Trial, Cont'd

 

September 23, 2011 [Friday],

Dear Fellow Travelers,

          When You Encounter Various Trials (cont’d)

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all men generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith without doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways (James 1:2-8).

        Now, based on what the rest of the Scriptures teach us regarding the doctrine of soteriology (salvation), I must assume that the “perfect and complete” to which James refers has nothing to do with the finished work of Jesus, by which He justified us and sanctified us, thereby, making us perfect and complete before God. Surely, endurance cannot accomplish what it took the vicarious death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus to accomplish! This assumption, however, leaves us with this obvious question: If James’ reference to our being “perfect and complete” has nothing to do with our standing before God, then to what is he referring?

        In my opinion, James is referring to our becoming mature as Christians; however, this maturity has nothing to do with how often we have a quiet time, or how quickly we forgive, or how quickly we turn the other cheek, or how generously we give, or how infrequently we curse, or how much better we are this year than we were last year. Much to the contrary, this maturity has to do with our ability to exercise the measure of faith that God has so graciously entrusted to us, a measure of faith that is evidenced by our trusting Him (resting in His finished work) when we are traveling through the worst of trials. In the end, this makes it quite clear that not one of us is fully mature, not even close; consequently, we can expect the “various trials” to continue until we perfectly and completely trust Him in every situation and circumstance.

This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent" (John 6:29 NASB).