We are going to be taking 2 days to break apart this verse. Maybe 3. In fair warning since we started I presumed James would take months to get through!!! LOL. But that is a good thing.
Count, or consider is in its imperative form here in the verse. It means it is a command. James is not suggesting that we act out in "happiness," or respond with fake smiles; but that we count or consider it a joy when trials come. Why is that? because our knee jerk reaction is not joy. Joy comes from wholly leaning onto and into Jesus Christ.
In John MacArthur's commentary on the book of James he writes, "We are not just to act joyful, in reluctant pretense, but to be genuinely joyful. It is a matter of will, not feelings, and should be the conscious, determined commitment of every faithful believer. And because God commands it, it is within the ability, under the Spirit's provision, of every true Christian. When faith in Jesus Christ is genuine, James assures us, even the worst of troubles can and should be cause for thanksgiving and rejoicing.
It is good to remember, part of the theme of James is to separate true religion from vain religion. Tomorrow we will get deeper into the trials portion, however it is good to be mindful constantly that James is trying to help both the believer and the nonbeliever of what a response to circumstances looks like, or should strive to look like under the banner of Christ.
James addresses the persons reading as brothers. This is because in Christ we are all a family. We become united together as brothers and sister's in Christ, under the love and salvation of God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. This letter is not a diatribe from someone sitting somewhere safely saying you should do this, or that. This is a man who at one point did not believe in Jesus; who came to a saving faith in the Lord and now is walking, running yet, in hardship and toil to spread and lead the church in the likeness of Jesus Christ. James would shepherd well and die for these convictions at the hand of those who claim religion. And it is this vain religion that he is warning against. It is good to examine one's heart as we study, do I say I believe in Jesus in word only, or has Christ become King of my heart?
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