James explains how to gain a life-giving faith. Those who persevere joyfully in trials, study and apply God’s word, love their rich and poor neighbors, express good works through their faith, praise God with their tongue and choose heavenly wisdom gain spiritual maturity, receive crown of life, express pure religion, show mercy and active faith, prevent corruption and bear righteousness.
Persevere Joyfully in Trials
When Christians considered trials as pure joy when their faith was tested, they developed perseverance, maturity and completeness without lacking anything. God gave generously without finding fault if they asked Him for wisdom in faith without doubts and double-mindedness. Those in humble circumstances were in a high position compared to the rich who faded away like a flower. Those who persevered under trial received the crown of life promised to those who loved God. Temptations were caused by evil desires. If birthed sin after conception leading to death when full-grown. Every good and perfect gift came from the Father of the heavenly lights who chose to birth people through the word of truth as firstfruits of all He created (James 1:1-18). Persevere joyfully in trials for spiritual maturity to gain the crown of life.
Study and Apply God’s Word
Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger in becoming righteous without moral filth. They humbly received the word implanted for salvation. Deception occurred when those listened to the word without obedience like looking in a mirror and forgetting what they looked like. Blessing came to those who looked intently and did according to the perfect law of liberty. Those who did not rein their tongue deceived themselves and had worthless religion. People with pure and faultless religion looked after orphans and widows in their distress and kept themselves unstained by the world (James 1:19-27). Study and apply God’s word by speaking carefully, looking after orphans and widows and refusing worldliness.
Love Rich and Poor Neighbors
If believers showed favoritism or gave special attention to a rich person and discriminated against the poor, they became judges with evil motives. God chose the poor to be rich in faith and inherit the kingdom promised to those who love Him. The rich exploited, dragged people into court and slandered peoples’ good name. People did good and kept the royal law by loving their neighbor as themselves. They sinned by showing favoritism. Whoever kept the whole law and stumbled in one point was guilty of breaking it. Judgment without mercy was shown to anyone who had not been merciful. Mercy triumphed over judgment (James 2:1-13). Love rich and poor neighbors by showing mercy and not judgment.
Express Good Works Through Your Active Faith
If someone told a brother or sister without clothes and daily food to be warm and well fed without helping their physical needs, his faith was worthless. Faith without works was dead and useless. Demons believed and shudder. Abraham was considered righteous when he offered his son Isaac on the altar. Faith and actions worked together to complete his faith by what he did. Abraham was called God’s friend after he believed God and it was credited to him as righteousness. People considered Rahab the prostitute righteous when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them in a different direction (James 2:14-26). Express good works through your active faith.
Praise God with Your Tongue
Those who presumed to be teachers were judged more strictly. By not stumbling in speech, they kept their body in check. Small parts like bits, rudders and tongues directed horses, ships and people, respectively. A small spark set a great forest on fire. Likewise, the tongue corrupted and set on fire the whole person being from hell, evil and full of deadly poison. The tongue praised God and cursed men who were made in His likeness. Fresh and salt water could not flow from the same spring. A salt spring could not produce fresh water (James 3:1-12). Praise God with your tongue to prevent corruption.
Choose Heavenly and Pure Wisdom
A wise and understanding person produced deeds done in humility. Bitter envy and selfish ambition that were earthly, unspiritual and devilish tempted a person to boast or deny it. It contained disorder and every evil practice. Wisdom from heaven was pure, peace loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sowed in peace raised a harvest of righteousness (James 3:13-18). Choose heavenly and pure wisdom as a peacemaker who bears a harvest of righteousness.
To gauge the condition of your faith, rate yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 (one being lowest and ten the highest) in the following areas:
1. Persevere joyfully in trials to gain spiritual maturity and crown of life
2. Study and apply God’s word to express pure religion
3. Love your rich and poor neighbors to show mercy
4. Express good works through your active faith
5. Praise God with your tongue to prevent corruption
6. Choose heavenly wisdom to bear righteousness
