Faith, Tested

1 Peter 1:6-7

In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith-more precious than golf that perishes though it is tested by fire-may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

As we talked about last week, we have a hope, and an inheritance that is in heaven, kept for us by God, and we have it through the work of God in causing us to be born again, and through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Peter says that in this hope, the “elect exiles” rejoice, even through they are under persecution at the time. This persecution is to show that their faith is genuine and will, in the end, when Christ returns, result in Him being glorified, through our obedience.

We talked a little about the persecution, or trials that these people were under a few weeks ago, and I would like to touch on that a little more this week. The people in Northern Asia Minor were being cast out of society, not so much physically banished, or exiled (as they were from Jerusalem) but on the social level. Their families suffered, their friendships suffered, their jobs suffered, and they individually suffered because of their obedience to Christ. They would no longer take part in the pagan rituals of the cities because their allegiance was to Christ. Since family gatherings, social events, and markets all met near pagan temples, and centered on pagan worship rituals, the people truly were “outcasts” or “aliens.” There are no accounts of “official persecution” or “physical persecution” such as imprisonment or executions in this epistle, but rejection, abuse, economic persecution, possibly resulting in the loss of property, punishment by family leaders (owners of slaves, husbands of women) and perhaps occasional mob violence had certainly taken their toll. But Peter exhorts the believers to press on, seeking holiness, and living in the hope that is in Jesus Christ. And he also applauds them for rejoicing in that hope.

Joy in the sight of persecution is not a foreign concept to New Testament writers, and especially not to Peter.

1 Peter 2:19-21

19 For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

1 Peter 4:12-19

12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And,

"If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,

what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?"

19 So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

James 1:2-3

2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.

Paul tells us in Romans:

Rom 5:3-5

3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

2 Tim 1:8-11

8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

2 Tim 2:8-10

This is my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory.

And the words of Jesus:

Matthew 5:11-12

Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

When you face persecution remember the words of Jesus in John 15:18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.”

The persecution, or trials, we talk about here does not include common sufferings that happen to all humans, and certainly not to illness, but those that result from the person's commitment to Jesus. These might be direct persecutions, where someone makes fun of you for your beliefs, or mocks your faith, or in the struggles of Christian service (Jude 3). This was certainly the experience of the Christians to whom this letter was written.

These trials we suffer, whether being mocked, or economic persecution, or whatever it may be, should be rejoiced in. Not because we enjoy persecution, or because we deny the reality of pain and suffering, but because we know that in the end times, God will pay back all those who have suffered as a result of their faithfulness to Him, and we can therefore, rejoice now, in anticipation of the coming heavenly reward.

So that the tested genuineness of our faith-more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire-may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

We suffer these trials (with joy) knowing that our faith will be proven genuine, and more precious than gold! Pure gold (24k) is not found naturally, it is always mixed in with many other metals or minerals. To purify the gold, they melt it, and as gold is heavier than the other “impurities” it sinks to the bottom, and all the other stuff floats on top. This stuff is called “dross.” So the person smelting the gold will skim the dross off the top, and you are left with pure gold. Gold doesn't come perfect, and neither do we. Gold has to be heated to extreme temperatures and melted before it can be made pure. It must go under intense stresses in order to remove the impurities, and prove that it is pure gold. Likewise, we endure hardship and trials with joy, knowing that in the end, when we are glorified, we will be purified by God, which will result in praise, glory, and honor being given to Him.

We may suffer persecution and go through many trials, but we can do so with joy and peace, knowing that in Christ we have hope; a hope that is kept in heaven by God. We have joy and peace knowing that the faith God gave us when He caused us to be reborn will be proven genuine, and result in Him being glorified.

We don't like persecution, but no matter how hard it may be, we can endure it, if we keep our eyes set on Jesus, the “author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross,(Heb 12:2)” and live in the hope that is in Him, that we will be resurrected, made holy like him, and dwell for eternity in heaven giving glory to His name.


	1 Peter 1:6-7 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith-more precious than golf that perishes though it is tested by fire-may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As we talked about last week, we have a hope, and an inheritance that is in heaven, kept for us by God, and we have it through the work of God in causing us to be born again, and through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Peter says that in this hope, the “elect exiles” rejoice, even through they are under persecution at the time. This persecution is to show that their faith is genuine and will, in the end, when Christ returns, result in Him being glorified, through our obedience. We talked a little about the persecution, or trials that these people were under a few weeks ago, and I would like to touch on that a little more this week. The people in Northern Asia Minor were being cast out of society, not so much physically banished, or exiled (as they were from Jerusalem) but on the social level. Their families suffered, their friendships suffered, their jobs suffered, and they individually suffered because of their obedience to Christ. They would no longer take part in the pagan rituals of the cities because their allegiance was to Christ. Since family gatherings, social events, and markets all met near pagan temples, and centered on pagan worship rituals, the people truly were “outcasts” or “aliens.” There are no accounts of “official persecution” or “physical persecution” such as imprisonment or executions in this epistle, but rejection, abuse, economic persecution, possibly resulting in the loss of property, punishment by family leaders (owners of slaves, husbands of women) and perhaps occasional mob violence had certainly taken their toll. But Peter exhorts the believers to press on, seeking holiness, and living in the hope that is in Jesus Christ. And he also applauds them for rejoicing in that hope. Joy in the sight of persecution is not a foreign concept to New Testament writers, and especially not to Peter. 1 Peter 2:19-21 19 For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God. 20 But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps. 1 Peter 4:12-19 12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And, "If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?" 19 So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. James 1:2-3 2 Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Paul tells us in Romans: Rom 5:3-5 3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. 2 Tim 1:8-11 8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. 2 Tim 2:8-10 This is my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God's word is not chained. 10 Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. And the words of Jesus: Matthew 5:11-12 Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. When you face persecution remember the words of Jesus in John 15:18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.” The persecution, or trials, we talk about here does not include common sufferings that happen to all humans, and certainly not to illness, but those that result from the person's commitment to Jesus. These might be direct persecutions, where someone makes fun of you for your beliefs, or mocks your faith, or in the struggles of Christian service (Jude 3). This was certainly the experience of the Christians to whom this letter was written. These trials we suffer, whether being mocked, or economic persecution, or whatever it may be, should be rejoiced in. Not because we enjoy persecution, or because we deny the reality of pain and suffering, but because we know that in the end times, God will pay back all those who have suffered as a result of their faithfulness to Him, and we can therefore, rejoice now, in anticipation of the coming heavenly reward. So that the tested genuineness of our faith-more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire-may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. We suffer these trials (with joy) knowing that our faith will be proven genuine, and more precious than gold! Pure gold (24k) is not found naturally, it is always mixed in with many other metals or minerals. To purify the gold, they melt it, and as gold is heavier than the other “impurities” it sinks to the bottom, and all the other stuff floats on top. This stuff is called “dross.” So the person smelting the gold will skim the dross off the top, and you are left with pure gold. Gold doesn't come perfect, and neither do we. Gold has to be heated to extreme temperatures and melted before it can be made pure. It must go under intense stresses in order to remove the impurities, and prove that it is pure gold. Likewise, we endure hardship and trials with joy, knowing that in the end, when we are glorified, we will be purified by God, which will result in praise, glory, and honor being given to Him. We may suffer persecution and go through many trials, but we can do so with joy and peace, knowing that in Christ we have hope; a hope that is kept in heaven by God. We have joy and peace knowing that the faith God gave us when He caused us to be reborn will be proven genuine, and result in Him being glorified. We don't like persecution, but no matter how hard it may be, we can endure it, if we keep our eyes set on Jesus, the “author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him, endured the cross,(Heb 12:2)” and live in the hope that is in Him, that we will be resurrected, made holy like him, and dwell for eternity in heaven giving glory to His name.