Remaining Steadfast Under Trial

[Christsfreeservant]

Remaining Steadfast Under Trial

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4 ESV)

All people have trials. It is because we live in flesh bodies and we live on this earth, and so we are all going to suffer something or other at some time or another, especially if we live very long. But as followers of Jesus Christ our trials have a purpose, and sometimes they are because we are being persecuted for righteousness’ sake.

But our trials test our faith to see if it is genuine, which is for our benefit, since God already knows the results. And that testing of our faith is for the purpose that it might produce within us steadfastness of faith so that we might be whole (mature) and complete in Christ and reach maturity in our walks of faith. For that is the goal to make us holy, and to make us more like Jesus, and to strengthen us in our walks of faith so that we can endure trials and so that we can grow to mature walks of faith in our Lord.

But we may not all have the same trials, especially if we live in different countries. Like for instance, persecution of us Christians is a trial, but the way some Christians are persecuted in some countries is probably not exactly the same as persecution is for us who live in America. For in America we are not generally beaten and arrested and put to death for our faith in Jesus Christ. But we who are following Jesus with our lives are being persecuted in many of the same ways Jesus was prior to his arrest and his death on that cross, and by many of the same types of people.

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12 ESV)

Now I am going to refer back to verse 4 here because it ties in with verse 12. I looked up the word “perfect” on biblehub.com, on their interlinear, and now I have a new understanding of the message in verse 4. This is really talking about the end goal of our faith, the “consummated goal,” like when the Jewish groom has now prepared the place for his bride and he comes to get her and to take her to be with him, which is when their marriage is consummated.

And this parallels over to our salvation. For we are saved (past), we are being saved (present active), and we will be saved (future) when Jesus Christ (our husband/groom) returns for us, his bride, and he takes us to be with him in the place he has prepared for us, which is when our marriage to him is consummated and our salvation is complete. So, in verse 4, when it speaks of steadfastness having its full effect, that we may be perfect and complete, it is talking about the process and the end goal of our faith.

And this ties in with verse 12 because it tells us that we are blessed of God who remain steadfast under trial, for when we have stood the test we will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Again, this is the process and the end goal of our faith. And please know that those who love him are those who obey him, and if we do not obey him we do not love him, and we do not know him, and we do NOT have eternal life in him. So obedience to our Lord is part of believing faith which saves.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]

Remaining Steadfast Under Trial
Video Talk

February 13, 2023

Caution: This link may contain ads

 

[Hoping2]

Remaining Steadfast Under Trial

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4 ESV)

All people have trials. It is because we live in flesh bodies and we live on this earth, and so we are all going to suffer something or other at some time or another, especially if we live very long. But as followers of Jesus Christ our trials have a purpose, and sometimes they are because we are being persecuted for righteousness’ sake.

But our trials test our faith to see if it is genuine, which is for our benefit, since God already knows the results. And that testing of our faith is for the purpose that it might produce within us steadfastness of faith so that we might be whole (mature) and complete in Christ and reach maturity in our walks of faith. For that is the goal to make us holy, and to make us more like Jesus, and to strengthen us in our walks of faith so that we can endure trials and so that we can grow to mature walks of faith in our Lord.

But we may not all have the same trials, especially if we live in different countries. Like for instance, persecution of us Christians is a trial, but the way some Christians are persecuted in some countries is probably not exactly the same as persecution is for us who live in America. For in America we are not generally beaten and arrested and put to death for our faith in Jesus Christ. But we who are following Jesus with our lives are being persecuted in many of the same ways Jesus was prior to his arrest and his death on that cross, and by many of the same types of people.

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12 ESV)

Now I am going to refer back to verse 4 here because it ties in with verse 12. I looked up the word “perfect” on biblehub.com, on their interlinear, and now I have a new understanding of the message in verse 4. This is really talking about the end goal of our faith, the “consummated goal,” like when the Jewish groom has now prepared the place for his bride and he comes to get her and to take her to be with him, which is when their marriage is consummated.

And this parallels over to our salvation. For we are saved (past), we are being saved (present active), and we will be saved (future) when Jesus Christ (our husband/groom) returns for us, his bride, and he takes us to be with him in the place he has prepared for us, which is when our marriage to him is consummated and our salvation is complete. So, in verse 4, when it speaks of steadfastness having its full effect, that we may be perfect and complete, it is talking about the process and the end goal of our faith.

And this ties in with verse 12 because it tells us that we are blessed of God who remain steadfast under trial, for when we have stood the test we will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Again, this is the process and the end goal of our faith. And please know that those who love him are those who obey him, and if we do not obey him we do not love him, and we do not know him, and we do NOT have eternal life in him. So obedience to our Lord is part of believing faith which saves.

[Matt 7:21-23; Matt 24:9-14; Lu 9:23-26; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14,24; Rom 12:1-2; Rom 13:11; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; 1 Co 1:18; 1 Co 15:1-2; 2 Tim 1:8-9; Heb 9:28; 1 Pet 1:5; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-17; 1 Pet 2:24; Tit 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-9; 1 Jn 2:3-6,24-25; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 3:6,14-15; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
Thanks for the exhortation !

 

[Christsfreeservant]

You are welcome. Glory to God.