“THE FIRE AND GOLD OF TRIALS” –

The “fire” are the “trials” and the word Peter uses are trials which refer to the “fire” and then uses the word “grieved,” that means “mental distress.”{v6}. Also the fiery trials in {v7}. 

  • Trials Are Temporal – “ for a little while.” Though it may last a life time for some, in light of eternity it is short, a vapor!
  • Trials Are A Necessity- “if necessary,” It is not “iffy” as in “maybe, maybe not,” but the way it is written is. the necessity of trials are a fact for the believer, all believers! God deems they are so!
  • Trials Are Painful– “you have been distressed.” “distressed” speaks of “mental distress,, grieved,” as a result of various, different trials they had come upon them!
  • Trials Are “Various”- “by various trials” The word is used only twice in the NT, here for trials that they are various, different types, “multi colored” and then in 4:10 of Grace. So, whatever color the trial may be there is a matching color of Grace to meet the trial so you never face a trial without the Grace of god to accompany you in it!!
  • Trials Have a Purpose – “so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, “ – “So That,” here is the purpose, that your faith which is more valuable than gold, as it is proved… “might be to the praise, glory honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”  ” Now just a technicality in this verse, the word “that” at the beginning of verse 7, hina with a subjective in the Greek indicates purpose.  And what he is saying here is that the proof of your faith – and then he describes the faith as more precious – but it is the faith which will be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. So it’s not only the joy of proven faith, but it is the joy of anticipated reward.  The proving of faith is not here the main thought.  The proving of faith is not the purpose.  The proving of faith is the means to the purpose, the means to the end, the means to the goal, and the goal is praise, and glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.  That’s the goal, your eternal reward. So, you greatly rejoice because of your eternal salvation.  You greatly rejoice through all the troubles and trials of life, which are simply ways to prove your faith because a proven faith will ultimately be an honored faith.  And true faith will come through it all, and in the end praise, and honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Now I don’t want to blow your spiritual fuses, but I want you to understand something here.  The praise, and the glory, and the honor, I believe, has to to do with you.  It has to do with you.  In other words, God wants to grant you praise, and God wants to grant you glory, and God wants to grant you honor.  It doesn’t say here that it will result in us praising, glorifying, and honoring Him, but that we may be found because of our faith worthy of praise, worthy of glory, worthy of honor when Jesus comes.  That’s incredible to think about.  I mean, to imagine that we will someday see the Lord and receive from Him praise is incredible, incredible. Look at 1 Peter 2:20.  In the middle of the verse, “If when you do what is right – ” you see it there?  “If when you do what is right and suffer for it patiently and endure it, this finds – ” what? “ – favor with God.”  Isn’t it wonderful to know that you can have favor with God?  That you can please God?”-{John MacArthur}
  • Trials Are Under the Control of God– God controls them as He is the one who sets the boundaries. Read 1 Peter 5:10 “after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace Himself willperfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.” God has control and sets the perimeters for the time period He desires, not a moment longer and then he proceeds to shower His grace in the development of you!
  • Trials Are A Means to Joy– God uses them, to cause us to look to Him and as we consider eternal realities concerning the trials and the work of God on our behalf with His provisions for us amidst the background of dark, difficult distressful times!
  • Trials Do Not have to Trump Joy!– As difficult and painful as they are they in the light of eternity, they are short, and as painful as they are, God has provided hope for them to consider, meditate, contemplate as a springboard to their joy. Indeed it ignites joy the thought that God has elected them and this from before the foundation of the world, before He spoke the world into existence or caused the birds to fly in the expanse of the havens having brought order out of the chaos, God has chosen you to be His!,{1 Peter 1:2;Eph 1:4} the Gift of the Spirit, the sprinkling of blood that not only purchased you but continually cleanses you.{v2}, The mercy of God for your sin and the new birth  through the resurrection of the Lord Jesus.{v3} And  the promise and provision of a secure eternal inheritance for you. You are “kept,” not by your own doing but by God Himself that you may inherit the inheritance that is “kept” for you.{v4-5}. And also we read in Ephesians one of the Holy Spirit who has been given to you as an inheritance and the word used for pledge is what we use as an engagement ring, to show the wedding will happen in Heaven All these and more Peter writes to the distressed ones who are in fiery trials that they may have a hope that is sure and certain of the future good based on God’s at work, present work and future work are the foundation and from it  springs forth a joy that literally humps for joy at such a great God and salvation.

The Gold?- Your faith is tested and approved! It is genuine and it is the furnace of affliction that you have and do prove you are His. Your faith is real. Where Gold was what was used in Peter’s day as the currency and the most worth, it is temporal where as your faith is of eternal value. Gold though highly esteemed by people is secondary when it comes to God’s value, Rich in faith is far wealthier eternally than having all the Gold one can imagine. Faith is what please God and what He esteems in His economy!

* Like Abraham when He was willing to kill his son in obedience as we read in Hebrews 11 he believed God could raise him from the dead. And God stayed his hand and Abraham knew there was nothing he would do not do to worship God, he had faith in God.

* Paul said I know whom I have believed in and am persuaded He is able to keep what he had committed to Him… he had faith in Him and faith is what pleases God. And even in times of mental distress, faith is approved, revealed s genuine and it is against a background of pain.

* Peter says, “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.”–{v 8-9}

The “Gold” is that your Faith is Proven, genuine, and that is “proven” in “fiery trials, of varied kinds and types, in the midst of that which causes painful “distress.” The Joy based on the foundation of God’s hope of  is the springboard to joy indescribable!”

Your Genuine Faith is Displayed in the Flames.

It is seen by others and revealed to you, that your Faith is the Real deal!

Think on truth, meditate, celebrate Him and your great salvation He has provided for you and the future hope that waits you.

* Share with others of Him and the Fire and Gold!

Faith that Focus’s on The Hope God has supplied for them that is the means to Producing Joy!