The Book of James - 9
The Christian's Patience - Chapter 5, Verses 7 - 12
The Christian believer , having committed his life into the hands of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, is then called to live a consistent God-honouring life. This does not mean he will be free from problems, trials, difficulties and temptations. It is at times like these that the believer must remember that the Lord has promised to continually guide and uphold him, and will strengthen him as a result of the experiences through which he passes. This calls for real patience all along the Christian pathway, and so this is the subject of this study and these verses in James 5.
(Verses 5-7) "Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop, and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. Don't grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!"
Patience which rests confidently in the Lord and in the fulfilment of His purpose, is a good testimony for Him. Growth in the Christian life is to be an ongoing experience. Just as a seed sown needs to germinate, absorb the life-giving materials from the soil, ultimately resulting in a bountiful harvest, so the life of the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ needs time to come to maturity.
In times of stress when patience is severely tried, Satan often comes to us to discourage and to pull us down. We become irritable towards others and this causes disharmony, especially if we are impatient with our fellow-Christians. Or perhaps jealousy creeps in and we show an unloving spirit to one another.
James clearly warns against such things and says, "Don't grumble against each other, or you will be judged." He reminds us that the return of the Lord Jesus is near, and that we shall have to give an answer to Him for all we have done as His followers. It would be wise indeed for each one of us to live as though the Lord might return at ANY time. John puts it this way in 1 John 3 v.3: "Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself just as He is pure." What a fine incentive to a holy life!
It is also in times of suffering that we need to exhibit patience as we see in verses 10 and 11:
"Brothers, as an example of patience in the face of suffering, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. As you know, we consider blessed those who 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."
The Scriptures are full of records of those who suffered for the sake of the Lord; who continued firm to the end, and so brought honour to the Lord. It would be good to read the story of Job in the Old Testament, and to note how wonderfully God upheld him and gave him patience as he suffered physically and spiritually. In the end Job was able to testify to the faithfulness of God through all his hard experiences.
The Lord understands all about us and is full of compassion and mercy toward us. He never calls us to pass through situations with which HE cannot deal, or which would overwhelm us. He only asks us to keep our eyes on Him, and not to try to battle through alone. We must be patient, remembering that He alone knows the end from the beginning, and what His ultimate purpose is for us. At the beginning of his letter, James has shown us that testings and trials are for the strengthening and proving of our faith.
It is always good to turn at once to the Lord as soon as we perceive some problem or trial before us, and to ask for the help He longs to give. Such expression of our faith in Him will wonderfully strengthen us. It will not only give us comfort and confidence, but will also be a witness to those who observe us. In both of these ways God will be glorified. Be patient, waiting on the Lord, even though at first there may be no change in the situation. This is the key to victory, so seek to put it into practice in your life today.
James' final thoughts in this passage remind us once more of the value of pure speech:
(Verse.12) "Above all, my brothers, do not swear - not by Heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your 'Yes' be yes, and your 'No', no, or you will be condemned."
Our conversation should always be pure and clear so that everyone knows we mean what we say. Swearing an oath is not for a Christian. Our Lord made this very clear when, as recorded in Matthew chapter 5 v.34 to 37, He said:
"But I tell you, Do not swear at all by Heaven, for it is God's throne; or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot even make one hair white or black. Simply let your 'Yes' be yes, and your 'No', no; anything beyond this comes from the evil one."
Such teaching is very clear, and we may not argue about it. The Christian needs to be very patient and to remain obedient to the Lord's command.
Nobody enjoys suffering, or ridicule, or opposition, yet these are often the experiences of true believers, and it is in these situations that we need to be very patient. As we have seen, the Christian's only remedy is in the demonstration of godly patience. It is in this way that we can apply, in a practical way, our faith in the Lord.