James 1:1-4, Part 2

[Hidden In Him]

Mastering Endurance, Like An Athlete Training For Glory, Part 2

                                   

     To recap, James was writing to the church in the days before the gospel was preached to the Gentiles. They would soon be suffering persecution at the hands of the Jewish authorities, and already they were having to deal with all sorts of trials and sufferings: Financial exploitation at the hands of the rich, judicial oppression at the hands of a corrupt legal system, and maybe worst of all the belittlement that came with being considered as spiritual "inferiors" in Jewish society.
     This religious favoritism was ingrained within Jewish culture, so deeply in fact that it was now manifesting in the churches as well. Some Christian congregations were following suit, and treating the poorest among them like spiritual inferiors who needed to sit in the lowest places of honor in the room:

     My brothers, do not uphold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, while practicing respect of persons. For if there comes into your synagogue a man wearing gold rings and fine apparel, but there may have also come in a poor man in dirty apparel, and you looked upon the one wearing the fine apparel and said to him, "You sit here comfortably," yet to the poor man you said, "You stand there," or "Sit under my footstool," have you not made distinctions amongst yourselves and become judges engaging in evil estimations? (James 2:1-4)

     To make matters worse, the rich were cheating the poor out of their wages to keep them in a state of impoverishment, all while continuing to be excused for such behavior and honored as the most "righteous" in society. This, too, was something James was exposing as a lie and warning the rich about, pulling no punches in letting them know they were actually heading not for rear but for judgment if they continued on with such behavior:

      Go weep now, rich men, howling over the miseries coming upon you... Behold, the wage of the workmen who harvested your fields is crying out, having been kept back by you, and the cries of those who have reaped have entered into the ears of the Lord of Hosts. You lived in luxury and self-indulgence on the earth. You fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You condemned, you murdered the just, who does not oppose you. (James 5:1, 4-6)

     Through the letter, James spent time inverting these assumptions about who was "righteous" or not by teaching the exact opposite, and that it was actually the ones who endured the greatest trials in this life who would be the most blessed in eternity, for they would receive "the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who loved Him." (v.12) By this, he was using the analogy of the marathon runner, and driving home the following point: In the spiritual life, with the enemy using many things to discourage the faithful, we must build up and perfect our endurance, so that the sins we are being subjected to do not cause us to become discouraged, lash out in retaliation, or even worse depart from the faith together, but rather continue to minister to others in love and meekness, hoping for their salvation. Yet we will never be able to act this way until we mastered the ability to endure the sins and injustices of others. So James was encouraging them to "count it all joy" when we happen upon various trials and sufferings, knowing that the more we can grow accustomed to handling them gracefully, the more we can walk in more perfect obedience to God, and be awarded with greater honor and glory in eternity for it.
 

Like Olympians, They Had To Finish Their Race

     The ancient Olympic events were nearly all tests of endurance. The Greeks invented the Pentathlon, which was a combination of discus, javelin, jumping, running, and wrestling. The boxing events had fewer rules than today. There were no such thing as rounds, so boxers just kept wailing at each other until one of them was knocked out or admitted defeat, and there was no rule against hitting your opponent when he was down either. Possibly the most grueling event was the Pankration, which consisted of both boxing and wrestling. The hands were not wrapped with leather so it was bare-fisted, and the only limitations on the physical brutality were rules against biting, or gouging your opponent’s eyes, nose, or mouth with your fingers. There was also the Warriors Race, which was 2 to 4 stades long (roughly 600 yards) and had to be run in full armor. Standard armor of that time weighed around 50-60 pounds, including the helmet and shield, so running that distance fully equipped got exhausting in a hurry. The Olympic Marathon, then, was just more of the same. It was primarily a test of endurance, though the Marathon in particular would go on to become the most famous of the Olympian events, and has survived till this day.
     Because they were tests of endurance, the Greek games were called "the Agon," from which we get our English word "agony" today, and it's no coincidence that the apostle Paul used this word group several times in his letters. His encouragement to Timothy to "fight the good fight of faith" was one such instance. If translated strictly, the Greek there was actually saying "agonize the good agonizing of faith," or in other words, "Give it absolutely everything you have." Athletes use a similar expression today when they say "leave it all in the field."
     This, then, is what the New Testament writers were communicating through the analogy. They understood the spiritual life to be a test of endurance, and a marathon not a sprint. So anyone who desired glory in eternity would have to embrace the agonies involved, in one form or another. And they would also have to prepare to endure until the end, for even Jesus Himself had said this when He warned them about what would eventually be coming

     They will deliver you to Sanhedrins, and scourge you in their synagogues… brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father the child, and children will rise up against their parents and put them to death. And you will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who endures until the end, this one shall be saved. (Matthew 10:17, 21-22)

     The apostle Paul's life especially was a prime example of this. At one point he listed for the Corinthians the sufferings he was enduring for the gospels sake, and yet none of it was stopping him from fulfilling the calling on his life, and running his race until the end:

     Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned... I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea, and in danger from false believers, [and all this] amid labor and toil, often amid sleeplessness, amid hunger and thirst, amid fastings often, amid cold and nakedness. (2 Corinthians 11:24-27)

     While some believe Paul was not the author of Hebrews, I believe he was, and in this letter he went on to describe what he believed was the secret: Looking unto Jesus, who had already run His own race, and had now ascended to Heaven and sat down at the right and of the Father, having inherited glory and honor forever. The "cloud of witnesses" Paul described as viewing us running our own race were the faithful in Heaven, who were now like spectators in an ancient stadium, and watching to see just how much we gave it our all for the Lord while it was still our chances to shine in this life.

     Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you grow weary and faint in your souls. (Hebrews 12:1-3)

     This is why he told Timothy near the end of his life that he had finish the race, and because he had endured until the end, great reward was now awaiting him in eternity:

    I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award me in that Day. (2 Timothy 4:7-8a)


Crowns Of Glory That Will Never Fade Away

     The olive wreath, also known as kotinos (Greek: κότινος), was the prize for the winner at the ancient Olympic Games. They were made from the branches of the wild olive tree Kallistefanos Elea which grew at Olympia, and although they had no intrinsic value, they brought great glory to whoever had the honor of wearing one after the games.
     While not true to the original, versions have been made in more recent times with gold plating to serve as modern facsimiles.

                                         

     Paul also used the analogy of winning a crown frequently, and in one place taught that no believer was going to be "crowned" unless he completed "lawfully." By that, he meant there was no way around having to endure the sufferings of the spiritual race which we all had to run. If you tried to take a short cut and then rejoin the race two hours later like you were still fresh as a daisy, you would be found out and disqualified:

     Suffer hardship, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No one recruited as a soldier entangles himself with the affairs of life, in order that he may please the one having enlisted him. And also, if anyone competes, he is not crowned unless he has competed lawfully. More than anyone, the laboring farmer ought to partake of the fruits. (2 Timothy 2:3-6)

     The common theme here was that rewards, honor, and glory went only to those who deserved them, i.e. those had endured the necessary hardships and deprivations involved. Likewise, by the end of his letter, James would be citing the prophets as prime examples of the kind of endurance believers could look to that would bring us glory in the spiritual race of life:

     Therefore, brethren, be long-suffering until the coming of the Lord... Take as an example of enduring hardships and long-suffering the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we call those blessed who have endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job, and observed the end of the Lord, that He is filled with great mercy and compassion. (James 5:7, 10-11)

     Job endured the loss of his family while remaining faithful to God, but what made it even worse was having to weather his friends telling him he was a "sinner" who basically deserved it. Jeremiah also had to endure being turned on by his friends, and complained to God about it at one point, telling Him:

     I am ridiculed all day long; everyone mocks me. Whenever I speak, I cry out, proclaiming violence and destruction. So the word of the Lord has brought me insult and reproach all day long. But if I say, “I will not mention His word or speak anymore in His name,” His word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot. I hear many whispering, “Terror on every side! Denounce him! Let’s denounce him!” All my friends are waiting for me to slip, saying, “Perhaps he will be deceived, then we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him.” (Jeremiah 20:7-10)

     Jeremiah was eventually thrown in a cistern, which was an ancient pit used to collect water. Joseph was also thrown in a pit. Elijah was vilified and threatened, Elisha was mocked in public, the list goes on and on, and some of the prophets eventually even had to pay for serving the Lord with their lives.
     But how have these men been remembered in eternity? They are all being honored forever now, having lived their lives in faithfulness to God. Their time of suffering is over, and all that remains now is the glory of having lived lives in obedience to their calling. Those who have been taken to Heaven in spirit have also reported that the homes of the prophets are beautiful beyond description, and this too is part of the "glory" they will enjoy forever.
      Thus, what James was trying to build into his readers was a mentality that trials and sufferings must be expected, and that we should therefore embrace them rather than run from them. In fact, athletes in fact actually wanted to be pushed to their limits, because it was the only way they could eventually perfect endurance and be able to withstand anything and everything the Devil might throw at them.


Questions and Applications


1. How much would you say your hopes and dreams are set on the next life, and to receiving rewards in eternity rather than here? Don't be afraid to admit if the answer is the opposite just yet, but if you believe your treasures truly are set in Heaven (Matthew 6:20), qualify your answers with examples from your life which demonstrate how you are clearly sacrificing the now for the hereafter.   

2. We all face "agonies" in life, and some athletes actually seek them out, pushing their bodies to the limit to build up even greater endurance. Should we be applying this principle to the spiritual life as well? i.e. should we be taking the analogy that far, and actually be seeking out experiences that build up greater emotional and psychological endurance within us, even it meant experiencing more suffering for awhile? And if the answer were yes, how exactly would we go about doing it?
     I will give you a passage of scripture as food for thought. In Revelation 3, the Lord told the church at Laodicea the following:

     “And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write... Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’ — and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked — I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, and the shame of your nakedness not appear; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see." (Revelation 3:14-18)

     Gold tried in the fire was compared to a faith purified by the fires of sufferings by the apostle Peter (1 Peter 1:6-7). But how exactly would one "buy" it from the Lord? The other things mentioned in this passage - being "clothed" upon in the Holy Spirit, and being granted eyes to see spiritually - are mentioned in scripture as things believers should PRAY for, so what if He was saying to pray for trials and testings as well? What if He meant, "If you truly want to enter eternity spiritually rich instead of poor, you need to pray that I make you rich." If that were what He was saying, would you do it? : ) I ask it as a curiosity. The church in the West seems to know little about suffering for Christ these days, so it would seem to be a question worth asking.

3. Peter taught that we should not bring hardships upon ourselves by deliberately antagonizing or sinning against people, for that carries no reward from God (1 Peter 3:8-17). But what are some practices that are in keeping with God's will but may nevertheless invite hardships and opposition, yet build greater endurance in us, and bring greater reward in eternity?