowed this persecution to take place to spread the message of Christ and now he is using James, their pastor, to comfort these “scattered Jews” with the words: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of may kinds…(James 1:2).”

Introduction: Who’s the Boss? James 1:1

Introduction: Who’s the Boss?

James 1:1

"James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations, greetings."

The first step in allowing God to build your faith and mold your life into a mature and complete Christian is found in your attitude.  When you became a Christian you asked God to save you from your sins.  You had to admit you were a sinner and recognized you were unable to make it into heaven on your own merit or good deeds.  You needed God to provide a way because you came to the understanding there was no possible way to take away or pardon your sins.  Through God’s Word you found that Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, was sent to this earth to die on a cross in your place.  Jesus took your place on the cross and paid the price of your sin so you could enter into a relationship with God and spend eternity in heaven with him.

If you made this confession, this admission, to God then you are a Christian, a believer, a person who has been what we call "born again".  As the scriptures say, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ (became a Christian), he is a new creation ( a new person); the old (person) has gone, the new (person) has come.  All this is from God, who reconciled (restored a broken relationship with) us to himself through (by the work of) Christ and gave us the ministry (new job of ) reconciliation (restoring others to God) (2 Corinthians 5:17-18).”

Before you were saved you basically ran your own life and made your own decisions, but now that you are saved you have given up that life, attitude, and perception of yourself.  As a Christian you have given your life to God and have become his servant.  There can only be one master in a person’s life so ask yourself the hard question: Who’s the boss? 

James calls himself a "servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ".  Are you a servant of God like James?  What kind of a servant is he?  How far does this servant thing need to go?  Let’s see if we can answer some of these questions.  When studying the Bible we need to look at the original word used and the time/date it was written.  When thinking of a servant we will have the tendency to think of the word in relationship to our own culture and our own time.  This word for servant is not like a butler or maid who is employed by some rich family like in the movies.  The New Testament was written in the Greek language and the word “servant” used by James here is the Greek word “doulos”.  This word means “bond-servant” or “slave” and was used in the time James lived to describe a person who belonged (as in the property of) to an owner. 

There were many types, or levels, of slaves living in the time James lived in the Roman Empire.  Some slaves were managers of businesses, others cared for their owners stables and horses, some would have been in charge of teaching their master’s children, others would be cooks, or attendants to the master’s wife.  The slave world contained people who were skilled and unskilled, people with great responsibilities or the simplest of tasks.  At the bottom of this Roman era slave order was the bond-servant, and even in the slave world, no one, even other slaves, didn’t want the position of the doulos bond-servant.

The doulos bond-servant was a slave known as the foot-washer.  When a guest arrived at the master’s home this slave would hurry to the door with a bowl of water, a sponge, and towels.  He or she would then untie the sandals of the guests and wash their feet.  Think about how this would make you feel.  Day after day, month after month, and year after year, you would take off peoples shoes and scrub the dirt off their feet.  You would be on your knees as they looked down upon you, washing and drying their feet, wondering if the guests see you at all.  There would be no conversations with the doulos foot-washer, no "Good morning" or "How are you?"  This slave was not viewed as a fellow human being, instead they were considered something lower, something on the level of an animal.

William Barclay, in his Daily Study Bible series on the book of James, writes this about the term “doulos”:  

“There are at least four implications in this title: 

1. It implies absolute obedience.  The slave knows no law but his master’s word; he has no rights of his own; he is the absolute possession of his master; and he is bound to give his master unquestioning obedience. 

2. It implies absolute humility.  It is the word of a man who thinks not of his privileges but of his duties, not of his rights but of his obligations.  It is the word of the man who has lost his self in the service of God. 

3. It implies absolute loyalty.  It is the word of the man who has no interests of his own, because what he does, he does for God.  His own profit and his own preferences do not enter into his calculations; his loyalty is to him. 

4. Yet, at the back of it, this word implies a certain pride.  So far from being a title of dishonor it was the title by which the greatest ones of the Old Testament were known.  By taking the title doulos James sets himself in the great succession of those who found their freedom and their peace and their glory in perfect submission to the will of God.  The only greatness to which the Christian can ever aspire is that of being the slave of God.”

One of the greatest privileges we have as Christians is to model the lifestyle of Jesus Christ.  I believe James had this in mind when calling himself the slave of God.  In Mark 10:45 Jesus said this about himself, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  The apostle Paul was moved by God to write these words about Christ in Philippians 2:5-8: “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped (while on the earth), but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant (this is the word “doulos” slave), being made in human likeness.  And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death ...even death on a cross.”

When Jesus was with his disciples eating the Passover meal (aka the last supper) he demonstrated the doulos lifestyle even further.  John 13:1-5 tells us what happened that night, “It was just before the Passover Feast.  Jesus knew the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father.  Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.  The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus.  Jesus knew that the father had put all things under his power, and he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.  After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”

This is unbelievable!  Jesus… God in the flesh, humbles himself before his very own creation and demonstrates the attitude of a doulos slave!  If you continue reading the scripture text you learn Peter struggled with his beloved Master acting in this way, refusing to let Jesus wash his feet.  Also, did you catch that little tidbit in verse 1 where Jesus said, “… he now showed them the full extent of his love”?    The full extent, or full measure, of Jesus’ love begins with a demonstration of a servant who lives a humble life as a servant and ends by sacrificing himself on a cross to rescue us from the sin curse. 

 Let us continue reading as we pick up in John 13:12-15  “When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place (at the meal).  Do you understand what I have done for you? He asked them.  You call me Teacher and Lord and rightly so, for that is what I am.  Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet (demonstrated the attitude of a doulos servant), you also should wash one another’s feet (demonstrate the attitude of a doulos servant).  I have set an example that you should do as I have done for you.”  Jesus has called us to live our lives as humble servants.  This is why James uses the title of “doulos” to describe himself in the opening statement of his letter.  He is being used by God to remind us to model Jesus' life.  Therefore, to be a slave of God is a demonstration of the “full extent” of our love for God, and it is the first step in the process of becoming a mature and complete Christian.  I created the blog title "Doulosman Bible Studies" to remind myself and readers to remain humble and serve others.

...to the twelve tribes scattered among the nations.  Greetings.

In this part of the passage James reveals the recipients and the purpose of writing this letter.  James is has grown into the position of pastor in the Church in Jerusalem, a church made up of Jewish converts, and therefore, he uses the familiar and common phrase, “to the twelve tribes” to address them.

The word “scattered” used by James here is the Greek word “diaspora” (dee-as-por-ah).  It is defined as a dispersion or scattering, and was used to describe all Jews who lived in areas outside of Israel.  Some writers have implied James was simply addressing all Jews in general, but this interpretation does not fit the context of the book.  I believe James addressed his letter to a specific group of Jewish believers who had been scattered (diaspora) into the outlying areas outside Israel because of persecution.  Please refer to the Context and Background page (ref: Setting) for more information about the persecution of the church in Jerusalem.

References:

Studylight.org. (n.d.). James 1 Commentary - William Barclay's Daily Study Bible. Retrieved from https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dsb/james-1.html

The Foundation for Testing James 1:2-4

The Foundation for Testing

James 1:2-4

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

Consider it pure joy ...whenever you face trials
After a brief introduction James wastes no time getting to the point of his letter.  He immediately challenges his fellow Jews to consider their current situation of persecution (trials) with a joyful heart.  If we are honest we would admit that feeling joy in the middle of trials and trouble is not normal…. and its not!  To rejoice in difficult times takes a conscious effort for the believer, ...but it is possible.  The question I am asked most is this: “How do I have joy in trials?”  The answer lies in seeing beyond the trial.  When looking beyond the trial and understanding what the trial is doing (in this case bringing about maturity) you are enabling yourself to experience a certain level of joy.  Also remember that joy is more than happiness or temporary exhilaration.  One can experience joy in the most difficult times.  

Some time ago I was dealing with constant pain because of a severe ankle injury.  The diagnosis required I have ankle fusion surgery due to the erosion of cartilage in my joints. The procedure would require five screws to be inserted to secure the repaired joint.  My response to the thought of surgery was not a happy one.  I did not high five my friends or throw a party.  But, on the other hand, there was a sense of joy present when I looked beyond the problem.  I recognized the next eight weeks in a cast would be tough, the following physical therapy would be difficult, but in the end my ankle problem would be resolved and I could get back to a normal lifestyle. By looking beyond the painful period of the trial and toward the end result of the trial, I experienced a sense of joy.  As I look back on the event I continue to look at the entire experience with satisfaction and joy.

As we continue, notice the text did not say to have joy “if” we face trials, but “when” we face trials.  The NIV Bible uses the word “whenever” here but the original context tells us that trials will come.  In the original Greek language the word for trial here is a word that means to test something in order to make it stronger.  A simple example would be a young bird testing its wings as it learns to fly.  The same idea applies to the Christian as we are tested by God to build us into stronger and more mature believers.

I love what William Barclay, in his Daily Study Bible series on the book of James, writes on facing trials:

“...they are not meant to make us fall; they are meant to make us soar.  They are not meant to defeat us; they are meant to be defeated.  They are not meant to make us weaker; they are meant to make us stronger.  Therefore we should not bemoan them (be sorrowful); we should rejoice in them.”

Because you know...
The reason we are to have joy when we face trials is because we “know” God is sending the trials and we “know” God is using trials to make us stronger.  The word “know” here implies understanding the purpose for the trial.  Trials are sent by God to test our faith and develop perseverance in our spiritual life so we can be more effective in our witness and works.

Trials are used to test your faith.  The word testing here is the Greek word “dokimion” (pronounced dok-im-ee-on) and it means to prove the genuineness of something.  The word was often used to describe the purification process of metal.  When metal is heated up to liquid form the impurities in the metal would float to the top where they are scooped out leaving the metal in its purest form.  The same idea applies to the believer as God tests us through trials and works out the impurities from our spiritual lives. 

The apostle Peter used the same word for testing (dokimion) in 1 Peter 1:6-7 where he wrote: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These (trials) have come so that your faith, of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire (dokimion), may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

God tests our faith to prove it is genuine, to strengthen it, and to purify it.  He wants to remove all sources of sin, fear, and distrust so our relationship with Him can be as strong as possible.  So why is the focus of God’s trials directed at our faith?  Because your faith is the foundation of your relationship with God. 

The result of this testing of your faith is it will produce what the NIV Bible calls perseverance.  Other Bible translations have called it patience or endurance, but the original Greek word describes it as “cheerful endurance, standing firm, unshaken, and firmness of mind.”  A mature believer can demonstrate these qualities when trials, enter their life.  How do you feel you would handle the loss of your job right now?  What if your car would get stolen?  How would you handle life if you came home and your house had caught fire and burned to the ground?  How would you respond to such events?  Many Christians have faced these very same trials.

Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

Trials are sent by God to test and build our faith.  These trials develop our perseverance and bring about three things in the life of the believer:

1. They make the believer mature.  Why is it important for the believer to be mature?  Ephesians 2:10 explains it best, “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. “   God has prepared specific “good works” for every believer.  He has prepared them in advance, saving these good works... waiting for you to become mature enough to accomplish them. 
2. They make the believer complete.  The idea here is to be fully developed.  The maturing process is removing all weakness and imperfections allowing the believer to be completely equipped for service to God.  Do you feel complete?  Do you feel completely equipped for service? 
3. The believer will not lack anything.  You are probably thinking this is impossible… that you will always be lacking in something when it comes to serving God.  The real question is this: Do you believe God’s word, God’s promises?  It is clear in this passage that the maturing process will make the believer mature, complete, and not lacking anything.  The real question is will you allow God’s process to work in your life.

Note that perseverance “must finish its work” in order for these three qualities to flourish within the believer.  So, what would hinder, or prevent, perseverance from finishing its work?  I believe the key is whether we you accept trials with joy and recognize God working in your life.  Many will whine, complain, and respond negatively to trials, which in turn defeats the process of maturing.  How do you think most believers respond to trials? 

References: 
The Berean. (n.d.). The Berean: James 1:2-4. Retrieved from http://www.theberean.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Home.showBerean/BereanID/2293/James-1-2-4.htm

God’s Provision for Testing James 1:5

God’s Provision for Testing

James 1:5

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 

If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault…

Facing trials with the proper attitude is a difficult thing to do and God understands this.  It is hard to accept trouble in our lives, it is hard not to complain or let trials drain away your faith and trust in the Lord.  But God, who knows you better than you know yourself, has provided specific help for you.  God wants to give you wisdom to help deal with the trials.

Wisdom from God brings knowledge and understanding to the trial.  It is a source of strength to help you maintain the proper perspective and attitude while going through the trial.  Wisdom brings the ability to maintain joy and perseverance so the maturing process can be accomplished in your life.

The best part about getting this wisdom is that it is free… all you have to do is ask for it.  The first thing a true believer should always do when trials come into his or her life is pray.  The Lord does not want you to fail (yes, you can fail a trial) and he is ready to provide you with the help you need to be successful.  Therefore, your first step toward success and maturity is to understand your need for God’s help. 

God gives this wisdom generously, or liberally (KJV), when asked for.  God wants you to succeed in facing trials and is prepared to give more than enough needed to be victorious.  Remember God’s goal is to bring about maturity in his children, so equipping them for success fits perfectly within God’s character and plan.

God also gives without finding fault in us.  If you have failed trials in the past God will not withhold or limit the gift of wisdom.  He doesn’t hold a grudge or keep score of your mistakes.  He does not give it reluctantly or question your track record with previous trials.  No, He gives liberally to all without finding any fault or reason not to help you.  Remember... God loves you, wants the best for you, and equips you to succeed.

The Consequences of Unbelief James 1:6-8

The Consequences of Unbelief

James 1:6-8

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt...

When you see the word “but” in Scripture it almost always describes a change of direction or a comparison of some sort.  Here we see a change in direction as James describes the responsibility of the believer.  God has committed Himself to the responsibility of giving you wisdom in trials, but you have the responsibility of asking Him for it and you have the responsibility of believing He will give it to you.

There are two kinds of belief… 1) a head knowledge, or intellectual belief, and 2) a heart knowledge that penetrates the very soul and changes the way you live your life.  This heart felt belief affects your conduct, every day life decisions, and even your relationships with others.  Intellectual belief says that God exists, but a heart belief brings salvation and a personal relationship with God. Intellectual belief can make you a religious person, but a heart belief will make you a righteous person.  Intellectual belief can make you a Pharisee, but a heart belief will make you a child of God.  James 2:14-25 tells us this intellectual belief gives you dead faith, but a heart belief will create a living faith that demonstrates itself through a holy lifestyle. You must believe with all your heart that God will do what he promises and pour out wisdom, liberally, into your life.  The consequence of unbelief described in this text is not a form of punishment from God, but the result and natural consequences of our own sin. 

...because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

Unbelief attacks and destroys the relationship between God and the believer.  It is a barrier of doubt keeping us from experiencing the joy, peace and power of God in our lives.  Unbelief blocks prayer and shuts down the righteous deeds of the Christian.  Doubt is a powerful tool of Satan and he uses it all too well to bring your relationship and faith to a dead stop.

James uses word pictures to describe the person who is filled with doubt.  First he says the man who doubts “is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.”  Have you ever been to the beach and watch the waves roll onto the seashore and then slide back again.  As kids my friends and I would try to withstand the push of the waves as the rolled in.  Most of the time the wave would push us back several steps, knocking us off balance. The idea here is that the water of the ocean is powerful and never at rest... it constantly moves back and forth, powerfully moving in and back out again.  The man who doubts is like the waves of the sea, never content, never stable, always moving into a relationship with God and then out again.  Thanking God one moment, angry with God the next.  Living for God one day, living for self the next.  Often, trials are at the heart of this wavering attitude.  

James uses the wind to describe the trials that enter our lives and push us off our feet.  Jesus used the same idea of wind (to describe trials) attacking our faith in His sermon on the mount.  Matthew 7:24-27 tell us, “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Doubt and disbelief erode the very foundation of our faith and James says “that man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord”.  Again… this is not a punishment from God, it is the sin of the believer causing him to be a “double-minded man, unstable in all he does.”  The sin of disbelief causes you to literally have two minds.  One mind trusting in your own abilities while the other wants to trust God.  They are constantly in battle with each other, causing the man to be “blown and tossed” by every circumstance.  Another effect of being double minded is to be “unstable in all he does”.  Everything the doubting believer does or tries to accomplish is filled with instability.  He is inconsistent, indecisive, always questioning God, questioning every step, paralyzed by fear and doubt.

Look back at some of the trials you have gone through.  Did you pray for wisdom during those trials?  Did you pray at all?  Or, were you complaining about the trial?  I have failed many trials in my life and I can see a distinct difference between the times I prayed through the trial, asking for wisdom, and times I let the trial leave me doubting God.

Dependency on God James 1:9-11

Dependency on God

James 1:9-11

“The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position.  But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower.  For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant.  Its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed.  In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.”

The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position…

Some Bible teachers say James is moving away from the context of trials to another subject, but a closer look at these verses shows us otherwise.  The phrase “humble circumstances” here is a reference to a person who is poor.  James is saying the Christian brother who is poor economically, who does not have much in life, should take pride in his high position.  The idea behind the phrase “take pride” is the poor person should rejoice.  James’ congregation in Jerusalem had been scattered because of persecution and many of those believers in his church had been poor.  What little they had was left behind as they fled to live in safer areas outside of Judea.  Here James reminds them to rejoice in their trials… and not only rejoice, but to boast in their trials because God has exalted them.

John MacArthur in his sermon titled “From Trouble to Triumph” defines the text in James as meaning: “...if you're poor, you're socially humiliated, you're economically humiliated. Accept that humiliation because poverty is a short-lived trial, it's just for this life. And those who are poor and in Christ have the hope of eternal riches. In other words, don't look to draw joy out of this world, and you'll never be disappointed. If you're looking for your joy in the circumstances of life, you're never going to have true joy. If you attach joy to any earthly possession, any earthly economic status, you miss the point. Accept your humiliation, it's good for you, it keeps your focus where it ought to be and it makes the spiritual realities and the eternal riches all the more precious.” 

...But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position...

Now before you start feeling all warm and gushy inside about feeling a connection with the poverty stricken people James is addressing, let us examine a comparison between the typical poor person in Jesus’ day and the living standards of today.  In biblical times most the average poor person lived in simple one room stone houses with little to no furniture.  Beds would usually be made of straw and covered with a goats hair blanket.  A woven straw mat on the floor would constitute the dining room table.  Homes were heated by burning straw, wood, or dried animal dung.  Most families lived day to day on the wages made working in the fields.  

Compare the poor of Jesus' day to those who are categorized as poor by the United States Census Bureau. According to the Heritage Foundation, "The Census Bureau's poverty report dramatically understates the living standards of low income Americans.  Here is a sample of facts that will not be mentioned in next week's poverty report.  38 percent of the persons whom the Census Bureau identifies as "poor" own their own homes with a median value of $39,200, 62 percent of "poor" households own a car, 14 percent own two or more cars.  Nearly half of all "poor" households have air-conditioning, 31 percent have microwave ovens, and nationwide, some 22,000 "poor" households have heated swimming pools or Jacuzzis."

Sorry to burst your bubble but most of us fall under the category of the wealthy in this passage.  The average “poor person” of today’s society would have been considered very wealthy in the time of Jesus, so this next portion of the verse is more applicable to you and me.  

James reminds the rich person to rejoice also, but instead of rejoicing in the high position God places the poor, the rich rejoice in their low position.  This low position carries the idea that the rich person will not be able to use his or her money to achieve success in Christ.  The rich person rejoices and takes pride in understanding that, even though they have money, they are still utterly dependent on God for his provision.  The trials and testings  sent by God to the rich person will make sure his or her hope is not in earthly riches.

It was a common belief in the Jewish world at the time of Christ that the wealthy had the daily blessing of God while the poor did not.  People actually believed the rich were closer to God and thought He smiled favorably upon them, prospering them, while the poor continued to struggle financially and in need of God’s blessing.  I know a lot of Christians who still lean toward that myth today.  Why do you think so many people, including Christians, desire wealth?  James clearly points out in this passage that whether you are rich or poor you will still be tested by God.  He wants both the rich and the poor to be dependent on Him and His provision.

 ...because he (the rich) will pass away like a wild flower.  For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant.  Its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed.  In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.”

James continues his teaching of this principle by giving an example of how quickly a dependency on money can fail us.  In Israel and several other desert regions of the world there is a condition called the "simoom".  A simoom is a strong, dry, dust-laden local wind that blows in from the desert.  Its temperature can exceed 130°F and the humidity may fall below 10%.  The storm moves in cyclone (circular) form, carrying clouds of dust and sand, and produces a suffocating effect on humans, plants, and animals.  The name means "poison wind" and is given because the sudden onset of a simoom can also cause heat stroke. This is attributed to how the hot wind brings more heat to the body than can be disposed of by the natural evaporation of perspiration.

James references a wildflower hit by this simoom, destroying it in a matter of seconds.  Just as the wildflower can be destroyed so quickly, the rich man’s wealth can disappear just as fast.  His wealth can be gone in an instant… “even while he goes about his business”.  Putting faith in money and possessions is foolish and dangerous.  The Lord wants to build our faith and develop our maturity as a believer.  The end result of maturity in the believer is proven by loosening your grip (need) on money and placing more dependence the daily on God’s provision.

References: 
Grace To You. (1999, February 14). How to Endure Trials, Part 3. Retrieved from http://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/90-207/how-to-endure-trials-part-3

Rector, R. (1990, September 21). How "Poor" are America's Poor? Retrieved from http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/1990/09/how-poor-are-americas-poor

God’s Blessing for Persevering James 1:12

God’s Blessing for Persevering

James 1:12

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

James continues within the context of trials and walks us through God’s blueprint for building believers.  Here we find the blessing of God upon those who persevere under the testings of maturity.  The word “blessed” here is the same word used by Jesus in his sermon on the mount (Matthew 5:1-12).  The word describes an inner joy and contentment that is not dependent upon circumstances. 

Blessed, happy,  and cheerful, is the man who perseveres while going through God’s testing.  Why should you rejoice in your trial?  Because when you have stood up to the test, when you persevere through the test, you will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

The crown of life is your eternal salvation.  It is the promise of God to his children, and only God’s children are tested in this manner.  Only the child of God can go through the training ground of faith and maturity.  Only God's adopted children are developed and brought to maturity for future good works prepared for them by God himself. 

The most important question in all of life is this: Are you a child of God?  I did not ask if you believe God exists, nor did I ask if you go to church, or read a bible, or if you perform what you feel are good deeds.  Are you a child of God?  Within this question are certain non-negotiable facts that must be understood.  A child of God has been rescued from the curse, and death sentence, caused by sin.  A child of God has been rescued because Jesus Christ fulfilled the death sentence by dying on a cross.  This act of love by Jesus restores the pathway to God and provides a place in the family of God.  God then seals the deal, and in symbolic form signs the adoption papers, securing the child's future in heaven through His Holy Spirit.  This child will be trained (tested) by God and will receive the crown of life. 

In Romans 10:9 the scriptures tell us, "If you declare with your mouth,'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."  To declare with your mouth and believe in your heart also requires certain non-negotiables.  Remember our earlier discussion on head belief versus heart belief (Ref: The Consequences of Unbelief - James 1:6-8)?  The same understanding applies here.  Heart belief always takes some form of action.  To become a child of God one must take action.  Here are the action steps that enable you to declare "Jesus is Lord" from your heart.  

Step One: The first step before declaring Jesus is Lord is to admit you are a sinner.  This is not an admission that you have done "some things wrong in life" but an admission that everything you have done in life is sinful and worthless to God.  Yes, I said everything.  Every good deed you think you have done was worthless and tainted by selfishness.  Therefore, admitting you are a sinner is not easy, but necessary in becoming a child of God.  Admitting you are a sinner attacks the core of your humanity... it attacks your pride, your self-worth, and strikes down any value you thought you had in life.

God made this clear when he said, "There is no one righteous (sinless), not even one; there is no one who understands (the consequences sin has brought about); there is no one who seeks God (to remedy this sinful state).  All have turned away (from God), they (the unsaved) have together become worthless (corrupted and unable to be used by God for His work); there is no one who does good (deeds that qualify as righteous), not even one" (Romans 3:10-12).  Isaiah 64:6 describes how God views the good deeds of an unsaved person saying, "All of us have become like one who is unclean (stained by sin), and all our righteous acts (perceived good deeds) are like filthy rags."

Admitting you have lived a sinful life empties yourself of everything you thought had value and prepares you to be filled with something else.  God says, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws" (Ezekiel 36:26-27).

Step Two:  The second step before declaring Jesus is Lord is to "believe in your heart that God raised him (Jesus) from the dead" (Romans 10:9).  Once again, there is more to this than simple intellectual head knowledge.  Let me explain it this way.  Most people recognize the name John Madden.  He is a former NFL player, coach, and commentator who is also widely known for the long-running "Madden NFL" video game series.  What you may not know is that John Madden has a fear of flying and will not get onto an airplane.  Instead he travels for business events in his legendary motor home.  Notice how his beliefs about flying dictate how he lives.  The same concept applies in our understanding of the biblical text.  What we believe in our hearts will dictate the way we live.

To believe God raised Jesus from the dead implies several things.  First, it implies we believe Jesus was without sin, yet falsely accused, arrested, and crucified on a cross.  Second, it implies Jesus had the power to stop His crucifixion at any time, but willingly allowed Himself to be crucified as part of God's plan to rescue us from our sinful condition.  Thirdly, Jesus literally died in our place.  He paid the price, or penalty, of sin so we would not have to.  Jesus took every sin we have committed... and every sin we will ever commit in the future upon himself.  He took our punishment, our death sentence in our place.  Jesus did this because he LOVED you.

During His last moments on the cross Jesus said, "'It is finished.' With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit" (John 19:30).  His part of the plan was finished as he took our death sentence, and now God the Father would step in to finalize the process.  God's plan extends beyond physical death and the grave.  His plan is to adopt you as His child and place you in His family.  God wants you to be with Him in heaven long after your life on earth.  With this in mind God raised His son Jesus back to life to establish victory over the death curse brought about by sin.  Do you believe... in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead?  If you do, your belief must be accompanied by action, which leads us to the final step.

Step Three: Believing in your heart must be followed by action.  Our original text stated you must "declare with your mouth Jesus is Lord" (Romans 10:9).  To "declare" means to proclaim something publicly.  Once again we must understand to believe in our heart requires action, but we must understand what the phrase "Jesus is Lord" means.

Let us use another example to explain the text.  Imagine a king's throne... the chair he sits in that symbolizes his power and authority over his kingdom.  Before we become a child of God we sit in this chair, symbolically, as we choose to live our lives the way we want.  Each of us dictates what we want to do, how we will live, what we will spend our money on, who we will love, and who we will hate.  We are the Kings, or Queens, of our lives and no one can tell us how we should live.  Have you noticed how many commercials, billboards, movies, or interviews are promoting this message in today's society?

To declare "Jesus is Lord" forces you to get off your throne of life and hand it over to Jesus.  You are willingly allowing Jesus to be your "Lord" which means master.  Remember the word "doulos" used by James in the introduction to this study (Ref: Who's the Boss? James 1:1).  He understood this concept and proclaimed Jesus is Lord of his life.  Are you ready to proclaim Jesus as Lord of your life?

Declaring Jesus as Lord involves one last action.  You must confess, or admit, your sinful condition to God.  He already knows you are a sinner.  What God wants is your agreement with Him on this matter.  From a heart belief you are admitting this: 1) God, I agree with you that I am a sinner and I am deserving of death.  2)  God, I agree with you that nothing I have done qualifies as good or righteous and therefore, nothing I have done gives me the right to think I deserve to go to heaven.  3)  God, I agree with you that Jesus lived a sinless life and freely, of His own choosing, died on a cross in my place.  He took all my sins upon Himself because He loved me. 4)  God, I agree with you that you defeated the sin curse of death by raising Jesus back to life.  5) God, I humbly ask for you to make me one of your children and I willingly give up my throne to become your (doulos) servant and live for you.  

The truth behind your declaration will reveal itself in the way you live hereafter.  Please do not think you will live a perfect life after this declaration, but understand you must strive for perfection and seek forgiveness when you fail.  This is why God brings trials into your life.  Once you have given your life to Him, God begins the process of maturing you and developing you for works He has planned for you.

References:
Provost, A (Photographer). (2013, March 23). John Madden's Awesome Bus [digital image].  Retrieved from http://busdigest.blogspot.com/2013/03/farewell-to-john-maddens-awesome-bus.html.