Count It All Joy

Why did James say in 1:2, "My brethren count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations?

• They had the ability through Christ to endure.
• They had wisdom available to them.
• A reward is laid up for those who endure.
• Through obedience glory is brought to God showing that evil cannot overcome good.
• To be examples so others can see.
• To be made perfect and entire wanting nothing.

Could it be the reason that these people had erred is revealed in James 3:1-3. "My brethren, be not many masters (teachers)....If a man offend not in word the same is a perfect man and able to bridle the whole body." One tongue can lead the entire body into error or truth, depending on what is being taught. In this case the people were being taught in error. That is why James stated in 1:16, Do not err my beloved brethren.

Please note with much care I Peter 5:10-12, But the God of all grace who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you...I have written briefly, exhorting and testifying that this is the true grace of God wherein ye stand."

Unlike the people to whom Peter was writing, the people to whom James was writing were not standing in true grace but had fallen into their own lusts thinking they were in faith when they were not, deceiving themselves. They had become double minded. They could not see the error of their ways. They could receive nothing of the Lord. They were asking and receiving not because they were asking amiss as stated in James 4:3, "Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. Therefore James exhorted them to ask God for wisdom in James 1:5.

I Peter 1:11 states, "That the Spirit of Christ testified before hand through the prophets of old of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow. Glory always follows sufferings.

Without sufferings there can be no glory. Paul states in II Timothy 2:12, "If we suffer we shall also reign with him, if we deny him he also will deny us. We are called to eternal glory but we must first choose to suffer awhile. Romans 8:17-18, "And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ, if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Paul is comparing the earthly body with the glorified body, which is to come. This is why we count it all Joy.

James did the twelve tribes great service in showing them the error of their way as he was directed by the Holy Spirit. He actually saved their souls from death and revealed to them the true grace of God and caused those who received his message to escape great suffering for doing evil which was just around the corner.

Note James 5:1, "Go to now ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you." Instead he exhorted them to submit to the sufferings of Christ for awhile with patience.

In verses 5:7-8, James exhorted them to be patient like a farmer waiting for the first and latter rain so he can harvest his crop. He was saying, let patience have her perfect work that you be perfect and entire, wanting nothing (James 1:4).

These people had grown weary in waiting and had rose up to play. That was not acceptable to God. They had fallen short of reasonable service in His sight.