In these verses James speaks both of longsuffering and endurance. He uses the prophets as an example of longsuffering and Job as an example of endurance. How shall we differentiate longsuffering and endurance? After much study I have concluded that longsuffering is a matter of patience toward persons. When we are persecuted, we need longsuffering. Therefore, longsuffering is an expression of our patience toward people. The prophets were persecuted, but they were longsuffering toward their persecutors. Endurance, on the contrary, is an expression of our patience toward the things that afflict us. Therefore, when Job suffered affliction, he displayed endurance. Job’s suffering was not that of persecution but that of calamities.
In his writing James uses the Greek words for longsuffering and endurance. While we are awaiting the Lord’s coming back, we need both longsuffering and endurance because we face suffering from two sources. These sources are persons who persecute us and the environment that afflicts us. For example, a brother may have an accident, and his new car may be damaged. For that, he does not need longsuffering; he needs endurance. The car has not done anything to persecute him, but he does suffer from a particular environmental affliction. For that affliction he needs endurance. However, if this brother is mistreated by his boss, he will need longsuffering toward his boss. But if he loses his job, suffering as a result of that environmental affliction, he will once again need endurance. We need to exercise longsuffering toward people and endurance toward environmental afflictions.
For the Lord’s coming back, we need longsuffering, endurance, and the growth in life. As we are exercising longsuffering toward those who persecute us and endurance toward afflictions, we need to grow in life. Then we shall be able to say, “O Lord Jesus, come back sooner. Lord, can’t You see that I am growing in life? Today I am growing faster than yesterday. Because I am growing, Lord, I ask You to speed up Your coming back.” Have you ever prayed like this? I doubt that many Christians have prayed in this way concerning the Lord’s coming back.
We need to realize that the Lord’s coming is related to our growth in life. If we fulfill the condition of growing in life, the Lord will fulfill the condition of coming back sooner. Therefore, we need to grow in life, and as we are growing, to exercise longsuffering and endurance. This is the proper way to await the Lord’s coming back.
Earlier in this message we pointed out that the Greek word for “coming” in 5:7 and 8 is parousia, which means presence. The Lord’s parousia will last for a period of time, at least three and a half years, the length of the great tribulation. The parousia is likely to begin a little earlier than the tribulation, and it may conclude a little before the end of the great tribulation. It is very difficult for us to know when this will be, because the Lord Jesus has said that only the Father knows the time of His coming. This means that the time of the beginning of the Lord’s parousia is a secret kept confidential in the Father’s heart. But according to the study of prophecy in the Scriptures, we can say that the parousia will begin a little earlier than the start of the great tribulation.
Most Christians do not understand the Lord’s coming as being a matter of the parousia, His presence over a period of time. Instead, many believers think that the coming of the Lord will be somewhat like an accident. Actually, the Lord’s parousia will last for a period of time. According to James’ word, we need to await the coming of the Lord, His parousia, with longsuffering and endurance. Furthermore, as we are waiting we need to grow in life unto maturity.