1 Peter Part 2: The Purpose of Trials
Discover more from Heaven On Wheels
1 Peter Part 2: The Purpose of Trials
1 Peter 1:6-9, Hebrews 12:6-8, 2 Timothy 3:12, Acts 14:21-22 - Our faith is refined in fires and tests
“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.”
1 Peter 1:6-9 NASB1995
1 Peter is deeply profound, in every verse and phrase. This series is certainly going to be a challenge for this amateur Bible devotional writer. Here Peter addresses the distress from various trials, which are brought forward as the proof of our faith, which is refined like gold in fire. In other Biblical translations, the word used instead of “distressed” is “grieved”. The Blue Letter Bible Greek word for distressed is lypeos, defined as follows:
to make sorrowful
to affect with sadness, cause grief, to throw into sorrow
to grieve, offend
to make one uneasy, cause him a scruple
It is wrongly thought that Christians are to be smiling and obnoxiously cheerful through every trial and tribulation that is thrown at us, acting like we are super beings. In reading a sermon by Steven Cole while researching this passage, he talks about doing a funeral for a man in his 30’s who left a young widow and two children. Her former pastor came bouncing up and declared, “Praise the Lord, he’s in glory now!”. Pastor Cole admitted to wanting to punch this guy, noting that this is not a Biblical or emotionally healthy way to deal with grief. But the opposite approach is also not Biblical, which is to raise your fist at God and vent all of your anger, rage and frustration. We can certainly grieve through trials, but we must also know that there is an inexpressible joy to be had while in the depths, due to our salvation.
Christians are guaranteed to have trials. Here are a few verses that support that premise:
“For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, And He scourges every son whom He receives.” It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.”
Hebrews 12:6-8 NASB1995
“Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
2 Timothy 3:12 NASB1995
“After they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.””
Acts 14:21-22 NASB1995
Our tribulations at this time in history may be limited to sanctions or criticism from employers for our beliefs (or even losing a job) or to censorship by those who control the media; perhaps we don’t have to fear imprisonment or execution. But those more dangerous times may be coming, so Peter is telling us to refine our faith in the imperishable fires of our faith and joy in our salvation. Faith is tested by God to show its sincerity, its strength and its purity, like removing dross from gold. Gold is perishable, a material that has no value to us after we die, which is why you hear the stories of the streets of Heaven being paved with this metal (it will be under our feet).
Charles Spurgeon preached quite often on afflictions and trials and the depressive states that he suffered. From a great Desiring God article about this legendary preacher, here is a salient Spurgeon quote:
I am afraid that all the grace that I have got of my comfortable and easy times and happy hours, might almost lie on a penny. But the good that I have received from my sorrows, and pains, and griefs, is altogether incalculable. . . . Affliction is the best bit of furniture in my house. It is the best book in a minister’s library. (“The Anguish and Agonies of Charles Spurgeon”)
Peter saw Jesus. He was with Him almost constantly for three years. He knew Him and he loved Him, although he denied Him. He saw Him on trial and after the Resurrection and at the Ascension. In this epistle, Peter knows that the many believers he is addressing have NOT seen Jesus but they also love Him and believe in Him. I know He is there and I love Him and believe in Him, as sure as I know the sun rises in the east. This brings to mind a famous quote by C.S. Lewis. The link is to a website of a person named Travis Dickinson who writes Christian apologetics articles and he explains, wonderfully, how belief in the the Trinitarian God confirms our existence, gives meaning to our universe and creates the foundation of our souls. Here’s the C.S. Lewis quote:
“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”
My next devotional examines 1 Peter 1:10-12, the greatness of salvation.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - I thank you for the tests and trials of my faith, to help me refine its sincerity, its strength, and its purity. I also thank you for your abiding love to help me ensure these trials and look to my salvation in Jesus. Amen.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org