THE JOY OF TRIALS: JAMES 1:1-2

Verses 1-2: James, a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes who are dispersed abroad: Greetings. Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials.1

 

James begins by briefly stating two things: First, that he is a ‘bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ.’ The phrase ‘bond-servant’ is translated ‘slave’ elsewhere in the Bible and refers to someone who has been enslaved against their will. However, the writers of the New Testament adopt the Hebrew connotation of the word denoting a person who has willing submitted themselves to the service of another.

Secondly, he then declares the fact that Jesus Christ is Lord, thus affirming that He indeed was truly deity. This is a noteworthy statement coming from one who was most assuredly the half-brother of the Lord Jesus.

He then adds that he writes this epistle to his fellow Jews who have been scattered across the known world at this time. Many faced persecution because of their expression of faith in Jesus Christ as their Messiah. And since this was an abomination to the Jewish leaders of the day, they faced religious as well as cultural ostracism.

Consider Joy

James proceeds right into his discourse by issuing the command: consider. We are to consider [count - KJV] or to think or regard as joy when we encounter various trials. These ‘various trials’ could entail adversities that range from personal misfortunes to the enticement of sin, either overt or secreted. These trials may also include testing our momentum to advance in the Christian life. They may come from a number of sources: our marriage, our family, or friends; the people we work with; from government or a business or an organization; a disaster we encounter like warfare, weather, criminal activity, loss of a loved one; they may even be self-induced because of poor decisions. Our ability to overcome testing will be determined by the amount of doctrinal truth we know and our ability to apply it to the circumstances.

In order to regard these trials as joy demands thinking, and what we as believers think needs to be grounded in our knowledge of doctrine. But if that doesn’t seem to be a super-human feat, we are to regard all these trials as joy. And in the Bible, all means all—every trial that we are confronted with, we are to consider it all joy.

But what is meant by joy? Dr. Davids explains that this is pure joy but it “is not a present happiness, but joy in anticipation of God’s future.2 God’s future anticipates our spiritual growth, enabling us to endure any and all obstacles. Now this doesn’t mean that in the midst of a tragedy (illness, death, etc.) that we are to jump up and click our heels and yell “Hallelujah!” What James is telling us is that we should not lose the joy of our salvation and despise the opportunity that trials provide for our spiritual maturing. James will discuss this in the following verses.

But first, notice that the word ‘encounter’ indicates “to fall into the midst of something so as to be totally surrounded by it.”3 Very much like the expression we might use when someone becomes entangled in some difficulty: “He really fell into it this time!” Almost as if someone was walking about, minding their own business and WHAM! They fall flat in the midst of an overwhelming dilemma.

That is exactly what James means. We may be going merrily through life and without forewarning we are suddenly faced with a desperate and traumatic situation. And sometimes it can be a large problem or a small difficulty—like the charge of an elephant or the sting of a bee. It is in these times that we are to stop—before we blow our stacks—and consider it an opportunity to put into action the promise of God’s sustainment and our total reliance upon Him for the outcome.

It is at this moment when our knowledge of His Word can be utilized to overcome the trial. If we simply recall certain promises of Scripture and claim His guidance through the troublesome time, we will acquire the power needed to have victory over any testing.

For example: when we are upset over the loss of a job or having been jilted by a loved one, we should take a promise of how God provides peace and claiming His sustainment during this time.

You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. (Isaiah 26:3 ESV)

The key to this verse is that God provides perfect peace as a result of our trust in Him. When the full meaning of this verse is understood and believed that God has a perfect plan for our lives and in spite of this moment in time when we are saddened and feeling dejected, He still has a direction for our life that will fulfill His plan. Once we realize that our lives are centered in His plan, we will be able to consider it joy in the midst of trial or testing.

This is not meant to be some psychological mind trick. This is absolute assurance and trust that God has our best interest in mind. We should be encouraged by His great promise concerning testing and temptation:

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)

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[1] All scriptures are quoted from the New American Standard Bible, unless where noted

[2] Davids, P. H. (1994). James. In New Bible Commentary: 21st Century Edition (D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, & G. J. Wenham, Eds.), Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press, p. 1357.

[3] Zodhiates, S. (2000). The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament (electronic ed.). Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, G4045.

 

© 2023 David M. Rossi

THE WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY

Those who continually vote Democrat are on the wrong side of history. Our country was founded as a constitutional republic, NOT a democracy. In the past 75 years, we have slowly been pushed into a democratic mold that deplores the constitution, law and order and personal responsibility. The leaders of a constitutional republic, all three branches, were meant to “hold the line” of our founding principles. What we see now is a President who thumbs his nose at the Constitution, a Congress that aspires at all costs to preserve their place of power, and a Supreme Court that is in disagreement as how to interpret the Constitution of the United States. Instead of a country striving to attain the high ground of morality within the nations of the world, we, as Judge Robert Bork wrote, are slouching towards Gomorrah.

Today we are faced with another great challenge. Do we continue on this course slowing easing our way to perdition? We certainly can, by electing the one who believes they are above the law and can buy, lie and steal their way to the White House. And once there, continue the spiral our nation into historical disaster, by nominating and stacking liberal justices to the Supreme Court; restricting the rights of Americans to defend themselves; further diminishing the armed forces, putting our country in greater danger; opening the borders to allow anyone to come in, for any reason, to live on the taxpayers dime; and to further dig ourselves deeper into national debt, so deep that our great-grandchildren will ultimately live in a dystopian wasteland.

The good news is that we could elect the one who has not been a part of the political rank and file (You know, the promise the moon–a chicken in every pot–pot for everyone–free college–let’s soak the rich crowd).  This candidate has promised to make America great again, at home and abroad, to rebuild our national defenses, to stop the influx of illegal immigration (that’s illegal, in case you missed it), to support our law enforcement officers, and most importantly, to nominate justices to the Supreme Court who will interpret the Constitution according to the Framers intent.

The United States of America is not what the liberals characterize it to be with their disdain of intents and aspirations of the Founding Fathers “to form a more perfect union.” Moral degeneracy doesn’t exemplify a perfect union. But THAT is what the liberals say we are. By trying to please everyone in order to get their vote, they have marginalized faith in the God of Scripture, Who our Founding Fathers believed in, and Who is able to supply us with divine guidance to impede national disaster.

This election will be revealing. How many Christians will pursue the liberals’ siren call? A Christian could vote for the liberal candidate (not to encourage it). After all, they do have the right to be wrong. But they’d be on the wrong side of history.

My People Are Destroyed For Lack Of Knowledge

  

The prophet Hosea ministered to the Northern Kingdom of Israel about 12 years before the capital Samaria fell to the Assyrians in 722 b.c. (2 Kings 17). The majority of Jews living in the Northern Kingdom were deported to Halan and Habor, West of Carchemish. The king of Assyria then repopulated the Jewish cities with his people from a number of cities including Babylon (2 Kings 17:24).

   Like the prophet Amos (755 b.c.) before him, Hosea condemned Israel for its lack of faithfulness to their God (4:2). And since Israel was God’s client nation on earth, with the responsibility to demonstrate to all of the nations which lived in the region regarding the reality of the one true God of the universe. In other words, just like our country is a client nation for spreading the Gospel, the Israelites were supposed to be doing the same.

   They failed. It is instructive for us today to understand why they failed.

   In Hosea chapter 4, he states the reason for their failure.

Verse 1, the indictment is laid out:

Listen to the word of the Lord, O sons of Israel, for the Lord has a case against the inhabitants of the land, because there is no faithfulness or kindness, or knowledge of God in the land.

Verse 2, Hosea describes how these people of God were occupied instead of undertaking their divine directive:

There is swearing, deception, murder, stealing and adultery. They employ violence, so that bloodshed follows bloodshed.

Verse 3 divulges the unintended consequences of their rebellion:

Therefore the land mourns, and everyone who lives in it languishes along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky, and also the fish of the sea disappear.

   Note the phrase “everyone who lives in it languishes.” The word languish means to become weakened or feeble. But here it doesn’t mean in a physical sense, but in a moral and spiritual sense.

Verse 4, Hosea warns those who would attempt to refute the case which the Lord has against His people:

Yet let no one find fault, and let none offer reproof; for your people are like those who contend with the priest.

   In other words, God doesn’t want to hear their rationalization for their sinful rebellious behavior, because they will be just as argumentative towards Him as they are to their own priests.

Verse 5 explains their fate because of their rebellion:

So you will stumble by day, and the prophet also will stumble with you by night; and I will destroy your mother.

   To destroy your mother is like cutting off the read of the snake – the whole nation will be destroyed.

Verse 6 informs us in definitive terms why they have been destroyed by the Assyrians:

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.

   But unlike verse 1 where he mentions ‘no faithfulness or kindness or knowledge of God,’ Hosea now pinpoints the problem with the Israelites: ‘lack of knowledge.’ I doubt if he is referring to the lack of knowledge concerning the details of life (cooking, hunting, farming, caring for the animals, etc.). But you can be certain that this has to do with their lack of knowledge regarding the teachings of their God and the principles of the doctrines found therein.

   Knowledge of Biblical doctrine requires that it be learned, which also suggests that it needs to be taught. Hosea takes to task the priests, the religious leaders, for not doing their job of teaching the Israelites the precepts of godly living. Therefore the people go about committing all those overt sins mentioned in verse 2 – a perfect formula of failure for God’s people who reject knowledge, leading to the removal of the nation.

Application for the Twenty-First Century Believer

   What does this have to do with believers in Jesus Christ in the 21^st Century? Specifically: the survival of our country and its status as a client nation for God. For the moment, never mind the unbelievers who are under the control of evil and are driving their social endeavors of anarchy and corruption. None of these people and none of our present leaders will ever save our country. If we believe (and we should) that Jesus Christ controls history, then we should understand that He will allow our country to fail when there is evidence of the same conditions as in Hosea’s day: the majority of believers who reject the knowledge doctrine.

   Knowledge of doctrine means that you understand the principles of God’s Word, that you live by them and that you apply them to the events of your life. It demands that these principles become embedded in your consciousness so that you are able to recognize every eventuality of life in order to determine its value upon divine viewpoint – and then know how to respond. 

   And further, it means influencing those around you, i.e. family, friends, co-workers, and neighbors. When all believers are practicing their faith in this manner, it will result in the reshaping and changing of the minds of the unbeliever – the culture as a whole.

   This is our mission for the 21^st Century. Not the endeavors of the social gospel or the gospel of prosperity (whether personal or financial). Not the drive towards a ‘feel good religion’ characterized by the mega-church movement with its excessive emphasis upon praise bands and raised hands and sermonettes for Christian-ettes. Not the Emerging Church movement with the heresy of its “generous orthodoxy.”

   To accomplish this mission it is imperative that the apostasy in the name of Christianity be confronted for what it is. This will take courage and total reliance on the Holy Spirit to empower Biblical leaders from seminaries, Bible colleges and churches to teach from the inspired, inerrant and ultimately authoritative source from God: Scripture.

   Without this mission, we as a nation will suffer destruction as did the Israel nations in the time of Hosea. The destruction may take many different forms from how they suffered. But one thing for certain, we will lose our ability to serve and worship God freely.

   So therefore, the key to the future survival of the United States is not in the political parties, Congress, Supreme Court or the President. It lies with the believers of Jesus Christ to respond to the real mission of our age: to gain knowledge from God’s Word in order to live lives that witness the reality of His existence. And as Jesus stated in John 17:21 that if we as believers demonstrate unity “the world may believe” that the Father sent His Son, Jesus Christ.

 

© 2022 David M. Rossi