An Exposition on the Book of James Part 1.

Have you ever noticed that the tools that are used to forge metal are often the tools that are forged. If you need a hammer to make a hammer, how do you get a hammer? While I don’t know much about blacksmithing, I do know that Faith, like a forged tool, must pass through the trials fire and the testing of the hammer to be of any use to the possessor of it. That is why James, the half-brother of Jesus, tells us to “count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;” That word temptations not meaning sin, but trials or testings. He can say this because he understands that once the trial is over, the possessor of faith will have a tool that has proven itself.

The Bible says that the trying of faith worketh patience, that is it produces a person who is in possession of the character quality, patience. And patience has something to produce in the man who has it, and that is completeness, or as the text say that “ye may be Perfect.” Faith works patience and patience works to make us perfect or complete. The Hamer is needed to produce the blade, the blade is needed to cut the wood, the wood is needed to swing the hammer. They all rely upon the other.

James here is talking to the twelve tribes that were scattered abroad. The reason they are scattered is in part because Rome had been killing people and forcing them out of their land and the Jewish leaders were also persecuting the church. So, they are going through trials because of their faith. He is not talking to nursing home Israelites who were suffering because their big toe hurts. He is talking to people who have had their life turned upside down all because they believed the message of Jesus Christ. And James said, even though people are trying to kill you for your faith, count it all joy.

When I think of an Old Testament example of this lesson. I think of someone who had received a great promise of God. David was told that he would become the King of Isreal, even though there was another king on the throne. He was young, and he was faithful to God, but his faith in the promise of God making him king was tried by Saul growing to hate him and trying to kill him.

Many of the great Psalms were the result of David’s trial in the wilderness. His faith being tired for some thirteen years as Saul was trying to kill him. No, he wasn’t perfect in his trial, but he always came back to the promise of God. Were there times that he was double minded? Absolutely. What is double mindedness? Simply an unperfected faith. A faith that has not yet been tried, or worse A faith that has failed the test. David had moments when he thought he was going to die at the hand of Saul, then he had times of great faith which showed itself in boldness. Read I Samuel 18-22 to refresh on some of these things.

As Followers of Jesus Christ, trials shall come. Our faith will be tested. When we perceive the trial of our faith, when doubts start to set in, we need to ask two questions:

1 – What promise of God am I doubting? There are countless promises God gives us to place our Faith in. Are you doubting if you have everlasting life? find the promises in the Word of God and try to fully understand what the conditions are. If God is promising Eternal life for those have called upon him in faith and repentance, have you met the conditions? If so, trust in God’s Word and the character of the one who promised because he is faithful.

2 – How can God use my situation to better my faith. Romans 8:28 tells us “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” God is desiring to do a work through he trials that he has allowed in our life.

He wants to forge in us a perfect faith, because it is faith, in his Word that gives us the power to make it through the trial. It is trusting in his Word that allows the mountains to be moved, and the wisdom to be gained. It is not our riches that we should be trusting in but his Word alone. God doesn’t want us to be in lack, but live a life that is filled with all of his blessings and that is why he allows us to be tried. Because it is through the fire that the gold is purified. Is through the heat that the dross is melted away. It is through the Hamer that the Hot iron is made tough. It is through the grinding and filing that the blade is made sharp. God has ordained that all of those who have faith, go through the trials of their faith. Not because he enjoys our pain, but because we lack perfection. Because we will come out of the other side of the trial with a more perfectly forged faith.

James 1:1-4 KJV

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.

My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

No matter what you are going through, if you are a true child of God, he has given you an abundance of exceedingly good promises. Allow me to share one quickly:

Hebrews 13:5 KJV

Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Deuteronomy 31:6

Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

God will not leave you no matter what you are going through. He allows the things that test our faith. But, as Jesus appeared in Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace, so will he not let us go through the trials alone. remember that our God is faithful.

S.T. 
Acts 20:24
"But none of these things move me..."