Faith and Patience

“Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience” (James 1:3)

Let’s immediately note here that the Apostle includes “faith” into the matter of “patience” and “temptation” (trying).[1] This, again, is important because we must not exclude “faith” from our lives at any time. This is being emphasized since there are contemporary teachings which allow for “faith” to only be used for salvation after which it is no longer recognized (because God does everything after that). Their teaching to “trust God for all things” is in error since they are not understanding the difference between “by faith” and “though faith” (as is pointed out by the Apostle Paul in Romans 3:30).

Next we see that we can be “perfect”. So that there is no misunderstanding or “interpretation”[2], let’s see what the Greek says here. The word of “perfect” in the Greek is: teleios {tel’-i-os} (Strong’s #5046) which means:

Ø AV - perfect, of full age

1) brought to its end, finished
2) wanting nothing necessary to completeness
3) perfect
4) that which is perfect
4a) consummate human integrity and virtue
4b) full grown, adult, of full age, mature

There simply is no getting around what the Bible says here. We can be “perfect” as we operate in faith and patience (even under the duress of temptations/persecution). We cannot and must not dismiss what is written because it isn’t agreeable with the doctrines of men (i.e. many teachers claim that we cannot be perfect and that we cannot be holy). Paul the Apostle says this about perfection and maturity:

Ø “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-13)

As we parse James 1:3-4, we see that there are operational dynamics of the Kingdom of God in motion. The first is the “Law of Sowing and Reaping”. We know this because we know that “faith” is as a “grain of mustard seed”[3] and that all seed must be planted. With patience and nurturing, it grows into fruition.

Next we see “patience”. Patience must be allowed to have its way. If there is no patience, then there can be no “perfection” (no “harvest”). We also see here that patience has a “perfect work”. This means that, if allowed, patience will work in us a complete and fruitful work. Just as a farmer patiently waits for his crops to come harvest, so too must we patiently wait for the fruition/harvest of all of the seed of the word of God (Mark 4) we have planted in our hearts and minds.[4] We see that the Bible advises that “patience” isn't something that we obtain as we do "mercy" (Hebrews 4:16) but rather is something which we already have and must employ or implement. The Bible says: “But let patience……”. We allow and use what is already there in the same way that a farmer exercises his patience until he sees his cotton crop come in.

By now we should have a clearer picture concerning “faith”. At this point we can see that, for a fruition of faith, there must be “patience”. However, we must not overlook that fact that, for faith to come to “harvest”, there is the third consideration. That consideration is “hope”. “Hope” is the “blueprint” to which we connect our faith. We maintain a “picture” of hope then patiently allow the faith (and all other fruit) to come to maturity (again, in the same way a farmer "sees" his crop already in his mind). If we “lose hope”, then we lose sight of the end product. We lose the “picture” of what we are expecting and forget about the “harvest”. The term “hope” means “an expectation”. If we stop expecting (i.e. we become “inactive”) we lose hope then our faith (which requires a corresponding action) will be made useless (or “dead”). There can be no “harvest”. One reference to this dynamic is found here:

Ø “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Romans 5:3-5)

Here we see everything coming together concerning faith and patience. Trials and tribulation work patience if allowed to by the proper attitude and holding to God's word and if they are not "embraced" (such "embracing" is a facet of eastern religion and philosophy and is not Christian at all. It is a deception of high order becasue of not understanding the word of God); patience then works experience which then produces hope. Hope can be called the “glue” that holds everything together because it stays the course until the harvest is received. Everything being hoped for arrives because the word of God is true. Because it is true, and because hope has been maintained, the believer is not made “ashamed” (for believing a promise that wasn’t true).

The overall picture is made complete when we consider that we must also be diligent to remove the “weeds” which are the “cares of the world” and the “deceitfulness of riches” (as seen in Mark 4:18-19). These “weeds” will choke out all faith seeds in exactly the same manner as a field full of “nut grass” or “daughter weed” will kill a cotton crop if left unattended. Weeds and crops are mutually exclusive. This is why we hear the Bible speak of how important it is to “tend our garden” or “farm”. Here are a few examples:

Ø “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23)

Ø “Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us, see that ye abound in this grace also” (2 Corinthians 8:7)

Ø “And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make [you that ye shall] neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall” (2 Peter 1:5-10)

Ø “For thus saith the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns” (Jeremiah 4:3)

Ø “ For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. For the earth which drinketh in the rain that cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, receiveth blessing from God: But that which beareth thorns and briers is rejected, and is nigh unto cursing; whose end is to be burned” (Hebrews 6:4-8)

We will do well to tend our “garden” and keep the “weeds” out as there are serious consequences if we are not going to heed the word of the Lord. A tree/branch which is without acceptable fruit (without having manifested righteousness) will not fair well when the earth is “harvested”.[5] By tending our “garden”, our faith will be protected, our patience unmoved, and we will not be disappointed in our expectation.

[1] All temptation is merely an attempt to either keep us from entering into the Sabbath rest of the Lord or to get us out from that rest
[2] The Bible rarely needs to be “interpreted”. It just needs to be believed
[3] Matthew 17:20
[4] “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17)
[5] The “rapture” of the church is a harvest. Revelation 14:14-20