James 1:4
Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
Allow perseverance
The Greek word for "perseverance" is "hypomonē," which conveys a sense of steadfastness and endurance under trial. In the early Christian context, believers faced persecution and hardship, and this perseverance was not passive but active, requiring a firm resolve to remain faithful. The call to "allow" suggests a conscious decision to embrace this process, recognizing that trials are not merely obstacles but opportunities for growth. This aligns with the broader biblical narrative where endurance is seen as a virtue that refines character, as seen in Romans 5:3-4.

to finish its work
The phrase "to finish its work" implies a process that is ongoing and purposeful. The Greek word "teleioō" means to bring to completion or maturity. This reflects the idea that perseverance is not an end in itself but a means to an end. The work being completed is the believer's spiritual development. Historically, this would resonate with early Christians who understood their faith journey as a path toward holiness and Christlikeness, echoing the teachings of Jesus about bearing fruit and growing in righteousness.

so that you may be mature
"Mature" translates from the Greek "teleios," which means perfect or complete. In the biblical sense, maturity is not about flawlessness but about reaching the intended purpose or goal. This maturity is a spiritual maturity, reflecting a deep, abiding faith and a life that mirrors the character of Christ. The early church valued this maturity as a sign of spiritual health and vitality, encouraging believers to grow in wisdom and understanding.

and complete
The word "complete" in Greek is "holoklēros," meaning whole or entire. This suggests a holistic development where every aspect of a believer's life is brought into alignment with God's will. The historical context of James' audience, who faced fragmentation due to trials, underscores the importance of being whole and undivided in faith. This completeness is a testament to the transformative power of God's work in a believer's life.

not lacking anything
The phrase "not lacking anything" speaks to the sufficiency found in Christ. The Greek word "leipō" means to be deficient or in need. In a world where material and spiritual needs were often unmet, this assurance of lacking nothing is profound. It reflects the biblical promise that God provides for His people, as seen in Philippians 4:19. This completeness and sufficiency are not about material wealth but about spiritual richness and fulfillment in God's presence.

Persons / Places / Events
1. James
The author of the epistle, traditionally identified as James, the brother of Jesus and a leader in the early Jerusalem church. He writes to Jewish Christians scattered among the nations.

2. Jewish Christians
The primary audience of the letter, who were experiencing trials and persecution, prompting James to address issues of faith, perseverance, and practical Christian living.

3. Early Church
The context in which James writes, characterized by growth, persecution, and the need for strong teaching on living out the Christian faith.
Teaching Points
The Role of Perseverance
Perseverance is not just enduring trials but allowing them to shape and refine our character. It is an active process that requires our cooperation with God's work in us.

Spiritual Maturity
The goal of perseverance is to bring us to maturity in Christ. This maturity is characterized by completeness and lacking nothing, indicating a well-rounded and robust faith.

Trusting God's Process
Trust that God uses trials to develop our faith. This trust is rooted in the understanding that God is sovereign and works all things for our good.

Practical Faith
James emphasizes a faith that is lived out in practical ways. Perseverance in trials is a demonstration of genuine faith that impacts how we live daily.

Community Support
Encourage one another in the faith journey. The early church context reminds us of the importance of community in persevering through trials.
Bible Study Questions
1. How does understanding the original Greek word for "perseverance" (hypomon?) enhance our comprehension of this verse?

2. In what ways can we actively allow perseverance to "finish its work" in our lives today?

3. How do the concepts of maturity and completeness in James 1:4 relate to the fruit of the Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23?

4. Reflect on a time when a trial led to spiritual growth in your life. How did this experience align with the teaching in James 1:4?

5. How can we support one another in our communities to persevere through trials and grow towards spiritual maturity?
Connections to Other Scriptures
Romans 5:3-5
This passage also speaks about perseverance, character, and hope, emphasizing the process of spiritual growth through trials.

Philippians 1:6
Paul speaks about God completing the good work He began in believers, which aligns with the idea of becoming mature and complete.

Hebrews 12:1-2
Encourages believers to run with perseverance the race marked out for them, fixing their eyes on Jesus, the perfecter of faith.
On PatienceH. Belfrage, D. D.James 1:4
On PatienceJohn Wesley James 1:4
PatienceA. P. Peabody.James 1:4
PatienceR. Collyer.James 1:4
PatienceE. Warre, D. D.James 1:4
Patience and PerfectionT. Manton.James 1:4
Patience Needed by God's WorkersA. Watson, D. D.James 1:4
Patience Under AfflictionsBp. E. Hopkins.James 1:4
The Completion of the Godly CharacterF. T. Bassett, M. A.James 1:4
The Fruits of PatienceH. W. Beecher.James 1:4
The Lesson of PatienceR. Newton, D. D.James 1:4
The Perfect Work of PatienceE. J. Hardy, M. A.James 1:4
The Perfect Work of PatienceC. F. Deems, D. D.James 1:4
A Joyful Salutation for a Time of AdversityC. Jerdan James 1:1-4
A Deep Spring of JoyS. Cox, D. D.James 1:2-4
Advantage of AdversityR. V. Lawrence.James 1:2-4
All Joy in All TrialsC. H. Spurgeon.James 1:2-4
Benefit of TemptationsE. B. Pusey, D. D.James 1:2-4
Christian PefectionF. Montague Miller.James 1:2-4
Christ's School of SufferingW. Hofacker.James 1:2-4
God's School of Trial for the GoodU. R. Thomas.James 1:2-4
Incentives to PatienceW. Jowett, M. A.James 1:2-4
Joy Amidst SorrowA. Maclaren, D. D.James 1:2-4
Joy Commendable in TroubleBp. Hall.James 1:2-4
Joy in Serious TrialA. Plummer, D. D.James 1:2-4
Joy in TemptationJ. Ayre, M. A.James 1:2-4
Joy in TrialJames 1:2-4
Joy in TribulationSunday at Home.James 1:2-4
Life a Perpetual DisciplineR. W. Dale, LL. D.James 1:2-4
Manifold Temptations NeededR. W. Dale, LL. D.James 1:2-4
Mercies Travel Along Dark WayJ. W. Dally.James 1:2-4
Patience and FortitudeJohn Ruskin.James 1:2-4
Patience GodlikeCanon Liddon.James 1:2-4
Patience Makes the Burden LighterJames 1:2-4
Patience Waiting Upon ProvidenceJeremy Taylor, D. D.James 1:2-4
Rules Whereby to Estimate TrialsT. Mounters.James 1:2-4
Shaped by SorrowR. V. Lawrence.James 1:2-4
Temptation a BenefactionProf. Hy. Drummond.James 1:2-4
Temptation May be a Sign of GraceJames 1:2-4
Temptations Need not DiscourageT. Wilcocks.James 1:2-4
The Advantage of TemptationR. W. Dale, LL. D.James 1:2-4
The Afflictions of the Saints DiverseR. Turnbull.James 1:2-4
The Benefit of TrialA. S. Patterson, D. D.James 1:2-4
The Christian's Duty in Times of TrialJ. A. Alexander, D. D.James 1:2-4
The Function of TrialS. Cox, D. D.James 1:2-4
The Joyous End of TrialW. G. Pascoe.James 1:2-4
The Power of TrialJoseph S. Exell, M. A.James 1:2-4
The Record of a Dark DayJames 1:2-4
The Sphere of PatienceE. Bersier, D. D.James 1:2-4
The Strange ParadoxT.F. Lockyer James 1:2-4
The Use of TrialT. Manton.James 1:2-4
Trial a BlessingJohn Adam.James 1:2-4
Trial a BoonA. R. Fausset, M. A.James 1:2-4
Trial and JoyPeter Rutherford.James 1:2-4
Trial of Faith Works PatienceT. Manton.James 1:2-4
TrialsW. Ormiston, D. D.James 1:2-4
Trials the Law of LifeC. F. Deems, D. D.James 1:2-4
People
James
Places
Dispersion
Topics
Anything, Complete, Deficient, Effect, Endurance, Entire, Finish, Full, Lacking, Mature, Needing, Nothing, Patience, Perfect, Power, Result, Results, Steadfastness, Wanting
Dictionary of Bible Themes
James 1:4

     4915   completion
     5716   middle age
     5881   immaturity
     5902   maturity
     8322   perfection, human
     8418   endurance
     8443   growth

James 1:2-4

     2060   Christ, patience of
     5776   achievement
     8026   faith, growth in
     8164   spirituality
     8459   perseverance

James 1:2-5

     8349   spiritual growth, means of

James 1:3-4

     5904   maturity, spiritual

Library
February 28. "Count it all Joy" (James i. 2).
"Count it all joy" (James i. 2). We do not always feel joyful, but we are to count it all joy. The word "reckon" is one of the key-words of Scripture. It is the same word used about our being dead. We do not feel dead. We are painfully conscious of something that would gladly return to life. But we are to treat ourselves as dead, and neither fear nor obey the old nature. So we are to reckon the thing that comes as a blessing. We are determined to rejoice, to say, "My heart is fixed, O God, I will
Rev. A. B. Simpson—Days of Heaven Upon Earth

Fourth Sunday after Easter Second Sermon.
Text: James 1, 16-21. 16 Be not deceived, my beloved brethren. 17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, neither shadow that is cast by turning. 18 Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. 19 Ye know this, my beloved brethren. But let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: 20 for the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness
Martin Luther—Epistle Sermons, Vol. II

George Buchanan, Scholar
The scholar, in the sixteenth century, was a far more important personage than now. The supply of learned men was very small, the demand for them very great. During the whole of the fifteenth, and a great part of the sixteenth century, the human mind turned more and more from the scholastic philosophy of the Middle Ages to that of the Romans and the Greeks; and found more and more in old Pagan Art an element which Monastic Art had not, and which was yet necessary for the full satisfaction of their
Charles Kingsley—Historical Lectures and Essays

October the Eighteenth Unanimity in the Soul
"A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways." --JAMES i. 1-8. If two men are at the wheel with opposing notions of direction and destiny, how will it fare with the boat? If an orchestra have two conductors both wielding their batons at the same time and with conflicting conceptions of the score, what will become of the band? And a man whose mind is like that of two men flirting with contrary ideals at the same time will live a life "all sixes and sevens," and nothing will move to purposeful
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

May the Fifth Healthy Listening
"Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only." --JAMES i. 21-27. When we hear the word, but do not do it, there has been a defect in our hearing. We may listen to the word for mere entertainment. Or we may attach a virtue to the mere act of listening to the word. We may assume that some magical efficacy belongs to the mere reading of the word. And all this is perverse and delusive. No listening is healthy which is not mentally referred to obedience. We are to listen with a view to obedience,
John Henry Jowett—My Daily Meditation for the Circling Year

An Address to the Regenerate, Founded on the Preceding Discourses.
James I. 18. James I. 18. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of first fruits of his creatures. I INTEND the words which I have now been reading, only as an introduction to that address to the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty, with which I am now to conclude these lectures; and therefore shall not enter into any critical discussion, either of them, or of the context. I hope God has made the series of these discourses, in some measure, useful to those
Philip Doddridge—Practical Discourses on Regeneration

On Patience
"Let patience have its perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." James 1:4. 1. "My brethren," says the Apostle in the preceding verse, "count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations." At first view, this may appear a strange direction; seeing most temptations are, "for the present, not joyous, but grievous." Nevertheless ye know by your own experience, that "the trial of your faith worketh patience:" And if "patience have its perfect work, ye shall be perfect and
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

On Charity
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." 1 Cor. 13:1-3. We know, "All Scripture is given by inspiration
John Wesley—Sermons on Several Occasions

Loving Advice for Anxious Seekers
However, the promise is not to be limited to any one particular application, for the word, "If any of you," is so wide, so extensive, that whatever may be our necessity, whatever the dilemma which perplexes us, this text consoles us with the counsel, "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God." This text might be peculiarly comforting to some of you who are working for God. You cannot work long for your heavenly Lord without perceiving that you need a greater wisdom than you own. Why, even in directing
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 13: 1867

All Joy in all Trials
Beginning with this word "brethren," James shows a true brotherly sympathy with believers in their trials, and this is a main part of Christian fellowship. "Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ." If we are not tempted ourselves at this moment, others are: let us remember them in our prayers; for in due time our turn will come, and we shall be put into the crucible. As we would desire to receive sympathy and help in our hour of need, let us render it freely to those who are
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 29: 1883

The Days of the Week
JAMES i. 17. Every good gift, and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is neither variableness, nor shadow of turning. It seems an easy thing for us here to say, 'I believe in God.' We have learnt from our childhood that there is but one God. It seems to us strange and ridiculous that people anywhere should believe in more gods than one. We never heard of any other doctrine, except in books about the heathen; and there are perhaps not three people
Charles Kingsley—The Good News of God

Sermon on a Martyr's Day
Of three sorts of spiritual temptation by which holy men are secretly assailed; to wit: spiritual unchastity, covetousness, and pride. James i. 12.--"Blessed is the man that endureth temptation; for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him. ALL our life (says Job), so long as we are upon earth, is full of struggle and temptation, insomuch that this life is not called a life by the Saints, but a temptation. When one temptation is over,
Susannah Winkworth—The History and Life of the Reverend Doctor John Tauler

The Sixth Petition Corresponds as we have Observed to the Promise of Writing the Law...
The sixth petition corresponds (as we have observed) to the promise [26] of writing the law upon our hearts; but because we do not obey God without a continual warfare, without sharp and arduous contests, we here pray that he would furnish us with armour, and defend us by his protection, that we may be able to obtain the victory. By this we are reminded that we not only have need of the gift of the Spirit inwardly to soften our hearts, and turn and direct them to the obedience of God, but also of
John Calvin—Of Prayer--A Perpetual Exercise of Faith

The Deepest Need of the Church Today is not for any Material or External Thing...
The deepest need of the Church today is not for any material or external thing, but the deepest need is spiritual. Prayerless work will never bring in the kingdom. We neglect to pray in the prescribed way. We seldom enter the closet and shut the door for a season of prayer. Kingdom interests are pressing on us thick and fast and we must pray. Prayerless giving will never evangelise the world.--Dr. A. J. Gordon The great subject of prayer, that comprehensive need of the Christian's life, is intimately
E.M. Bounds—Purpose in Prayer

Biographical Preface.
"The Church! Am I asked again, What is the Church? The ploughman at his daily toil--the workman who plies the shuttle--the merchant in his counting-house--the scholar in his study--the lawyer in the courts of justice--the senator in the hall of legislature--the monarch on his throne--these, as well as the clergymen in the works of the material building which is consecrated to the honour of God--these constitute the Church. The Church is the whole congregation of faithful men, in which the pure word
Lewis Bayly—The Practice of Piety

Antecedents of Permanent Christian Colonization --The Disintegration of Christendom --Controversies --Persecutions.
WE have briefly reviewed the history of two magnificent schemes of secular and spiritual empire, which, conceived in the minds of great statesmen and churchmen, sustained by the resources of the mightiest kingdoms of that age, inaugurated by soldiers of admirable prowess, explorers of unsurpassed boldness and persistence, and missionaries whose heroic faith has canonized them in the veneration of Christendom, have nevertheless come to naught. We turn now to observe the beginnings, coinciding in time
Leonard Woolsey Bacon—A History of American Christianity

The Puritan Beginnings of the Church in virginia ---Its Decline Almost to Extinction.
THERE is sufficient evidence that the three little vessels which on the 13th of May, 1607, were moored to the trees on the bank of the James River brought to the soil of America the germ of a Christian church. We may feel constrained to accept only at a large discount the pious official professions of King James I., and critically to scrutinize many of the statements of that brilliant and fascinating adventurer, Captain John Smith, whether concerning his friends or concerning his enemies or concerning
Leonard Woolsey Bacon—A History of American Christianity

The Neighbor Colonies to virginia-Maryland and the Carolinas.
THE chronological order would require us at this point to turn to the Dutch settlements on the Hudson River; but the close relations of Virginia with its neighbor colonies of Maryland and the Carolinas are a reason for taking up the brief history of these settlements in advance of their turn. The occupation of Maryland dates from the year 1634. The period of bold and half-desperate adventure in making plantations along the coast was past. To men of sanguine temper and sufficient fortune and influence
Leonard Woolsey Bacon—A History of American Christianity

Directions to Church-Wardens, &C.
CHURCH-WARDENS are officers of the parish in ecclesiastical affairs, as the constables are in civil, and the main branches of their duty are to present what is presentable by the ecclesiastical Jaws of this realm, and repair the Church [1] . For the better information of Church-wardens as to those particulars, which they are to present, [2] articles are to be given them extracted out of the laws of the Church, according to which they are to make their presentments, Can. 119. They are obliged twice
Humphrey Prideaux—Directions to Church-Wardens

Theological Controversies and Studies
(a) Baianism. Schwane, /Dogmengeschichte der neuren zeit/, 1890. Turmel, /Histoire de la theologie positive du concile de Trente au concile du Vatican/, 1906. Denzinger-Bannwart, /Enchiridion Symbolorum/, 11th edition, 1911. Duchesne, /Histoire du Baianisme/, 1731. Linsenmann, /Michael Baius/, 1863. The Catholic doctrine on Grace, round which such fierce controversies had been waged in the fifth and sixth centuries, loomed again into special prominence during the days of the Reformation. The views
Rev. James MacCaffrey—History of the Catholic Church, Renaissance to French Revolution

The Downfall, 1616-1621.
The dream of bliss became a nightmare. As the tide of Protestantism ebbed and flowed in various parts of the Holy Roman Empire, so the fortunes of the Brethren ebbed and flowed in the old home of their fathers. We have seen how the Brethren rose to prosperity and power. We have now to see what brought about their ruin. It was nothing in the moral character of the Brethren themselves. It was purely and simply their geographical position. If Bohemia had only been an island, as Shakespeare seems
J. E. Hutton—History of the Moravian Church

Knox and the Book of Discipline
This Book of Discipline, containing the model of the Kirk, had been seen by Randolph in August 1560, and he observed that its framers would not come into ecclesiastical conformity with England. They were "severe in that they profess, and loth to remit anything of that they have received." As the difference between the Genevan and Anglican models contributed so greatly to the Civil War under Charles I., the results may be regretted; Anglicans, by 1643, were looked on as "Baal worshippers" by the
Andrew Lang—John Knox and the Reformation

Whether Sacred Doctrine is a Practical Science
Whether Sacred Doctrine is a Practical Science We proceed to the fourth article thus: 1. It seems that sacred doctrine is a practical science. For "the end of practical knowledge is action," according to the philosopher (2 Metaph., Text 3), and sacred doctrine is concerned with action, according to James 1:22: "Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only." Sacred doctrine is therefore a practical science. 2. Again, sacred doctrine is divided into the Old and the New Law, and the Law has to do with
Aquinas—Nature and Grace

Wherefore Let this be the First Thought for the Putting on of Humility...
42. Wherefore let this be the first thought for the putting on of humility, that God's virgin think not that it is of herself that she is such, and not rather that this best "gift cometh down from above from the Father of Lights, with Whom is no change nor shadow of motion." [2172] For thus she will not think that little hath been forgiven her, so as for her to love little, and, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and wishing to establish her own, not to be made subject to the righteousness
St. Augustine—Of Holy Virginity.

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