James 1:2-4

Testing Produces Patient Endurance Which Finally Results In Being Made Perfect (James 1:2).

In these words that follow James sums up the essence of the Christian life. He speaks of the joy of a vibrant faith, which boldly faces up to tests and trials, and results in patient endurance, and final spiritual completeness and maturity (compare Romans 5:3). It underlines the fact that we must ‘through much tribulation enter under the Kingly Rule of God' (Acts 14:22).

Christians Are To Rejoice When They Are Tested Because They Know That It will Teach Them How To Endure And Will Result In Their Becoming Spiritually Mature (James 1:2).

We should note that there is no suggestion here that Christians should seek to experience trials and tests. Indeed Jesus taught us to pray, ‘Do not lead me into testing'. What James is rather dealing with is the fact that in the course of life the Christian can expect to be tested in various ways, for it is by such testing that he can be weaned away from the world and can become strong.

Certainly such testing was true in the early days. The Jews were beginning to hate the Christians, seeing them as heretics and blasphemers. Gentiles were beginning to be suspicious of them. The net result was that they often had to face up to niggling persecution and ridicule, with it sometimes even growing more severe. We have various examples of it in the book of Acts. Certainly James knows that that is what God's people must expect.