These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world. 1 Peter 1:7 (NLT)
Without testing, there will always be room for doubt regarding the genuineness, durability, and even practicality of anything. Certainly, companies take shortcuts in testing products of all kinds. Failure can occur at many different points. From faulty design, faulty implementation, or faulty instruction, the results can range from inconvenience to catastrophe.
Even having a past reputation for producing quality is not enough. The Boeing company built a reputation on innovation, but that image has tarnished with recent failures in airplanes and even spacecraft. Humanly speaking, many people shy away from being tested. Most students do not enjoy tests. We groan when we must be retested for our driver’s license.
As Christ-followers, we should know better. We should understand that God allows us to undergo testing in order to prove that our faith is genuine. God knows whether or not our faith is real, but undergoing the test of fire should demonstrate to us the strength and reality of our faith. It is important for us to be paying attention.
Purified, Cleansed, And Refined
Many will be purified, cleansed, and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand. Daniel 12:10 (CSB)
Michael, the archangel, spoke these words to Daniel concerning the last days. We should view this message as both an encouragement, and a warning. God is preparing his bride, the church. As Paul said to the Ephesians: …Christ loved the church and gave himself for her to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word. He did this to present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless. Ephesians 5:25–27 (CSB)
As we approach the final days, the contrast between the bride of Christ and the world will become more apparent. It is hard to say how large that remnant will be, but Michael said that there would be many who would be purified, cleansed, and refined.
Jesus asked the question: “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:8 (NKJV) I believe the answer is a resounding “Yes!” While looking around us, we may not always see what God is doing. After all, even the great prophet Elijah wondered if he was all alone, but rest assured, Christ is still building his church. We might even say that he is preparing a “fireproof bride.”
Preach the Word
Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; correct, rebuke, and encourage with great patience and teaching. 2 Timothy 4:2 (CSB)
Again, as we approach the final days, it will be increasingly obvious who belongs to Christ. The testing by fire will expose the frauds and the posers. When the whole Word is preached, not just the parts that tickle ears, those who are only seeking a comfortable religion as a form of eternal fire insurance will no longer be willing to pay the cost.
As ministers of the Gospel, we are called to function as watchmen (Ezekiel 33). Remember, James warns us that as teachers, we have greater accountability. It has never been popular to “Preach the Word,” but in the last days there will be a greater effort to silence and censor those who dare speak truth. It is already happening.
In 2 Timothy 3, Paul lists the attributes and characteristics of people in the last days. He sums it up by saying that they are “lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people.” 2 Timothy 3:4-5
Preaching the word inevitably causes irritation. Sin is exposed, and true character revealed. People will leave. John gave us the explanation: They went out from us, but they did not belong to us; for if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. However, they went out so that it might be made clear that none of them belongs to us. 1 John 2:19 (CSB)
It should be obvious, but I’ll say it anyway. The word of God is a sharp instrument. Our task is to speak the truth in love. Preach the word to build people up, not tear them down.
Exams Are Coming
If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, each one’s work will become obvious. For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 1 Corinthians 3:12–14 (CSB)
Building codes and standards exist for a reason. Using substandard materials, and construction techniques, might not be initially apparent, but eventually they will come under scrutiny. Likewise, lives built using shortcuts, or not built on a solid foundation, will not stand the test of time.
It is easy to “fool most of the people, most of the time,” but God will not be mocked. Paul made this appeal: Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves. Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless you fail the test. 2 Corinthians 13:5 (CSB)
We will eventually go through the fire. Our lives and our works will be tested to see if they are genuine. How much better it is to first examine ourselves. Few people have been tested like Job. He was tested in this life and passed the test. Yet he knows the way I have taken; when he has tested me, I will emerge as pure gold. Job 23:10 (CSB)
We must make every effort to fireproof our lives.
Steve Ekeroth