CHRISTIANITY 101
Tests That Christians Must Pass (James 1:1-27)
Who among us dislikes exams and quizzes? Back in school days, most of us probably despised having them, especially those that just pop out of the blue. I remember one incident back in college. It was just the beginning of the semester, the first meeting with our new professor, and as she entered the room she asked us to take out a piece of paper for a quiz. Everybody was surprised. You could hear murmurings from across the room. To begin with, nobody even brought paper! Our professor was so disappointed that he would just give a perfect score to anyone who could bring out a clean sheet of paper. It was one of the rare moments that I was thankful that nobody was ready for a quiz.
That experience was both silly and shameful. In our Christian life, being unprepared for the trials we meet may cause us serious complications. When you don’t have enough strength to resist adultery, it can cause you your marriage, and it’s not funny. When we give in to temptation it results to sin, and sin brings death, and this not a laughing matter.
When the book of James was written, the author’s goals were to expose hypocritical practices and to teach right Christian behavior. The message was originally meant for the first-century Christians residing in gentile communities outside Palestine. The author was concerned for the persecuted Christians who were once part of the Jerusalem church.
James 1:2-4
All human beings experiences trials, dilemmas and persecutions in some point of our lives. That is a fact. Now as a Christian, you get twice as much of those compared to an unbeliever. Does that scare you? It might scare an ordinary human, but if really are a Christian, you know the fact that God is with you and whatever trial or dilemma you are facing can turn into blessings.
The character of the Christian is being tested. The point is not just pretending to be happy when we face pain but to have an optimistic outlook. Consider it an opportunity to turn hardships into times of learning. In science, the more viruses you encounter the more immune you become to diseases. When you have been exposed to chicken pox or measles during childhood, you won’t have them ever. The body has already the proper defenses against the virus before it starts a disease.
These hardships aids in our spiritual growth. We can not really know the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure. It’s easy to act kind and loving towards others when all things are well.
I. The Test of Faith (v. 5 – 8)
Epistemology is the branch of philosophy concerned with the scope and limitation of knowledge. Human knowledge is limited. God’s is beyond human knowledge and is limitless. We should ask God for wisdom not just knowledge. Having wisdom is the ability to make wise decisions in difficult circumstances. An intelligent person may have profound ideas, but a wise person put s profound ideas into action.
When we ask God for wisdom, we asked with an unwavering faith, immovable and steadfast. Our faith should be constant, not rising or sinking in each moment. Our faith should also be undivided (double minded man). A person with a divided loyalty is not convinced that God’s way is the best way.
II. Test of Humility (v.9 – 11)
Christianity brings a new dignity to the poor and not so influential people of this world. That dignity is most apparent in the church, where there is no class distinction. Whether our collars are blue or white, we share the same dignity of being changed of the gospel. Whatever our social or economic situation, we are challenged to see it beyond our eternal advantages. What we can have in Jesus Christ outweighs anything in this life. Everything we have on earth is like a flower quickly fading under the sun. it won’t even last a day.
III. Test of Endurance and Temptation (v. 12 -16)
The crown of life is like the victory wreath given to athletes. God’s crown of life is not glory and honor here on earth but the reward of eternal life-living with God forever. The way to be in God’s winners’ circle is by loving Him and staying faithful even under pressure.
Temptation comes from evil desires inside us. It is not from God. God may test us, but he will never tempt us by trying to seduce us to sin. God sometimes allows Satan to tempt people in order to refine their faith.
Temptation begins with an evil thought and becomes sin when we dwell on the thought and allow it to become an action. It’s like a snowball rolling down the hill; sin grows more destructive the more we let it have its way.
7 stages in temptation
1. Tempted - thought of evil
2. Drawn away - strong imagination
3. Lust - delight in viewing it
4. Enticed - weakening of the will
5. Lust conceived - yielding
6. Sin - sinful act committed
7. Death - result of actual sin
The best to stop a temptation is before it is too strong or moving too fast to control. We can resist the temptation to sin by turning to God for strength and choosing to obey His Word.
IV. Test of Appreciation (v.17)
Whatever is good comes from God, who is unchanging and constant.
V. Test of Christian experience- new birth (v. 18)
A kind of first fruits - By creatures we are here to understand the Gentiles, and by first fruits the Jews, to whom the Gospel was first sent; and those of them that believed were the first fruits of that astonishing harvest which God has since reaped over the whole Gentile world. We should die to one’s self and be born again.
VI. Test of Christian living (v.19 – 21)
Commands to Christians:
- be swift to hear
- be slow to speak
- be slow to wrath
- lay aside all filthiness
- lay aside all overflowing of wickedness
- receive the word with meekness
When we talk too much and listen too little, we communicate to others that our ideas are more important than theirs. When people talk with you, do they feel their ideas and viewpoints have values?
These verses speak of anger that erupts when our ego is bruised. We should never be angry when we fail to win an argument or when we feel offended or neglected. If our old self is dead and if we are born again in Christ, pride and ego will never be an issue.
We need to humbly accept the salvation message we have received because it alone can save us.
VII. Test of Obedience (v.22 – 25)
It is important to listen to what the Word of God says, but it is more important to obey it and do what it says. We can measure the effectiveness of our bible study time by the effect it has on our behavior and attitudes.
The word of God is like a mirror that lets us see our imperfections and blemishes and so we make a move to wash any imperfections that we see.
During a Presidential Prayer breakfast in Washington, this diminutive woman, just four feet and a few inches tall, stood in front of an audience of luminaries from around the world and fearlessly pleaded for protection of babies in their mothers’ wombs. She called for the leaders to take pity on the weakest and to show compassion on the little ones. “How,” she asked, “can we speak out against violence when we are the most brutal with the most defenseless?” President Clinton, when asked about his opinion about what Mother Theresa had to say, paused and said, “It is very difficult to argue to a life so beautifully lived.”
- Source: Ravi Zacharias, Telling the Truth
VIII. Test of Pure Religion
We should be able to distinguish true and pure from false and vain religion.
Vain religion is much for a show- affecting to seem the eyes of the others. Are we concerned to “seeming” or “looking” more religious than we really are? We should abstain to the evils of the tongue. We should not speak to lessen the wisdom and piety of others so that we may seem the wiser and better. People who practice religion in vain do not only deceive other people but also deceive their own souls. Whereas true religion is before God, chiefly attains for His approbation. It is compassionate. It doesn’t merely dwell on ceremonies or traditions but to holiness and charity.
CONCLUSION:
There are many characteristics that are required for Christian in able to pass the different tests that we will encounter. But the real challenge is the application of all the things that we have learned in our lives. Back in school, the most of the difficult exams are not the ones that are written and theoretical, but are the practical exams where you are to apply everything you’ve learned. The same thing when it comes to being a Christian. We can memorize and learn as much knowledge as we want and recite it over and over again, but still it is our actions that will tell our identities as Christians, not our lips. It is our actions that will minister to others. As a famous poem says “I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day; I’d rather one walk with me than merely tell the way; the eyes is a better pupil and more willing than the ear; fine counsel is confusing, but example’s always clear.”
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