Steadfast Faith in a Testing World
- May 8
- 13 min read
Date: 10 May 2026, 9.30 am
Speaker: Ps Daniel Tan Sermon Text: James 1:1-11
CLICK HERE to join in our Livestream service on Youtube
TRANSCRIPT
Introduction
Blessed Sunday morning to all. We give thanks for all of us who have come together as one family to worship God.
For those of us who are homebound, I bring you greetings as well. We are missing your presence and do pray that God will enable you to join us in person soon.
In the meantime, we are glad that technology has enable you to virtually participate with us.
We have 3 books that we are preaching through this year. They are Hosea, James and Jonah.
The Lord has brought us through Hosea and we will go through Jonah over 4 sermons in Aug.
For the book of James, there will be 11 sermons. Our journey through James will wrap around that of Jonah. There will be 6 sermons on James in May and June and then the remaining 5 will be in Oct and Nov.
Today we begin part 1 of our journey through the book of James.
James is a letter that is deeply practical, deeply searching, and deeply relevant for us.
The author of this book is attributed to James, the brother of our Lord Jesus. We know that in Acts 15, James was the leader of the church in Jerusalem and history records that he was martyred in AD 62.
James writes this letter to the 12 tribes in the Dispersion. So, his audience would be Jewish Christians. And geographically, it would mean they are scattered outside of Palestine.
We know that in the 1st Century it was persecution that scattered the church from Jerusalem and so these Christians were in a somewhat oppressive environment.
The letter also speaks about hardship and warnings against the rich and that likely indicated poverty.
So, James was writing to Jewish Christians who were far from their homeland and not living comfortably. They were facing trials, economic hardship, and uncertainty about how to live out their faith.
And in many ways, their challenges are not so different from ours here in Singapore.
We are pilgrims living in a fast-paced, achievement-driven society.
Many of us feel the pressure to succeed, to perform at work, to provide for family, to keep up with rising expectations.
Some of us are doing well materially; others quietly carry financial anxieties. And in the midst of it all, faith can easily become something we confine to Sundays.
And on this Mother’s Day, we want to especially recognise our mothers among us. Mother’s not just biological but spiritual as well.
Many of you carry a unique set of pressures, often unseen, often unspoken. You give of yourselves daily, caring for your children, supporting your families, juggling responsibilities, and sometimes doing so with little rest or recognition.
There are joys, yes, but also quiet trials, hidden sacrifices, and moments of deep weariness.
And God sees every one of them.
James writes to believers under pressure, and that includes you.
Your daily faithfulness, your perseverance in the ordinary, your prayers offered in the midst of exhaustion, these are not small things in God’s sight.
They are part of the very steadfast faith that James is calling all believers to.
But James will not allow any of us, mothers or otherwise, to have a compartmentalised faith.
He calls us to a whole-of-life faith. A faith that holds steady under pressure, that seeks God in uncertainty, and that sees beyond the surface of wealth and status and all that glitters in the world.
The book of James is part of what we call wisdom literature. In the Old Testament, books like Job, Ecclesiastes and Proverbs are in this category.
So, as we come to James 1:1–11, we are asking:
What does real, steadfast faith look like in a testing world?
Trials as the Path to Maturity (James 1:1–4)
As we look int the first 4 verses of James 1, I’ve titled it, trials as the path to maturity.
I’m sure we are familiar with the phrase “when the rubber meets the road”, or “the proof is in the pudding”.
What these phases mean is that the quality, value, or effectiveness of something can only be determined by testing, experiencing, or using it firsthand.
James is saying that is the same with our faith. It is through testing and trials that our faith is proven genuine, proven authentic.
It is also through testing and trials that our faith is being built up.
Jas 1:1 James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
James begins his letter addressing the Jewish Christians who are facing challenges in a surprising way - “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds.
Now if we are honest with ourselves, that is not our natural response.
When trials come, we don’t say, “Rejoice!” We often say, “Why me?”
There may be a selected group of people who say ‘No pain, No gain’.
But I am guessing many of us don’t fall in that category. If you are like me, it will be ‘less pain is my gain’.
But James is not calling us to fake happiness. He is calling us to what one pastor says is a new perspective.
First, ‘count it all joy’. Some translations have it as ‘consider it all joy’.
Now in its modern usage, if we are to ‘consider’ it would mean we have an option to accept or reject how we are to respond to the trials that we are facing.
But the root word is in an imperative form, this means it is a command from the Lord.
So, it means we must already have the correct mental judgement, that in obedience to God, there is only one right response to trials.
It’s not about how we feel about the situation we are in. Scripture is saying, we must have a conscious, determined commitment of a faithful believer towards trials.
This “joy” is not quite an emotion. It is more a decision. It is giving oneself a reason for gladness.
It is choosing in a very deliberate way, to see our trials through God’s eyes.
We experience this joy, when in the Lord, we know that He graciously provides for His children when they willingly and without complain, endure trials while trusting in Him.
It’s having the inner peace and confidence to apply Rom 8:28 into our situation. That God is working out all things for our good.
In case we are wondering, is it particular trials only? Scripture says, no trials of various kinds.
This includes not just dramatic suffering, but everyday struggles—work stress, family tension, financial strain.
From commanding us to have a new perspective on our response to trials, James now gives in v3 and v4, the reason for why we should have this new perspective.
These trials are not pointless. No, v3 says the testing of our faith is to produce steadfastness
Steadfastness, has the idea of endurance. It means to have a faith that holds on.
Not a fragile faith that collapses under pressure, but a resilient one that grows stronger.
And James says, let this endurance have its full effect, meaning let this trial, finish its work.
Now that is not easy to hear. It means we must not rush the process. We should not short-cut the trial.
Instead, we allow the trial to do the necessary in our lives.
And the light at the end of the tunnel of steadfastness is God’s goal, that we become perfect and complete.
This does not mean sinlessness, but being whole, undivided, mature.
And this ideal of wholeness and undivided is contrasted with the double-minded person in v8.
Yes, when we zoom in on our trials, we cannot see why they benefit us at all. But James is exhorting us, zoom out and see things from God’s perspective.
Our trials are like the refining process that we use to test metals by putting them under very intense heat. When that happens, the impurities surface.
James, I submit sees our faith like that. God wants to purify us. God values our trust in Him, He values our faith and He wants us to be more like His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Church, it is because God’s wants us to be like Jesus, thus He permits trials.
Therefore, it is only when we have this new perspective on trials, then when they come, we can have joy as we steadfastly allow its full effect upon us.
The Apostle Paul agrees with James for he writes in Romans 5
Rom 5:3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Unlike some who strongly suggest that as believers, the outlook in life is to be healthy and wealthy, James says, the truth is, life on this side of eternity is going to be full of trials.
James says, when you meet trials, not if you meet trials. And as we have mentioned, it is all sorts of trials. Some big and God willing, infrequent but others maybe smaller but daily.
May I share 3 thoughts on the implication.
Firstly for all of us, whether younger or older believers, we must believe that our trials are not signs that God has abandoned us. No, they may be the very tools He is using to build our faith.
Timely reminders for me in this season.
Secondly, now because we live in a context of community, we want to have wisdom as to how we apply this truth with one another.
May we not be inconsiderate towards those who are suffering by reminding them of this truth without empathy.
Scriptural truth is unchanging, but we speak the truth in love.
So, we must speak to one another in the context of our relationships. Therefore, may God give us the wisdom of timing.
Finally, because we have a new perspective on trials, we approach it in a counter-intuitive manner.
There must be a noticeable difference that others see in our response.
May we ask ourselves, am I merely surviving this trial, or am I allowing God to shape me through it?
Yes we may grieve and sorrow through the trials, but is it underlined with joy, trust in God’s goodness and His sovereign will?
May we seek to know His purposes in making us complete, lacking in nothing.
Asking God for Wisdom in Faith (James 1:5–8)
Now that we know why we have trials in our lives, James continues by commanding us about what we are to request for when going through trials.
We are to ask God for wisdom in faith.
Jas 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
‘Let him ask God’, is not a suggestion. In the original, it is a command. Basically, James says, in trials, you are commanded to pray.
Scripture says, the invitation is not to figure everything out on our own, but instead to go to God.
And what kind of wisdom is it that we pray to God for?
Not abstract knowledge. Not theological trivia.
This is practical wisdom for real life, for decisions, for suffering, for uncertainty.
Trials are for our maturity and they are to drive us towards increasing dependence upon God.
And we have this wonderful assurance that when we ask in prayer, God gives generously to all without reproach.
Generously to all. Without reproach.
So long as you are a believer, all of us have access to God’s throne of grace. No one has less access, no one has greater access. All have full access to God.
And God gives generously. The sense is that our cup will overflow. God gives bountifully and liberally.
And He will give without reproach – he will not shame us for asking.
He will not say, ‘you again’? He will not say ‘shouldn’t you know better?’ He will not say, ‘now then ask?’.
No, God will welcome our prayers with open arms. Arms that can’t wait to be the answer to our prayers.
But there is a condition – but let him ask in faith.
The request of faith must be made in faith. The test of faith requires the exercise of faith.
This does not mean perfect certainty. It means trusting fully in God’s character, purpose and promises.
Heb 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
When we approach God, our faith must have 2 characteristics. Firstly, we must believe that God exist. That means we must have an ongoing relationship with Him.
Secondly, we believe He rewards. That means He does not take but God gives.
So when James says we need to ask in faith, Hebrews 11 gives us what are the 2 details that our faith should have.
That type of faith is then contrasted with a person who is ‘double-minded’.
This is not about having questions, it is about having a divided heart. It is trying to trust God, while also placing our ultimate hope in something else.
Its, like a person who throws up the prayer half-heartedly, not firmly believing that God will actually help him through it.
Imagine someone who says they trust God, but constantly looks to horoscopes, social media trends, or career metrics to determine their direction.
Someone who would seems to be hedging their bets. Place some bets on God and then in case God doesn’t deliver, better hedge somewhere else as well.
They are pulled in different directions. And the result, is likely anxiety and instability.
James says—that’s what double-mindedness looks like.
May I share 3 thoughts on possible implications:
Firstly, can we say the indicator of maturing through trials is increased prayerfulness?
Will trials drive us towards God? Should it stir in us the desire for increased time of prayer at the personal, family and corporate level?
Will prayer thus affirm in us that we cannot solve it on our own. God needs to work in our situation.
In this season for Hermon, might we all be more participative in our online prayer meetings?
In this season for Hermon, if we consider setting aside the 4th Sunday for post-service prayer, would we be enthusiastic about it?
Secondly, might some of us feel we are too far away to go to God in prayer?
That somehow, we need to get it right first before we can approach Him? That because the trial that I’m going through is of my own making, so let me solve it first.
James says, He gives without reproach. He invites you and I to come freely before His throne of grace. God knows our struggles. He is just waiting for us to ask.
Thirdly, for those of us who have been a believer for decades. You have weathered many storms, you have accumulated much wisdom, experience and resources.
I want to ask us, might there be complacency? Might our trust be actually divided?
In a sense, might all that God has accumulated for us become our “backup saviours”?
Church, has our trials turned us into prayer-warriors?
A Right View of Wealth and Status (James 1:9–11)
Just last month, I was in Thailand co-labouring with our mission partner. Then as is still the case now, the price of petrol was very high.
In Singapore we complain about how expensive it is. We are amazed that diesel is even higher priced than some of grades of petrol.
But in parts of Thailand, even if you had money, you might not get the diesel required. The pumps have run dry. There was no diesel for them for farming and longer-distance transport.
Our current crisis has heightened the differences in wealth and infrastructure.
Jesus said in Matthew 6 that we cannot serve two masters. We cannot serve both God and money.
And I’m sure we would agree that wealth and its accompanying status is one of the biggest trials we have in this modern world.
James now addresses two groups, the lowly and the rich.
Jas 1:9 Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, 10 and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. 11 For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away in the midst of his pursuits.
To the lowly, he says boast in your exaltation.
In other words, though the world may see you as insignificant, in Christ you are lifted up.
Your identity is secure. You are a child of God.
To the rich, he says, boast in your humiliation.
Why? Because wealth is temporary, fragile and passing.
James uses the image of a flower that withers under the sun. That’s how quickly wealth, and all it represents, can fade.
And we just have to see how the shock of Covid-19 and the current Middle East crisis can affect our wealth.
I’m sure we have read or known personally also someone who has built a successful career, enjoys years of stability, and then suddenly, a downturn, a crisis, or a health issue changes everything.
What once seemed secure, proves fragile.
One pastor has said of this segment, it asks us to reexamine our posture. When trials come, do not let your circumstances shape your identity.
Don’t let your economic status impact your sense of identity.
Our posture should be that we boast in our true position in Christ.
We sing this song by the Gettys:
My worth is not in what I own
Not in the strength of flesh and bone
But in the costly wounds of love
At the cross
My worth is not in skill or name
In win or lose, in pride or shame
But in the blood of Christ that flowed
At the cross
Through our trials, the correct posture is thus the chorus:
I rejoice in my Redeemer
Greatest Treasure,
Wellspring of my soul
I will trust in Him, no other.
My soul is satisfied in Him alone.
Church, what is our posture today? Is our identity founded on Jesus the solid rock or on societies sinking sand?
I submit, James is saying that the trial of wealth is a litmus test of our posture of our faith’s maturity.
So where does this leave us?
We are called to endure trials, to seek wisdom, and to hold lightly to this world.
But how can we possibly do this?
Conclusion
The answer is ultimately not found in ourselves.
It is found in Jesus Christ.
He endured the greatest trial—the cross
He showed perfect steadfastness
He is the wisdom of God
Though He was rich, He became poor for our sake
So that in Him, we might have:
A faith that endures
A wisdom that guides
A hope that cannot be shaken
Our anchor is not our strength. Our anchor is Christ.
And that is why, even in the storms of life, we can stand firm.
We will be singing We Have An Anchor as our closing hymn.
Let this be our response - that our anchor holds, not because of us, but because it is firmly secured in Christ.
Church, James has shown us that storms will come, but also that God is at work in them.
So as we sing this hymn, may the words minister to us. May the words, answer our question, where is my anchor today?
And if our faith feels weak, or our heart feels unsteady, let’s be encouraged. Our hope is not in how tightly we hold onto Christ, but in how securely He holds onto us.
Christ is our sure and steadfast anchor of our souls.
Reflection Questions:
What trial are you currently facing, and how might God be using it to grow your faith?
In what areas do you struggle to trust God fully? What would it look like to ask Him for wisdom there?
How does your view of success and security compare with what James teaches in this passage?
Comments