FAITH—TESTED & PROVEN

Posted by Pastor Greg Allen on September 12, 2018 under AM Bible Study |

AM Bible Study Group: September 12, 2018 from 1 Peter 1:6-9

Theme: God uses present trials to refine our faith, so that it will result in glory at Jesus’ return.

(All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated).

This morning’s passage tells us of a need that all of us as believers have. It’s not a need we necessarily enjoy having met. But it’s one that God nevertheless meets in our lives. And we should be glad He does; because it results in “praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” That need is described for us in the first few words of 1 Peter 1:6-9.

After speaking of the glories of our future prospect in Christ, Peter writes;

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:6-9).

The Holy Spirit informs us, through His servant Peter, that it at times ‘needs be’ that we are ‘grieved by various trials’. Those trials fill a vital need in our life in Christ. They test our faith in Christ, and refine it, and rid it of things that hinder it or do not belong to it. They are like the crucible of the soul that burns away the sinful elements of this world that still remain in us. They purify our faith in Christ and make it stronger—and all so that our Lord will receive glory—and we will experience eternal rejoicing—on the day of His return.

It’s hard to remember this, though, when going through those trials. Praise God that Peter was led to record these words for us—so that we will be supported and encouraged by them in those times of trial.

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As we saw in our last study, this particular passage is part of a whole unit—one that extends in 1 Peter 1 from verse 3 to verse 12. In that section, Peter speaks to a group of suffering Christians about the sure and certain hope that is theirs in Christ for future glory. He calls his readers to make three ‘looks’ with respect to our promised glorification in Christ: a look forward into the future in verses 3-5; and look downward into the present circumstances of suffering n verse 6-9; and a look backward into the past testimonies of Old Testament prophesy in verses 10-12. Together, these three ‘looks’ give us a whole view of the practical and sustaining value of our glorification in Christ at a time of suffering.

In this lesson, we consider particularly the ‘downward’ look at how our glorification in Christ sustains us in a time of trial. The Bible has much to say to us about the sustaining power of remembering God’s sovereign purpose in our trials. Pastor James spoke of it in James 1:2-4; when he also wrote to suffering Christians and said,

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:2-4).

The apostle Paul also, in a similar manner, also wrote in Romans 5:1-5;

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us (Romans 5:1-5).

Even our Lord Jesus taught something of this to us when—in John 15:1-2—He said;

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:1-2).

It’s no fun to be pruned. But as the writer of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 12:11;

Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it (Hebrews 12:11).

Let’s consider, then, what Peter tells us about God’s refining work in us through trials. First, we notice …

I. THE EXPERIENCE OF REFINEMENT (v. 6).

He beings by saying “In this, you greatly rejoice …” And the “this” he speaks of is the future destiny that he describes for us in such wonderful detail in verses 3-5;

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time (1 Peter 1:3-5).

Peter uses a remarkable word to describe what our emotion ought to be in this. He says that we “greatly rejoice”; which is one word in the original language. It’s a word that describes rejoicing to an exceedingly high level. It’s ‘super-rejoicing’. Our inheritance in Christ ought to be an overwhelming, overcoming, out-of-this-world cause for joy; and we ought to fix our hopes upon it. Not a day should go by that we do not think about it and celebrate it with great thanksgiving.

But Peter is also realistic about the situation in which this rejoicing happens. He goes on to say that we rejoice in this future glory with exceedingly great joy; “though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials …” Our time of looking ahead to that future glory is also a time of present longing; because our faith in Jesus and in His promises is presently being tested and tried by various trials. Notice two things; however. First, notice how Peter writes that it is “if need be”. This reminds us that the trials are only allowed into our lives because they are necessary for our refinement in Christ. And second, notice that they are temporary; they are only “for a little while” from the standpoint of eternity—only for so long upon this earth as they are needed in accordance with God’s wisdom—to produce in us the refinement of our faith that God desires.

This should remind us of what the apostle Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:16-18—a passage that has been a great comfort to suffering believers throughout the centuries;

Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

As we look ahead to the as-yet-unseen outcome, we gain perspective in our present situation, and see that our trials are only “for a time”—or as Paul puts it, only “momentary”; and that they are necessary to ‘work in us’ that “far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory”. And let’s always remember that it’s not the experience of the trials themselves that refine our faith; but rather the fact of our habitually, continually keeping our eyes on the promises of God for our eternal glory in Christ in the midst of our trials—and greatly rejoicing in this future glory—that refines our faith and brings honor and glory to God.

So; trials are necessary for the testing of our faith. But why does God do this? Why does God see so fit to test our faith—and sometimes in ways that seem so severe? Peter goes on to tell us about …

II. THE PURPOSE OF REFINEMENT (v. 7).

If it were up to us, we’d say “good enough” when it comes to our faith. We don’t want to have to suffer to make it stronger. But God holds our faith as something far more precious than we often do. As Peter says, it’s “that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ …” (v. 7).

Our faith is something of unspeakably great value to our Father. He loves those who believe on His Son; and He is protective of the growth of their faith in Him. It should, for that reason, be very precious to us too. Peter uses the analogy of refined gold—pure and glistening—and tells us that our faith is of ‘much more value’ to God than even that!

Consider the process of refining gold. The fire is heated up and the gold is melted. All traces of impurity rise to the surface and are gently and patiently skimmed away. The process is repeated several times, until all of the impurities are gone—and the gold is so pure that the refiner can see his own reflection clearly upon the surface. Trials refine our faith in very much the same way. Sometimes the heat come in the form of difficult circumstances that make us learn to rely upon God’s help more. It may come in the form of tight finances, that requires that we trust God to be our Provider. It may be a job loss, or a legal challenge, or even a physical illness that make us call upon God in our time of pain or limitation. It may even be in the form of a time of emotional testing or deep depression. It most certainly may be that the trial comes in the form of persecution—just as was the case with the people that Peter was writing to. The ‘heat’ of the refining fire may come in many different forms—which is why, in the previous verse, Peter called them “various trials”. These trials bring to the surface those things that don’t belong in us as followers of Jesus—sinful attitudes, bitterness, inordinate longings, complaints and grumblings, weaknesses, doubts—so that they can be recognized and repented of. But the trials that bring these things to the surface are all come under God’s sovereign control; just as the apostle Paul wrote;

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Notice two things that Peter tells us in verse 7 that God seeks to do in that refining process. First, He seeks a faith that is ‘genuine’. The word that Peter uses is one that would refer to a precious metal that has been put through the refining process and is now ‘pure’. The trials that God puts His people through for their faith in Jesus ends up showing that they truly belong to Him—and that their faith in Him is the real thing. And second, He refines our faith in order for it to be found “to praise, honor, and glory” on the day of Jesus’ return. When our faith in Jesus is truly proven, we will receive the greatest commendation that anyone could ever receive—to hear Jesus say, “Well done!” If our faith must be refined by the hardship of trials in order to hear those words from our Savior, then it will be a process of refinement that we will never, ever regret!

Finally, Peter encourages us with …

III. THE OUTCOME OF REFINEMENT (vv. 8-9).

Our refined faith will result in praise, honor, and glory in the day of the revealing of Jesus, “whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.”

From these words, we can see the outcome of our refinement in two respects. First, we see it in respect to our present walk with Jesus. Every trial of our faith that we faithfully undergo—while keeping our eyes fixed on the eternal inheritance that Jesus has purchased for us—makes us love Jesus even more. Have you ever seen an older, seasoned Christian who has suffered much in their walk of faith—and yet, who surprises you with the depth of their love for Jesus? Have you been surprised to see how they seem completely set free from any doubts about Him, and that they are completely given over in their love for Him? That didn’t happen by accident. It happened through a long process of having their faith in Him refined through many, many trials—trials in which they turned to Him, and cried out to Him, and clung to Him, and found, through experience, that He is their faithful Sustainer and dearest Friend. This is the pathway to a truly ‘overcoming’ love for Jesus. It’s the hard way; but it proves to be the surest way.

The suffering Christians to whom Peter wrote had never seen Jesus. But they nevertheless loved Him. And even in the midst of the trials they were suffering for Him right then, they still only saw Him through the eyes of faith. And yet, they rejoiced “with joy inexpressible and full of glory”. They were like what Jesus said to Thomas; “Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Love for Jesus and faith in Him is strengthened by the refinement of the trials that we faithfully suffer for Him.

The outcome of our refinement is shown in a second respect. Peter writes, “ receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.” The “end” of our faith simply means the “goal” or “outcome” of it; and the goal and outcome is our full glorification in Christ. As Paul put it at the end of his long life of faith, filled with trials and tests;

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

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These trials of ours meet a need that we may not necessarily like having—or that we like having met! But we can take Peter’s word on it, and know that we will praise God eternally that He loved us enough to refine our faith through them.

Let’s remember that if we are undergoing a trial in our faith right now, it’s because our loving Father has determined that it absolutely needed to be there in our lives. We should count it all joy that it is there—with our heavenly Father faithfully and lovingly working in us through it—perfecting that most precious faith in us that He values so highly—looking ahead to the glorious joy that will be ours as a result.

EA