We've just finished our sermon series on the letter of James. If I could sum it up in two words, I would say, "be authentic."

Be authentic in:

• Dealing with suffering (endure patiently, because God has got you)
• Your wisdom (just ask God, he wants to share his wisdom)
• Your faith (don't just believe: act)
• Your integrity (don't try to rely on both God and the world)
• Your love for others (don't treat people differently based on their social status)
• Your speech (restrain your tongue, and say yes when you mean it and no when you mean that)
• Your prayers (recognise your relationship to God)

It is no surprise that Christians are so often criticised for their hypocrisy. Our own Bible constantly tells us to be people of integrity. When we fail at that, we really let our side down. But thank God that he is not keen to judge us, but to redeem us.

Authenticity is certainly one of our values at Renew. We know we're not a big, polished church, and so we don't try to be. But we do try to be loving and caring and faithful. When we fail at that it hurts us, too. We are so grateful for the chance to start over that Jesus gives us, and we're happy to extend that to those around us. As James says, "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed." (James 5:16)

And perhaps that is the key to authenticity. It is only good for us, and for those around us, when we are authentic to the way God made us to be. An authentic sociopath is no help to anyone. Let's strive to be, rather, authentic disciples of the Lord of all creation, Jesus Christ, "and a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." (James 3:18)

Last night we talked about Sunday's sermon on James 1, and we struggled with what the "trials" are that James talks about. Why do some people seem to have a surfeit of trials, while others cruise through life untouched? Are those who escape suffering in this life doomed to a less impressive eternal future?

I can't pretend that we came up with any answers, except that trials are much more personal than we might think, and that comes from how trials fit into our Christian formation.

You see, our Christian walk consists of three distinct stages: coming to Christ, walking with Christ, and dwelling together with Christ in his kingdom. The theological terms for these three stages are: justification, sanctification, and glorification. Our experience of these three stages is quite different.

Everyone comes to Christ in the same way: by repenting from a commitment to the world's plan of self-rule, and through placing our faith in the saving power of his blood. The result of that act of commitment is that "He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son." (Colossians 1:13) We have been adopted by the Father into the family of God. We are now justified (made righteous) before his throne of judgement.

However, while justification sets us free from "the law of sin and death" and allows us to choose God, it doesn't transform our minds into ones that naturally choose God, rather than our own desires. That's what sanctification does. Sanctification is an ongoing process which is different for each Christian. And that's where trials come in--they help us to strengthen our trust in God, they exercise our spiritual muscles.

Finally, when we die (or Jesus returns), we go through the process of glorification. We are only fully glorified at the resurrection, when we receive our "spiritual bodies" which will be ours for eternity. The New Testament points to the reality that our obedience and growth here in this age (i.e. our sanctification) will influence our reward in heaven. I understand the intersection of these teachings as indicating that our sanctification is building our eternal character, which will then be reflected in our spiritual bodies and our ongoing minds and hearts.

So this "light momentary affliction  is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison," as Paul says in 2 Corinthians 4:17.

That makes trials seem even more important! Fortunately, if we boldly trust God, if we place him above any other call on our life, we'll certainly encounter trials. Even everyday life provides us with the opportunity of the trials of placing others above ourselves. If we open ourselves up to the concerns of others, rather than carefully protecting ourselves, we will find abundant trials through which to learn endurance. And we can count that all pure joy!

We studied the letter to the church of Smyrna in our Tuesday Night Bible Study this Tuesday (Revelation 2:8-11). We used the Inductive Bible Study method, which really forces you to grapple with the text of Scripture.

What I came away with was the uncomfortable realisation that God's view of a successful church, and his methods for getting there, are very different to mine (or most human beings).

The church at Smyrna is one of two out of the seven that receives no criticism, and yet they were poor, suffering, and slandered. In response to this oppression, Jesus warns them that more is coming, so that they might be "tested." There is no suggestion that they should complain to the authorities or vigorously defend themselves. Sounds harsh, right?

But Jesus encourages this church in many ways: he reminds them that he is the first and last (he was there at the beginning, and he's in charge at the end); that he died and rose again (he has control over death itself); that they need not be afraid of the suffering (because he's in control of it); and that, if they are faithful, they need not fear the second death, but will instead receive a victor's crown of life.

In contrast to human leaders--who use great messages, good community, uplifting worship, etc. to try to build the church--God uses (in Smyrna's case) poverty, suffering, and slander.

God's idea of success is not a bustling church with a noticeable presence in the community. His idea of success is a community of believers who are unflinchingly faithful to him in the face of poverty, persecution, and slander, even to the point of death.

Challenging, eh?