The “Fire And Gold!” – {Trials and Their Purpose} -{1 Peter 1:6-9}

“THE FIRE AND GOLD OF TRIALS” –

{1 Peter 1;6-9.}

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

• Your 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!

• Your 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! The word, “necessary,” The Greek word “dei,” from “deo meaning “to bind, to tie objects together.” It speaks of this is necessary to happen, and is a verb in the present tense, necessary, needful and purposeful not to destroy us but develop us and at times refine us spiritually. The word “Dei “is present tense  which means that trials are continual and inevitable!  God’s people are not granted immunity from trials, suffering, it is to be expected, inevitable and has Divine purpose!. The word means it is “necessity in reference to what is required to attain some end.” -{Thayer’s}

• Your Trials Are Painful – “you have been distressed.” “distressed” speaks of “mental anguish.” The word means “grieved,” “heaviness,” or “tearfully sorrowful.” It speaks of mental anguish, not necessarily physical suffering, as a result of various, different trials they had come upon them!

• Your Trials Are Varied – “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!!

• Your 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 will perfect, 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!

• Your 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, gory honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” The Purpose Revealed, that your faith is genuine!

• Your Trials Are A Means to Joy–  The evil one seeks to use them to destroy us. God uses them, to develop, display us, and 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 have a way of weaning us from living as though the temporal is eternal! We “greatly rejoice,” as we know there is a future Hope that awaits us! This world is not our home and does not have the final say. God does!

• Your Trials Do Not have to Trump Joy! – As difficult and painful as they are, they, in the light of eternity 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 heavens having brought order out of the chaos, God has chosen you to be His!-{1 Peter 1:2; Eph 1:4}. Also,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 secured 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; past work, present work, and future work are the foundation of hope, 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. The genuineness of Gold was proven and the impurities around it burnt off in the hot fire. If it was not real the fire would have consumed, melted, exposed it as false and flawed material, not the real, genuine article! Gold also was what was used in Peter’s day as the currency and the most worth, but 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 pleases God and what He esteems in His economy! {Heb 11:6}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. 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}. And even in times of mental anguished, revealed as genuine, authentic, and this against a background of pain! And the ability to leap for joy due to the hope God imparts as the foundation and springboard to “greatly rejoice!”
  

  It is often in the crucible, God not only makes people of faith, but genuine faith is revealed in the crucible! As it was in Peter’s day so it is today!

  The “Gold” is that your Faith is Proven,genuine, Revealed, 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 Response to the trials reveal something to you and through you!   

•  Think on truth, meditate, celebrate Him and your great salvation He has provided for you and the future hope that awaits you.* Memorize, Meditate on the passage and do it a you will need it and ALSO so it so you can HELP others in times of their trials! Share with others of Him and “the Fire and Gold!” Faith that Focus’s on The Hope God has supplied for them is the means to Producing Joy!