Off to the races with James
What is steadfastness? What does the Bible say about it? How can we we attain it?
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James 1:2-4
Started with James today because it is often described as the most practical guide to living a Christian life. I know a lot of folks might think, “Being happy about going through crumby times doesn’t sound very practical.” But, when you break it down, it really is a step-by-step guide to becoming like Christ. Becoming like Christ doesn’t happen overnight. Sanctification takes the rest of your life. From the day you hear the Gospel and are regenerated through the gift of faith, the sanctification begins. The perfecting of our faith and our lives will never be accomplished in this life.
I want to get into James, but first some scripture to back up the process described above:
You hear the Gospel
So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
Romans 10:17
Faith is a gift
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
Sanctification – the fruit of steadfastness
28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
Romans 8:28-30
- *A quick note on Romans 8:28, or “The Great Eight,” as Pastor John Piper calls it. The good that God is bringing about through the work of all things, is not Your Best Life Now. At least that’s not what I believe it is. I believe it is referring to sanctification. God works all things in our life for the good, meaning He uses all things in our lives to conform us to the image of Christ, culminating in our glorification.
Back to James
Okay, back to James. So how is this practical for a man trying to live a Christian life?
Count it all joy
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2
The testing of your faith produces steadfastness
Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong.
1 Corinthians 16:13
5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
2 Peter 1:5-7
2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.”
Romans 5:2-5
Let steadfastness have its full effect
8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.
1 Peter 5:8-10
Such Excellent Promises!
Such excellent promises, and such a perfect example of steadfastness in Christ! But, wait a minute, how did that sober-minded bit get in there? Well, well, nice day for it.
We can count trials as joy, not because we are happy we are suffering. The joy is present because we know that trials are used by God to bring about our good. Slowly, sometimes tectonically slowly, we are being made like our savior, Jesus Christ. That seems practical to me, as well as reassuring. We are to rest on the promises, and look to our future with joy.
3 His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence,4 by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.
2 Peter 1:3-4
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
James 1:12
The Imitation of Christ
From time to time, it is good for us to encounter troubles and adversities, for troubles compel us to search our hearts. It reminds us that we are strangers here, and that we can have no hope of anything in this world. Also, we benefit when we face opposition, and when people think badly of us and misjudge us, even when we do and mean well. Such things assist our humility, and preserve us from pride and empty glory. When others despise us and think no good of us, we more readily turn to the inner judgment of God.
Therefore we should place such complete trust in God that we need no human comfort. When a good people are troubled, tempted, or disturbed by evil thoughts, they come to realize more clearly than ever that they need God, without whom we can do nothing good.
Thomas A Kempis, The Imitation of Christ, (20), Penguin Classics, 2013
Well, this is the morning update, Day 1 of ye olde quest. Got to stay sober-minded! There are 364 days ahead!
I need to put a rubber band on my wrist as a reminder to” lay aside every weight, and sin”. Eveytime a burdensome worry creeps in, pop myself. It would help to continually delight in the Lord and by joyful!
It is interesting to me that we people of 1st world countries invent so much to struggle against, when there is a perfectly good struggle to be had in our own hearts. I’m reminded of C.S. Lewis describing God’s love as an “intolerable compliment.” That God’s love requires that God puts us through adversity, “In the same way, it is natural for us to wish that God had designed for us a less glorious and less arduous destiny; but then we are wishing not for more love but for less.”