The Pursuit of Spiritual Wholeness

As we begin our message series on the book of James I feel it necessary to remind us all of the implications which we are about to encounter.  James, the half-brother of Jesus, is not one to beat around the bush or candy-coat his words.  And in so doing he very easily goes directly to the heart of many matters.  In studying this book in-depth we will encounter the actual state of our faith, hearts, thinking, and priorities.  This encounter may very likely cause us to become uncomfortable, defensive, or perhaps even angry through the conviction of God’s words through His servant James.  But those experiences should not discourage us but encourage us.

As we discovered a few weeks ago, the main focus of the book of James is the spiritual wholeness of the believer.  As James 1:2-4 tells us, this wholeness comes at a price.

Gold is a natural metal which does not come in a pure state.  The purer the gold the more it is worth, but to make gold more pure takes high temperatures, time, great effort, and a special devise called a crucible.  This crucible is made of metal or clay which can withstand great heat.  The gold is placed into the crucible and the temperature is raised to great amounts in order to melt the gold into a liquid form.  Once liquefied, the impurities found within the gold float to the top where they can be removed thus making the gold more pure.  The gold is cooled and if needed or desired run through the process a second, third, or fourth time.

James 1:2-4 speaks of trials in our life as a crucible where the end goal of this process is spiritual wholeness.  So, what is spiritual wholeness?  How can I be sure that the crucible of my life leads

towards spiritual wholeness and not bitterness or spiritual immaturity?  What is my role as a believer in this process?

May God speak to each of us who are His children and disciples to use this passage in our personal spiritual growth as well as our corporate growth as His church.  May we be prayerfully prepared to hear God’s Word and act upon His call for our lives.