Rick Warren, former pastor of Saddleback Community Church in Southern California, shared the tragic death of his son, Matthew and his struggle with depression that led to his ‘suicide.’ Rick related that Matthew struggled with this his entire life, even though they sought extensive treatment, counselling, and prayer over the years. He shared that he continued to believe God for a miracle and also encouraged Matthew that, even if he did not receive complete freedom, he should pray for God’s strength to manage the challenges he was facing.  Despite all these efforts, Matthew ended his life after twenty years of struggle. This catapulted Rick and Kay into a ministry they never wanted, but God indeed called them into: ministering to others who are struggling with the loss of a loved one. Six months after the death of their son, Rick and Kay Warren expressed the following sentiment in an interview with CNN’s Piers Morgan. “We intend to spend the rest of our lives comforting others with the same comfort God has given us. …Your deepest life message will come out of your deepest pain.” As we begin our journey through the most autobiographical sketch of Paul's life, we discover something of the nature of the gospel, the challenges, the sorrow, and the ultimate hope that God’s gracious message brings into our lives. In the introduction to this letter, Paul writes that he experienced his greatest pastoral challenge at Corinth. Linda Belleville, in her commentary on 2 Corinthians, explains that itinerant ministers were challenging Paul’s credentials and his authority. “Paul’s focus on visions, revelations, and the miraculous suggests that the issue was what constituted an appropriate witness to the gospel. A mistaken emphasis on the miraculous by these so-called super-apostles resulted in a misconstrued view of Jesus as a wonderworker rather than a suffering servant, and a misrepresentation of the Spirit as a miracle empowerer rather than a guarantor of the gospel message. In so doing, they effectively put forward “a different gospel” (11:4). For Paul, the role of the miraculous was to validate, not displace, the gospel. This is clear from the recurring thought in his letters that his preaching was one of word accompanied by power, conviction and the Spirit (1 Thess 1:5; see also Rom 15:19; 1 Cor 2:4; Gal 3:5).” In Paul’s greetings to this congregation, he appeals to three essential concepts regarding the nature of the gospel. This gospel of Jesus has the power to comfort us in the hours of darkness, where suffering and pain can at times overwhelm us.

As we come to the close of the book of James, we see that James has been speaking to believers who were experiencing ‘trials of many kinds (1:2).’ In the closing chapter, we see the abuse and exploitation of the poor by the rich. James speaks of developing an attitude of patience in their suffering by encouraging them that God will address all injustice, if not in one’s life, then at the Judgment at the end of the age. James concludes by moving to what we can do in times of trial and suffering. He challenges us to pray. It is as we pray that God brings hope, healing, and restoration to our lives. Suffering can move us to look beyond ourselves to God. The literal word that is translated here is ‘to suffer evil.’ Alec Motyer explains that suffering is a broader concept than simply sickness. “Jeremiah suffered opposition, Ezekiel bereavement, and Hosea marital breakdown.” In other words, it is any trouble we face in our lives that causes physical, emotional, and spiritual torment. Douglas Moo speaks to the attitude we need when praying and waiting for God’s outcomes. “Because the verb [for prayer] is so general in its meaning and application, no certainty about the content of the prayer that James calls for here can be attained. Perhaps James would include a petition to God to remove the trial. But James’s concern when he addresses trials elsewhere (1:2–4, 12; 5:7–11) is to encourage believers to endure suffering with the right spirit and a divine perspective on history. Presumably, then, the prayer that he encourages here is for the spiritual strength to endure the trial with a godly spirit.” Yet we also see that when God’s people begin praying, they start experiencing spiritual growth, healing, reconciliation, and restoration. Here, in the conclusion of his letter, James gives us direction in addressing two significant areas of our lives: physical and spiritual health.

In D. A. Carson’s book, How Long, O Lord?: Reflections on Suffering and Evil, he begins, “A pastor is cutting his front lawn. He looks up from his task just in time to see a heavy dump truck back out of his neighbour’s driveway—right over the neighbour’s eighteen-month-old son, who had been squatting behind the massive tires. The pastor accompanies the hysterical mother and ashen father to the hospital in the ambulance. There is no hope for the little boy; he has been crushed almost beyond recognition. …my own mother was mugged at the age of 72. As a result, she fell and hit her head on the curb. Her family noticed mental deterioration and personality change within weeks; she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and went through all the predictable stages of that wretched disease. She died nine years later. …And all these things represent the suffering that takes place in relatively stable societies. Add war, racism, genocide, grinding poverty, starvation.”  We can say that when sin entered the world, so did suffering, evil, and death, but this remains a set of beliefs until suffering strikes us personally. Carson pushes us to see beyond the mental aspect of truth to apply the truths we know that are consistent with a good and compassionate God. “…in addition to holding that Christian beliefs are true and consistent, the Christian, to find comfort in them, must learn how to use them. Christian beliefs are not to be stacked in the warehouse of the mind; they are to be handled and applied to the challenges of life and discipleship. Otherwise, they are incapable of bringing comfort and stability, godliness and courage, humility and joy, holiness and faith.” James, rather than shying away from the reality of suffering in our world, speaks to the issue. James 1:2-4  - “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.“ What James is saying is that God uses the worst things in our lives to cultivate spiritual maturity. Yet, we find that suffering can be overwhelming. In this letter, he is speaking to believers who have been exploited by those who use their wealth and power to devastate their lives. How should we respond to evil? How are we doing to find the endurance and hope necessary in times of suffering in our lives? James calls for restraint and patience in addressing these issues. He gives several reasons for those who are suffering to be patient and to entrust their situations to God.   

One of the concerns for people as they age is whether they will have enough finances in their retirement years. Financial planners all have different gauges to determine how much is enough, but maybe we are not thinking far enough about our future. How will God evaluate our financial portfolio? How will that impact our lives in eternity? If financial planning is part of our eternal plan, perhaps we need to evaluate what we are or are not doing in this area of our lives. Are we living the kind of life that God has called us to be ready for eternity? Being generous with our time and money does affect eternal outcomes. Charles Dickens' Christmas classic, ‘A Christmas Carol,’ is a cautionary tale about how we prioritize this world’s riches over people's needs. James challenges us regarding our priorities with finances, both in how we attain and invest them, often taking advantage of others or simply living a self-gratifying life. James 5:1-6 Now listen, you rich people, weep and wail because of the misery that is coming on you. Your wealth has rotted, and moths have eaten your clothes. Your gold and silver are corroded. Their corrosion will testify against you and eat your flesh like fire. You have hoarded wealth in the last days. Look! The wages you failed to pay the workers who mowed your fields are crying out against you. The cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord Almighty. You have lived on earth in luxury and self-indulgence. You have fattened yourselves in the day of slaughter. You have condemned and murdered the innocent one, who was not opposing you. Is this simply a warning against ungodly people? Or is this a warning against the misuse of God’s resources that He has given us? Obviously, it serves as a warning against those who oppress others, but it is also a word of encouragement to those who suffer as a result of financial inequality. James is using a literary device known as “apostrophe’—speaking to people who are not present, for the benefit of those who are. This way, James’ listeners will know the certainty of the coming demise of their oppressors.” James is about to call for patient endurance under repressive economic conditions, where some are benefiting at the expense of others. The analogy James makes in Chapter Five is that of a ripening harvest.  Jesus’ return to judge is often spoken of metaphorically as a harvest of people. The harvest is divided between that which is of value, the righteous and those who will be judged for their sinful actions, the unrighteous. James 5:1-6 deals with this economic oppression and serves as a warning to affluent Christians to invest in the lives of others, particularly those who are unable to care for themselves.  David Platt explains: “You might wonder why, in a book addressed to Christians, James would spend time using such harsh language toward unbelievers. The answer is that he is reminding the Christians that the justice of God is coming. This reality should enable them to be patient. With that said, it doesn’t mean these verses have no other application to Christians. James has already rebuked Christian brothers and sisters who favoured the rich over the poor, so 5:1–6 serves as both a direct rebuke to rich nonbelievers who were oppressing the poor and a subtle, indirect warning to rich believers (Christians) who were ignoring the poor. Notice that James is not necessarily condemning wealth here; instead, he focuses on the sinful use of wealth. At the same time, for those of us who are part of a culture that is extremely wealthy compared to the rest of the world, we need to examine whether we are engaged in a sinful use of the resources God has given us.” 

“Unwell, and much in prayer, he heard a voice saying, ‘In the name of Jesus of Nazareth, arise, and believe, and thou shalt be healed of all thy infirmities.’ It was, in fact, the voice of [a woman] who had felt herself commanded in a dream to say these words. Charles got out of bed and, opening his Bible, read from the Psalms: ‘He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God.’ Followed by the first verse of Isaiah 40, “Comfort ye, comfort ye my people,” saith your God.’ He wrote in his journal, ‘I now found myself at peace with God, and rejoiced in the hope of loving Christ.’” Two days later, he began a hymn upon his conversion, [in which he wrote] Where shall my wandering soul begin? How shall I all to heaven aspire? A slave redeemed from death and sin, A brand plucked from eternal fire, How shall I equal triumphs raise, And sing my great Deliverer’s praise!” Charles Wesley continued to praise his Lord and Saviour for the next fifty years. “According to Frank Baker [Charles Wesley] averaged ten poetic lines a day for fifty years and wrote 8,989 hymns, …who produced “Hark! The Hearld Angels Sing, “And Can It Be,” “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” “Love Divine, all Loves Excelling,” “Jesus, Lover of My Soul,” “Christ the Lord is Risen Today,” “Soldiers of Christ, Arise,” and Rejoice! The Lord is King!” The nature of worship, spoken or sung, is to express our deepest gratitude toward God for who He is and all that He has done for us. When set to music, it can move us emotionally, but the message is critical. It transforms the worshiper, but it is heightened when gathered with others. God’s presence is often deeply manifested in speaking into our hearts as His word is ministered to us. As we celebrate this Thanksgiving season, may our hearts and expressions of gratitude to God ascend to God, bringing praise to Him, but also impacting and transforming our attitudes and actions. As we examine the Old Testament songbook, the Psalms, we find numerous expressions, one of which is a great hymn of praise. Tremper Longman writes regarding the nature of a hymn. “Hymns are easily recognized by their exuberant praise of the Lord. The psalmist pulls out all the stops in his rejoicing in God’s goodness. His praise is exuberant because the psalmist is very conscious of God’s presence. Though there are many different types of hymns, almost all of them share a similar basic structure. Hymns begin with a call to worship. They continue by expanding on the reasons why God should be praised. Hymns often include, and sometimes conclude with, further calls to praise.” We gain insight into the setting of Psalm 147, which is one of the later ones not only in the canon but in its historical context. It is written to celebrate the return of the exiles from captivity and the restoration of Jerusalem. God has faithfully fulfilled his promises to his people, particularly the words of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel.  

Are we ready for this ultimate union that scripture says is going to take place? We are expected to be prepared by living in a state of readiness for Christ’s return.

Why am I here? What is the purpose of my life? For most people, it is simply about snatching moments of pleasure, trying to find happiness or meaning in various pursuits or relationships. Yet, there is a longing within the human heart for understanding, to be loved, and to find meaning and purpose in life. If we are simply a cosmic accident, then life is reduced to surviving and trying to make the most out of our lives. But what if we were designed by a loving God who had a plan that would not only shape who we would become, but also live a life of significance and purpose? Once we embrace that God designed us, life takes on a new purpose and direction. The question then becomes, if God created me, what does He have in mind for me? What we are about to hear from James is that God will shape the course of our lives. When we discover Him and then walk in obedience to His will, we embark on a journey of faith that is both challenging and rewarding, in a way we could never have imagined.  Last week, I focused on addressing the issue of pride in developing and maintaining healthy relationships. This arrogance, however, finds its way into our work world, in which we lose sight of the transitory nature of life itself. We often act as if we have all the time in the world when we do not know what tomorrow holds for us. It is the difference between a self-directed life and one that is lived with eternity before us, marked by a deep dependency on God and learning to embrace God’s designed task for our lives. The issue for all our lives is simply to do God’s will. However, we often struggle with what that really means. What happens when I ignore it or simply disobey it? What are the outcomes then? What happens when I exert my own sinful desires as the catalyst for living my life? I believe that in these few verses in James, we will discover something of the critical nature of embracing God’s will for our lives. 

“In a certain pond on one of the farms in the East were two ducks and a frog. Now, these neighbours were the best of friends; all day long, they would play together. But as the hot summer days came, the pond began to dry up, and soon there was so little water that they all realized that they would have to move. Now the ducks could easily fly to another place, but what about their friend, the frog? Finally, it was decided that they would put a stick in the bill of each duck, and then the frog would hang onto the stick with his mouth, and they would fly him to another pond. And so, they did. As they were flying, a farmer out in his field looked up and saw them and said, “Well, isn’t that a clever idea! I wonder who thought of it!” The frog said, “I did …” We can chuckle at this humorous little antidote, but it simply illustrates a profound truth, as expressed in the wisdom literature of the Bible. In Proverbs 16:18, it states: Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. One of the most subtle temptations is the insidious nature of pride. It can easily rear its ugly head and capture those who have so much going for them. In the book of Daniel, we have a contrast between Daniel, a captive slave, and the king, who asks for an interpretation of a troubling dream he has had. King Nebuchadnezzar became the most powerful man alive in his time. He was a world conqueror. He amassed incredible wealth and power. One expression of that wealth was that he had built two of the wonders of the ancient world: the walls of the city and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. This was a magnificent garden for his wife, as she missed the vegetation of her homeland. One day, while strolling on his palace roof, musing over his own personal greatness, he was struck down by God, the Almighty. He lost his sanity and spent ‘seven times’ (a season of his life), groping about like an animal, without the capacity to understand and reason. The biblical text describes how his restoration occurred. Daniel 4:34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honoured and glorified him who lives forever. God restored to him what his pride had stripped him of, which was the sanity needed to lead his people. He later confessed. Daniel 4:37b And those who walk in pride, he is able to humble. What is pride? It is living as if God does not exist. It is believed that we can be self-sufficient. It is trusting in anything or anyone other than God. The only remedy is a deep sense of reverence toward God. 

There is a hunger for the Gospel! Reboot the Gospel in your own personal life, and in the lives of those you care about who don't know about Jesus and how He can transform them and give them eternal life.

In one of William Shakespeare’s great tragedies, Othello, one of the soldiers under his command, a man by the name of Iago, motivated by a wounded sense of injustice and jealous of his commander, plots to destroy Othello. He creates a misrepresentation that appears that Othello’s wife, Desdemona, is having an affair with another man under Othello’s command. While framing this innocent wife of Othello, Iago manages to convince Othello of his loyalty.  The story concludes with Othello believing that his wife has been unfaithful to him.  He kills her only to discover the truth and, in his grief, takes his own life.   What makes the works of William Shakespeare such great literature? It speaks to the transcendent nature of human relationships. All the struggles, joys, and tragedies of life are addressed, which speaks to the human condition. This is why the Bible is so relevant. Even more importantly, the Bible reveals something we would never know apart from its revelation: the very nature of God and His love towards us. While Shakespeare often leaves us looking at the pain and tragedy of life, the Bible moves us to the hope found in God. Ernest Marshall Howse, in his book, ‘Spiritual Values in Shakespeare, states, “In his last will and testament, Shakespeare wrote: 'I commend my soul into the hands of God my Creator, hoping and assuredly believing, through the only merits of Jesus Christ my Saviour to be made partaker of life everlasting.” So, what is the underlying reason for the great tragedies of life? What causes unrest, bad feelings, hostile and destructive relationships? What is at the root of these things? In James 3, we find the origins of why relationships deteriorate. Jealousy and envy lead to the desire to destroy another. That is why the religious leaders crucified Jesus. They were jealous and envious of Jesus. Matthew 27:18 For he [Pilate] knew that it was out of envy that they [religious leaders] had delivered him [Jesus] up. From the very beginning, we have the issue of jealousy and envy bringing about the destruction of a relationship, and even of life itself. Cain was envious of his brother Abel, and he killed him. Therefore, the condition of the human heart is crucial for maintaining healthy human relationships. As we examine the landscape of our community, with so many relationships in jeopardy, what does that reveal about the condition of our hearts?  But what is even more important, what can be done about it? How can our self-centred and sinful nature be subdued? It takes a power greater than us. It is only as we yield to God’s Spirit in our hearts that we can have healthy relationships. One of the results of a Spirit-controlled life is that we live a life of submission, first and foremost, to God. It is only then that His purposes for our lives can be known and lived out. It is through this submission to God that we learn to value others and can learn to submit to them. Submission, then, is a key ingredient in healthy relationships.  What does the Bible mean when it speaks about submission? Often, we confuse submission with subjugation. Submission speaks of yielding to another.  Submission can either be forced or willingly given. People who are forced to submit or who are being subjugated live in resentment, bitterness, and anger. There has been far too much exploitation and humiliation of people in our world.  The result is nothing but resentment and rebellion. The biblical idea is willful submission. It is something we willingly give to another. I love the distinction that Warren Wiersbe makes between submission and subjugation.  “Subjugation turns a person into a thing, destroys individuality, and removes all liberty. Submission enables a person to become more of what God wants them to be; it brings out their individuality, giving them the freedom to accomplish all that God has planned for their life and ministry....

Romans 1:1-7

The hunger for freedom from oppression will drive people to rise in revolt against their oppressors. That has been the history of humanity over the centuries. We know that the Jewish people revolted militarily from Rome not once but twice. It was during the second revolt in 132-135 A. D., the Roman Emperor, Hadrian killed 580,000 Jews, destroyed 985 villages, forbid the Jewish people to enter the city of Jerusalem, what was left of it, and scattered many of the remnants of Jews people to other parts of the empire. It was under Hadrian that the land was renamed Palestine. In contrast to this political and military uprising, Church historian Philip Schaff (January 1, 1819 – October 20, 1893) relates the impact that Jesus and his message had over human history in his book, The Person of Christ. He writes: “And yet this Jesus of Nazareth, without money and arms, conquered more millions than Alexander, Caesar, Mohammed, and Napoleon; without science and learning, he shed more light on things human and divine than all philosophers and scholars combined; without the eloquence of schools, he spoke such words of life as were never spoken before or since, and produced effects which lie beyond the reach of any orator or poet; without writing a single line, he set more pens in motion, and furnished themes for more sermons, orations, discussions, learned volumes, works of art, and sweet songs of praise, than the whole army of great men of ancient and modern times.” What an amazing contrast between the human approach to life’s problems and God’s approach in addressing the great injustices of life. While the zealots in Jesus’ day murdered and revolted against Rome, ultimately destroying themselves in the process, Jesus’ message of love and forgiveness prevailed over that very Empire. The kingdom that Jesus ushered into our world still captures the human heart today. In James 3, we discover the difference between a wisdom that originates from God and a wisdom that defies God, whose origin is demonic and destructive. It is a wisdom that alienates human relationships, while Jesus’ message transforms them. James concludes chapter 3, which began with a challenge regarding our words, now focuses on the core issue of their origin, within the human heart. What is the condition of our heart? The state of our soul is affected by either wisdom that comes from above or wisdom that originates from below as we evaluate the nature of the two sources of wisdom that shape our hearts and affect our speech, which in turn brings either peace and harmony or conflict and strife. We are going to examine how wisdom affects the condition of our hearts.

One of the great themes of the Bible is the concept of faith. We are told that ‘It is impossible to please God apart from faith (Heb. 11:6). When the disciples were struggling and unable to deliver a young boy from a demonic attack, Jesus told them it was because they had so little faith. Then he told the disciples that if they had faith as small as a mustard seed, they would have prevailed. Jesus called it mountain-moving faith (Matt. 17:20). We know from Scripture that salvation from sin and death is a gift acquired by faith (Eph. 2:8-10). So, what is biblical faith, and how do we know when we have it? Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. If we continued to read Hebrews 11, we would discover that faith produced specific outcomes, and it is to this reality about faith that James is addressing in the first two chapters. There was a social tension that invaded even the church world in the 1st Century that James addresses. When we consider that slaves made up between 10-20 percent of the population in the Roman Empire, many of whom came to faith in Christ, there was economic disparity or inequality in that society. We see from James 1 and the beginning of James 2 that there is a tension between the rich and poor in the church. It is within this context that we need to read how genuine believers act when they find fellow believers in need. James now attaches this issue to 2:14-26 with the nature of faith.    So, how does biblical faith express itself in life? Biblical or genuine faith that is more than simply a mere confession of belief, but a faith that transforms the behaviour of the person who possesses it. James begins by raising the question: Can a faith that has no outward evidence in life be a biblical, saving faith? James now gives us his answer and describes three things that are understood as faith, but only one of them is genuine. The tragedy is that the other two expressions leave a person living in a state of self-deception and have eternal consequences. 

A few weeks ago, Patty and I viewed a documentary on Ed Sullivan, the host of the Sunday Evening Hour, which was a variety show that he oversaw for 27 years. One of the things that Ed Sullivan was noted for was helping to integrate into his program African American entertainers during a time of deep segregation and prejudice, particularly in the deep south of the U. S. One of the reasons for his commitment to this concern came from his family background as they were Irish immigrants to the U.S. He knew firsthand the pain of discrimination and favoritism. In James 2, James is deeply concerned about the believer’s actions as they reveal what a person believes. For James, the way we treat people reveals the true condition of the heart and the work of grace or lack within it. How do we see and treat people? The greater question is how God treat people. When we view the life of Christ, we know the pattern or the model for how we should treat others. Jesus reached out to the marginalized and social and racial outcasts and brought them into his kingdom. What needs to happen in our lives for us to treat others like Jesus? James was not only impacted by the example of Jesus but also knew the Old Testament texts in considering the nature of God’s dealings with people, particularly the vulnerable.   Leviticus 19:15 ‘Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favouritism to the great but judge your neighbour fairly. T. scholar, Douglas Moo, explains what James is challenging us with. “In his typically practical manner, James, in this paragraph, gives voice to an important Christian value: the equal worth of all people in the sight of God. Worldly culture is marked by distinctions: between one ethnic group and another, men and women, rich and poor, and so on. These distinctions are not erased in the church, but they are relativized in light of the revelation of God’s radical grace to all humans in Christ. ‘There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus’ (Gal. 3:28).” There is an equality of personhood we discover from Scripture. Every human being is created in God’s image and should be treated with respect. Here in James 2, we find three aspects of this issue of favouritism or discrimination. He begins with an exhortation, gives an example, and then explains the ramifications. 

Deuteronomy 29:2-6

Romans 1:16-17

Acts 1:1-11

In his book, Beyond Personality, C. S. Lewis explains what it takes to become what God originally intended for us to be all along, like Him. “Give up yourself, and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you’ll save it. Submit to death, death of your ambitions and favourite wishes every day and death of your whole body in the end: submit with every fiber of your being, and you will find eternal life. Keep nothing back. Nothing you have not given away will ever be really yours. Nothing in you that has not died will ever be raised from the dead. Look for yourself, and you will find hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay in the long run. But look for Christ, and you will find Him, and with Him, everything else will be thrown in.” What does it mean to be a ‘follower of Jesus Christ? What does spiritual maturity look like?  Interestingly, James uses the term ‘religious,’ as it is only used five times in the entire New Testament, and James uses it twice, both of which are found here in chapter one. Religion is best understood as the outward expression of our faith. How does the inward transformation of grace work itself out into our daily lives? Are we doing God’s will or our own will? Jesus warns us that there will be people who think that they are saved but are not. “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and, in your name, perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23) Paul challenges us to examine ourselves to determine if we are truly in the faith. “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless you fail the test?”  2 Corinthians 13:5 Warren Wiersbe points out: “There are true believers who are fooling themselves concerning their Christian walk. They think they are spiritual when they are not. It is a mark of maturity when a person faces himself honestly, knows himself, and admits his needs.” James gives us three criteria to measure the reality of our faith. He asks: Do we have pure religion, or are we living a life of self-deception?