Growing up is a painful slow experience. Children trip and fall, get hurt, make mistakes, learn the hard way, cry, exercise, go through sorrow, sweat, get exhausted, listen to hours of instruction and survive growing pains, all in the process of maturing into adults.

Maturing as a Christian is an upward climb. Just as with physical maturity, there ought to be continual progress. When a child stops maturing physically, something is seriously wrong. If a Christian stops maturing spiritually, he or she has an even more serious problem.

Transition

James begins his letter with three steps Christians must take to begin maturing spiritually. (Read James 1:2-4)

The 1st step we must take to begin maturing spiritually is to…

Choose to be joyful during testings (v.2)

  1. Proving tests are part of everyone’s life
    1. James did not say “if” you fall into testing. He said “when”. Unavoidably, testings are part of every Christian’s growing up spiritually.
    2. The word “temptations” is a word that we must understand right at the start. It may describe temptations to do wrong. However, it also describes trials of life. By definition, it is a trial or proving. It is a trial of man’s fidelity, integrity and virtue. That is how it is used here.
    3. Temptations are proving tests in life that challenge and strengthen our fidelity, integrity and virtue with the goal of making us approved.
    4. To “fall into” proving tests is to find yourself in the middle of them.
  2. Proving tests come in many shapes and sizes
    1. James calls these testing times “divers temptations”. The word translated “divers” describes various colours or variegated. Thus, it depicts something of various sorts.
    2. God uses all sorts of things in life to test and prove us. He may use consequences of our disobedience. He may use a setback or disappointment in life. He may allow you to face persecution. These trials are not to be cruel, but to help us mature spiritually.
      ² Think of some of the trials you went through as a child that helped you mature – the trial and error of hitting your mouth with a spoon full of food; the bumps and bruises of learning to walk; the burn that taught you the meaning of the word “hot”; the sting of being lied about reinforced the need for truthfulness; the unpleasant consequences of sin motivated you to try to avoid sin.
  3. Proving tests are to be considered joyful
    1. While no proving test is an exciting, fun event, we should not hate these trying events.
    2. Rather, James says we are to consider each test a glad or joyful occasion. To do this, we must look beyond the discomfort and see what God is doing in our lives. Proving tests are necessary for our maturity.
      The 2nd step we must take to begin maturing spiritually is to…

Understand that proving is a process (v.3)

  1. Each proving test is testing your faith in God
    1. Notice that James says we must “know” or learn the truth about proving tests.
    2. He tells us that each test is trying our faith.
      1. The word “faith” is used here to describe a Christian’s relationship to Christ. No one becomes a true Christian by being born into a Christian family, by being baptised as a baby, by going to church, by confirmation or even by believing God exists (note Jas 2:19). The only way a person becomes a Christian is by faith in Christ. Faith in Christ is trusting Christ’s payment on the cross as your only hope of escaping hell.
      2. If you have trusted Christ alone to save you, your faith is your relationship with Christ.
      3. The trials of life are proving tests for your faith. They are working to make your faith stronger and more refined.
  2. Each proving test has a goal – to purify
    1. Trials do not make you a Christian. Instead, they reveal what your faith is in and they purify genuine Christian faith.
    2. True faith in Christ is like gold. When gold is heated until it melts, impurities separate and the result is purer gold. God wants to use the trials of life to make you better not bitter.
    3. If your faith is not in Christ alone, it will be like wood. When heated it will burn up and turn to ashes. If you do not have genuine faith in Christ, the trials of life will overcome you.
  3. Each proving test is producing patient endurance
    1. God uses the proving tests of life to produce patience in His children.
    2. Write a note about the word “patience”. Greek dictionaries define the word as steadfastness, constancy or endurance. It has the idea of patient endurance.
    3. Patient endurance is the extended heating process needed that melt the gold so that impurities can be removed.
      The 3rd step we must take to begin maturing spiritually is to…

Never hinder the proving process (v.4)

  1. Patient endurance is not the end, but the means to the end
    1. Just as gold is not improved until it has endured the boiling heat, so we are not likely to see maturity in our faith until we have patiently endured the hot trials of life. Improvement comes after the fire.
    2. Enduring the proving tests of life is not our ultimate goal. Enduring is just a vital step in the maturing process.
  2. You must let this patient endurance complete its work
    1. I believe the Lord had James say “but let patience have her perfect work” for the simple reason that no one enjoys enduring proving tests.
    2. The word translated “perfect” does not mean sinless but rather it means finished or completed. We must let patient endurance continue until the purifying work is completed.
    3. Note what God told Paul about his “thorn in the flesh” trial. (2 Corinthians 12:9) And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Paul could only know God’s strength when he was weak. Trials should keep us confessing on our knees, studying in the Bible and trusting God for strength.
    4. If we get angry with God or stop trusting Him for grace during our trial, the maturing goal will not be reached.
  3. When you patiently endure testing, it will add to your maturity
    1. God has a threefold goal for every trial in life.
    2. Look at verse 4 again. It says, “that ye may be”…
      1. You may be perfect (finished) – spiritually mature
      2. You may be entire (complete in all parts)
      3. You may wanting nothing (lack in nothing)
    3. The word “may” tells us that God’s goal will be met IF we cooperate with the trial.
      1. If we consider trials a joy rather than getting angry with God.
      2. If we learn that the trying of our faith in Christ requires patient endurance – an extended melting process.
      3. If we let patient endurance finish the job.

Conclusion

Maturing as a Christian is a process that requires testing. While such testing is not fun, God wants us to view trials as joyful because of the benefits. When your testing seems long, draw near to God and trust His grace. Do not become bitter. God wants to make you perfect, entire, wanting nothing. It will be worth it all when we see Jesus! The sooner you learn from a trial, the sooner you can take the next step. There are no shortcuts to spiritual maturity.

Song: When We See Christ, 149
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First Steps to Maturity
24 July 2016 AM – James 1:2-4 – Jas16 – Scott Childs