Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5: 1-11)
The Epistle of James—The Gifts of God 1:1-18—Part 1
- Theme: How to live through trials
- The Christian Attitude Toward Suffering (1:2-4)
- “Count it all joy” – James begins with a very difficult admonition. Joy when bad things happen?
- “Various trials” – life is filled with all types of trials, because we need maturing in various ways.
- “Trials” – is not the same as temptation.
- Trials = outward opportunity to sin.
- Temptation = inward desire to sin.
- Temptation often comes in how we react to trials.
- “Testing” – to purge out the impurities.
- God tests us to bring out our best—Satan tempts us to bring out our worst.
- Testing produces steadfastness (patience).
- Impatience and unbelief go hand in hand, as do patience and faith.
- “Perfect” – full grown, mature, fit for a purpose
- Does not mean sinless.
- Wisdom in Trials (1:5-8)
- Wisdom as used by James—the effective understanding of the believer’s journey through life.
- Not general wisdom, but wisdom to see the value in trials.
- “Let him ask” – God promises wisdom to those who ask.
- God supplies wisdom through His providence and His word working together—not miraculously.
- “Ask in faith, with no doubting” – we must believe in God’s promises.
- Wisdom as used by James—the effective understanding of the believer’s journey through life.
