St.John's Church - An ecumenical partnership serving the needs of the Grove Green and Weavering communities

James has got some very practical, relevant and applicable advice for his readers to follow. Let’s look at chapter one verses 2 – 4, and then at 12, 14 – 15.
James call his readers “brothers” 15 times in this short letter. He doesn’t want to preach at them from on high or be thought of a bossing them around. He wants to draw alongside them, win them over, help them. “v.2 Consider it pure joy” The Bible often tell us to do things that hard or strange or don’t come easily or naturally. Rejoice in the Lord always or pray continually or forgive your enemies or whatever.The Bible tells us to do the precisely because they don’t come easily or naturally. If they did, the Bible wouldn’t have to tell us to do them, would it? So if you think this is difficult, you’re right, it is, that’s OK, but we’re still called to do it.
Why should we “2 Consider it pure joy”? Because, says James, tests and trials and temptations make you stronger, healthier Christians. There’s one word in the Greek for tempt, trial and test (and all their related word like temptation, testing, etc.)
In English we have three: tempt, trial and test – T, T ,T – but the Greek uses the same word. So 1:2 (x2); 1:12 (x2) and 1:13 and 1:14 those T words are one and the same in the Greek, notice here before we go any further that James says “2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds . . .” Not “if” you face trials of many kinds, but “when”. They are coming whether you like it or not (Children: “coming ready or not!”). The word there “face” is actually to “fall into”, or to “happen upon”. They’re coming – not “if” but “when”, and it’s not your fault – you didn’t make them and you’re not to go looking for them.
OK so far? Good, now say something with me: Testing testing 1, 2, 3. Say it with me . . . Two types of testing, both with three steps or stages, hence “testing testing 1, 2, 3” OK?
First types of test: the one we pass, Second types of test: the one we fail.
First type of test, the one we pass, has three steps or stages. Second types of test, the one we fail, three steps or stages. Let’s look at them briefly:
The first type, the test we pass: verses 2, 3 & 4 and also verse 12.

2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. 4Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
12Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

The three steps or stages are these:
1. Testing develops perseverance (v. 3)
2. Perseverance develops in to perfection. (v. 4)
3. That person will be blessed and will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. (v. 12)
Let’s look at the that first type, the test we pass in a bit more depth:
1. Testing develops perseverance (v. 3)
-- not grim determination through gritted teeth but going forward and growing up. Getting bigger and better and stronger and closer to God in and through our troubles, and doing all this with joy. Joy is not an emotional response, it is a theological choice, an act of will, an attitude. Happiness is reactive; joy is proactive. Happiness is produced by situations and circumstances; joy is chosen and cultivated in spite of them.
2. Perseverance develops into perfection. (v. 4)
The Greek has no word for perfect. It has a word for “complete” or “fulfilled” or “finished”. and that’s the word here. James uses it at least eight times in this short letter [In fact, it is the same word Jesus says from the cross: “It is finished” could be read “It is completed” or “It is fulfilled” or “It is perfected”. “When God had created the world, he looked at it and, behold, it was very good. When Christ died upon the cross, he said–“It is finished.” Soren Kierkegaard]
3. That person will be blessed and will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. (v. 12)
What bit of that don’t you understand? It’s not rocket science. OK?
That was the first type of test: the one we pass. Three steps or stages.
Now for the second type of test: the one we fail. This second type of test: the one we fail is verses 14 & 15.

14but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. 15Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.

That, too has, three steps or stages, and the three steps or stages are these:
1. A person is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. (v. 14)
2. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. (v.15 a)
3. Sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (v.15 b)
Let’s look at second type of test, the one we fail, in a bit more depth:
1. A person is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. (v. 14)
We tempt or test OURSELVES. It’s not God, it’s not even the devil or anyone or anything else outside of us. We let it happen and we can stop it happening. We are responsible.
2. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin. (v.15 a)
When we entertain evil desires we are incubating eggs, we are pregnant with sin. We have planted seeds and the first green shoots are coming up. We have to nip sin in the bud, deal with the kitten and not with the tiger. We have let sin in, allowed it to get under our skin. But it’s not too late! We have gone down that road but there is still a turning off it if we want to take it and get off that road and go the other way. But not for long . . .
3. Sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death (v.15 b)
What bit of that don’t you understand? It’s not rocket science [The Greek says: Sin, when it is perfected – i.e. “complete” or “fulfilled” or “finished” gives birth to death.]
So: recap testing / trials / temptations (same word) are coming. Not “if” but “when”, and you will face them (“fall into them”) – not sought or made by you, they will either make you stronger or weaker. Like a game of snakes and ladders, we are responsible (James calls us “brothers” x 15 not “children” as Paul and Jesus): we have wills and make choices and take decisions. As St. Augustine said: you are as holy as . . . (?) you want to be. You are as holy as you want to be. Do you want a crown of life or death It’s your choice, the outcome determined by how you handle trouble in the form of testing, trials and temptations. Remember the snakes and ladders: your can choose whether you’re going up or down, and you are as holy as you want to be.

Amen