Results of Testing

Rev. Leonard Reiss

Lessons from a Stroke • Sermon • Submitted 5 years ago

James 1:2–12

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Testing of Christians should result in leading us to maturity in Christ.

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When life hands you a lemon, how do you handle it? It has been said that the most positive thing to do is to make lemonade.

Introduction

When life hands you a lemon, how do you handle it? It has been said that the most positive thing to do is to make lemonade.

Why must people look at the negative side of things, when testing comes their way? Why do we tend to complain when we feel that we are not being given a fair deal? Why is it necessary to buy into the logic that if things are not going smoothly, then there must be some unconfessed sin in our lives?

I believe that James would think to the contrary. In fact, James, 1:2-12, would suggest to us that testing of Christians should result in leading us to maturity in Christ.

There are four areas that will help us to look properly at life and what tests we may encounter as we look at . They are:

1. Consider the Joy

2. Contemplate Why

3. Consent to God

4. Call on God

Consider The Joy -

James 1

James 1:2 NASB95

Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials,

We can become what we think. There are some individuals who walk around fulfilling their own prophecies about life. They expect the very worst and seem to only see the dark side of life. You can guess what happens. The very worst seems to take place in their lives. It is as if they have almost brought a curse upon themselves. actually, they tend to live in such a way that it is almost impossible for the bad not to happen.

For the Christian, we do not have to expect the worst to happen. Sometimes it does happen though. Just because we try to think positively, does not guarantee good to happen. Christians live in a sinful, fallen world, along with the rest of humanity. In , , and , we are told to expect trials. We cannot expect the Christian life to be easy.

, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

, when Paul and Barnabbas were in Antioch, encouraging the believers to remain true to their faith, they stated, “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.”

, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.”

Something else we need to be aware of when Considering the Joy, is the fact that no two trials are alike.

My wife enjoys doing needlework, stitchery, crewel, whatever names that are given to making pictures out of thread. When we works on a project, the back of the cloth has all sorts of threads which seem to make no difference to my eye as to the result of the picture. Everything looks askew. Even for one who is crocheting or knitting an afghan, there are often a variety of yarns. On their own individual merits, they do not seem to have much potential. But with each item, the final product is a thing of beauty.

The same is true in our testing. The final product is a beautiful work for His glory. But we need to understand that only God sees the finished product during the difficult process.

When we face life’s trials, we must look at them from God’s perspective of what He wants to do in our lives. If our value system is on comforts, material goods, living for the present, then trials will only make us bitter.

But if our value system is on character, spiritual worth, living for the future, then trials will make us better.

Warren Wiersbe states, “to end with joy, begin with joy.”

As we consider the joy, we often need to contemplate why. This is a question similar to what Job was asking. It helps us to understand more clearly why we need to consider the joy.

Contemplate Why -

James 1:3 NASB95

knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.

James

We need to be reminded that faith is always being tested. Abraham was tested in order to increase his faith; as well as strengthen ours in the 21st century.

We also need to understand that there is a very distinct difference between testing and tempting. Satan is busy trying to tempt the Christian. Satan’s purpose in tempting is to bring out the worst in us.

God on the other hand, is testing our faith. God does not ever tempt us to sin. God tests in order to bring out the best in our lives. The testing of our faith shows where we truly place our trust.

It is also impossible to note that testing works for us, not against us. states it quite eloquently. “These (trials) have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.” There is an approval from God of the preciousness of our faith.

is a precious verse that many of us have appreciated so many time. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Things do not work for our God. But the Bible tells us that in all circumstances, God is at work to better us; to those who call upon the name of Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

gives us a proper perspective. “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” It does not matter how intense the trials may seem now; they are considered light and momentary in view of eternity.

As we contemplate why, we not only see that testing works for us in our faith, but trials help us in the maturity process. spell this out for us. “Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who he has given us.” God wants to develop in us the ability to keep going for Him, even when life is extremely difficult.

Patience is never just passively accepting the circumstances. It is a courageous perseverance; a stick-to-it-iveness that faces trials head-on.

Satan can defeat us if we are ignorant about God and His purposes for our lives. However, Satan cannot defeat us if we contemplate why and what God is planning to do through these testings and trials. You and I need to know our Bible and understand the purposes of God.

But simply considering the joy and contemplating why is often not enough. There is a further step that is essential if testing is going to truly benefit us.

Consent to God - ,

James 1:4 NASB95

And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

James 1:9–11 NASB95

But the brother of humble circumstances is to glory in his high position; and the rich man is to glory in his humiliation, because like flowering grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with a scorching wind and withers the grass; and its flower falls off and the beauty of its appearance is destroyed; so too the rich man in the midst of his pursuits will fade away.

In v.4, we see that God needs our cooperation to bring us to maturity. Our characters must be shaped and built before we can truly be used for service. God cannot use somebody who is unwilling to allow Him to completely remake us according to His desires. Too many Christians want to be “doing” something on our own. We need to surrender to God’s will. If we refuse to surrender to the Lordship of Christ, then we actually become more immature.

In vv.9-11, we see that when we do consent to God, we are ALL on level ground. There is something special in the fact that in Christ, we are equal. There is something special knowing that together we are learning to submit more and more of our lives to Jesus Christ.

The poor man can rejoice that he has spiritual riches that he cannot lose. The rich man can rejoice that he too has spiritual riches that he cannot lose. Worldly wealth means nothing. God is concerned about the real you, not just what you possess. It is our spiritual resources that will take us through the trials and testings, not our material resources.

As we consider the joy, we began to contemplate the why, which led us to the step of consenting to God. The final part of this section is something which we can do and need to do at all times.

Call on God -

James 1:5–8 NASB95

But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

James states it very simply and without shame; when trials come, ask God for wisdom.

Wisdom does not come cloaked with gray/white hair and wrinkles on the skin. Wisdom does not necessarily come with all sorts of schooling or experiences. Biblical wisdom is the right and proper use of knowledge.

One might wonder why we should pray for wisdom during a rough time of trials and testing. Would it not be easier to ask for God to spare us or to help us to endure? Endurance might be part of our request, but James has hit the nail on the head. When trials and testings come our way, you and I must ask God for His wisdom. The reason is so that we do not waste the opportunity that God has laid before us to grow up; to become mature in Christ.

Too often we are caught in the trap of asking God for strength, or grace, or deliverance. Asking God for strength is not really necessary. He has promised us strength already. Asking Him for grace is unnecessary since we have the riches of the grace of Christ Jesus. Deliverance is for the coward or the one who does not really want to grow. I too fall into these traps. More and more, I have been reminded that I need wisdom. I do not want to waste the opportunity that God is giving me.

Now the question arises as to how we ask. James states that we are to ask in faith without any fear. To plow a straight furrow requires that one sets their eyes on a particular target and not change their mind halfway down the field as to their perspective. I can still recall picking a utility pole a mile away and aiming for it. Partway down the field, I became convinced that my angle was incorrect, so I needed to readjust my position. The result was a furrow that was not straight.

Have you been to a beach where the waves come sliding up onto the shore? On the occasion where I have observed this, I usually pick out an object that is floating on the water. It comes partway in, acts as if it is ready to rest on the shore, then proceeds to go back out with part of the wave that is receding. The next wave come in, bringing the object a bit closer, but then it goes farther out than before. Finally, it seems to stay on the shore. A few minutes later, it begins to go back out to the water again, as it is being dragged back.

That is the picture of many of us when we ask God for wisdom. Sometimes we are afraid of what His response is going to be. We validate first one way, then another. We receive the wisdom of God, be we are unwilling to act upon it. When we behave like this, we waste the opportunity to receive God’s blessing as He had desired to help us in the maturity process.

Conclusion

Verse 12 brings this section to a full circle. James started and ended with joy.

We need to understand that James is not saying that only the one who faces these trials successfully will go to heaven. James is saying that the believer is rewarded by enduring trials. This is an athletic illustration. The laurel wreath is awarded to the visitor. But a laurel wreath was not of any permanent value regarding citizenship. To receive the laurel wreath, you had to compete in the games. In order to compete in the games, you had to be a citizen of the country. Those of you who are victorious and who have accepted Jesus Christ as your Saviour are still citizens of the kingdom; just not victors in this situation.

What are the rewards? You might ask.

Growth in Christian character. God does not reward us by taking us out of the test, but by helping us through them.

We are able to see the love of God more clearly and we are then able to respond in love. Because of this, we know that God does not intend to harm us but to better us. Love keeps us faithful to Him.

We are confident in God and we will not fall apart when trials come. We are secure in Him.

We will bring glory to God.

Testing of Christians should result in leading us to maturity in Christ.

When trials come, we can take these four steps to help us toward maturity:

1. Consider the Joy

2. Contemplate Why

3. Consent to God

4. Call on God

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