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Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance (James 1:3).
Dr. Henry Halley noted, “Perseverance here transcends the idea of bearing affliction; it includes the idea of standing fast under pressure, with a staying power that turns adversities into opportunities.” The opportunity is to allow my life to be valuable currency for my King to use for His pleasure and purpose.
The Greek word for “testing” has several aspects to it, but all of them point to this truth: God desires purity, and He is the final Judge on the value of my purity. It has been said that the only faith that can be trusted is a faith that has been tested—and passed the test!
James in this verse, and Peter in 1 Peter 1:7, are the only New Testament writers to use the Greek word dokimion, which means testing for purity and genuineness.
These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. (1 Peter 1:7 NLT)
These verses insist that God has a loving and specific purpose in His refining process. The Septuagint uses dokimion when David declares the absolute purity—and the standard of all purity—that is found in God’s Word: The words of the Lord are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times (Psalm 12:6).
James says this purifying process “produces perseverance.” Paul takes this a step further in saying that perseverance produces character (Romans 5:4). This word for character is the word from which dokimion comes: dokime. This is defined as a proven character, or having received the the stamp of approval from God. Paul uses this word again…
Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything. (2 Corinthians 2:9)
But you know [Timothy’s] proven character, that as a son with his father he served with me in the gospel. (Philippians 2:22)
All of this testing and refining and proving is to make me valuable for God’s use, and to be one who points others to Him.
Dokime comes from dokimos, which James uses this way: “Having stood the test” (James 1:12). Other translations of this phrase read:
- When he has been approved (NKJV)
- The man who doesn’t give in (TLB)
- Proven to be genuine (NET)
Dokime means beings pleasing, acceptable, and valuable to God and men. It is money of undiminished value—currency of the highest purity. Just as monarchs would have their image stamped into the metal of the official coinage of their realm, the stamp of approval on my life comes from God but is seen by men and valued by men—
Because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval (Romans 14:18).
Greet Apelles, whose fidelity to Christ has stood the test (Romans 16:10).
For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends (2 Corinthians 10:18).
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15).
This is why I must “consider it pure joy” (James 1:2) when God puts me through His purifying process. He sees value in me that is not yet currency that can be placed into circulation. He wants my life to be spendable for His glory, so He loving removes anything that would diminish His image being seen in the currency of my life.
As the Christmas hymn captures: “Adam’s likeness now efface; stamp Thine image in its place”!
Make me valuable and useful for You, my King. Purify me and put me into circulation for Your glory.
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Craig T. Owens 