HOW WE LIVE

"As you know, we count as blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job’s perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy." James 5:11

In his final chapter, James urges his readers to be patient and steadfast in the midst of trials (James 5:7-11). This is how he opened the letter too: with a call to choose joy despite present difficulties (1:2). In the intro he also explained why this is a good move: because these times test their faith…which produces perseverance on the bumpy path towards life…and perseverance is the only route to becoming mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:3-4).

The word translated as “mature” in James 1:4 is the Greek word teleios, which is sometimes translated “perfect;” and “complete” is the Greek word holoklēros, which may be rendered “whole.”

For James the opposite of one who is mature and complete (or perfect and whole) is one who is doubled-minded (James 1:8; 4:8). Rather than whole, the double-minded is divided. Instead of mature, they are fractured and unstable. Like double vision distorts a person’s perception of reality, double-mindedness distorts a believer’s ability to live with singular focus, consistent with the truth of their identity in Christ.

For this reason, we receive trials of many kinds with pure joy. For joy enables us to persevere through them and helps us to recognize that this is the way we grow up into maturity and begin to look more like Christ.