Friday, May 1, 2009
1 Peter 1:7 These have come so that your faith -- of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire -- may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
TWO FRUITS OF CHRISTIAN TRIAL
In verse six, Peter says that the Christians in Asia minor were greatly rejoicing because of all that Christ Jesus had made them part of when He made them His own by faith. But Peter recognizes that at the same time, they were probably experiencing griefs and trials.
Peter knew this was the destiny of all followers of Christ because Jesus had told them it would be. Satan would not leave Jesus' preachers alone, not the apostle preachers, not the layman and laywoman who brought Jesus to their neighbors either! No way was Satan going to let them share the life giving Good News without a fight.
But Peter says that's okay. Satan could only hurt their bodies, feelings, and minds -- not their souls. And the trials that they were facing would produce two fruits.
Number one -- trials in life separate genuine faith from false faith. When the Roman soldier says, "Worship this image of the emperor, or you will be burned to death," genuine faith is revealed. When the rampaging student points a gun at a girl's face and asks, "Do you believe in God?" genuine faith is revealed.
The second reason for trials in the Christian life is so that in heaven we may receive praise, glory and honor in God's presence (see Matthew 25:31-40). With every Christian, we recognize that every good we do is brought about by God’s power. As it says in Philippians: " . . . it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose" (Philippians 2:13 NIV). But the Christian will receive praise in the end. God's grace will give it to us.
