1 Peter 1:6-7: “Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ”
One of the most difficult parts of the Christian life is the fact that becoming a disciple of Christ does not make us immune to life’s trials and tribulations. It doesn’t make a local fellowship immune either. The Bible clearly teaches that God loves those who are His children and He “works all things together for good” for us, who are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28, 29). So that must mean that the trials and tribulations He allows in our lives are part of the working together of all things for good. Therefore, for the believers, all trials and tribulations must have a divine purpose. What could that be? What is God trying to do in the life of His church? For the Scriptural answer, we examine:
- Historical Context: Written between A.D. 60 and 65, 1 Peter 1:1 identifies the author of the book of 1 Peter as the apostle Peter. He was writing to the believers who had been dispersed throughout the ancient world and were under intense persecution. If anyone understood persecution, it was Peter. He was beaten, threatened, punished and jailed for preaching the Word of God. He knew what it took to endure without bitterness, without losing hope and in great faith living an obedient, victorious life. This knowledge of living hope in Jesus was the message and Christ’s example was the one to follow. Though this time of persecution was desperate, Peter reveals that it was actually a time to rejoice. He says to count it a privilege to suffer for the sake of Christ, as their Savior suffered for them. This letter makes reference to Peter’s personal experiences with Jesus and his sermons from the book of Acts. Peter confirms Satan as the great enemy of every Christian but the assurance of Christ’s future return gives the incentive of hope.
- Grammatical Usage: V. 6: “Rejoice” is “Agalliao” meaning, “exult…be exceedingly glad”; “season” is “Oligos” meaning, “briefly…a little while…a short period”; “heaviness” or “Lupeo” meaning, “distressed…sorrowful…grieving”; “manifold” or “Poikilos” meaning, “various”; “temptations” or “Peirasmos” meaning, “trials Divinely permitted for a beneficial purpose”; V. 7: “trial” is “Dokimion” means, “the proving”; “faith” or “Pistis” meaning, “convictions born of belief”; “tried” or “Dokimazo” meaning, “to be proved and deemed worthy”; “praise” or “Epainos” meaning, “a commendation…commended”; “honour” or “Time” meaning, “valuable in the sense of precious”; “glory” or “Doxa” meaning, “majestic splendor”; “appearance” is “Apokalupsis” meaning, “an uncovering, unveiling.”
- Literal Application: In this be exulted, though now for a little while, if necessary, you are in distress and grieving due to various trials which, make no mistake, are Divinely permitted and consequently beneficial: as they prove your faith as you live your convictions, proving you worthy – a designation more precious than gold as it perishes though refined by fire, resulting in a commendation far more precious, indeed majestic, at the judgment of Jesus Christ.
- Contextual Interpretation: These rather complicated verses are not a comparison of faith with gold but there is an analogy between the testing of character (faith) and the refining process associated with gold. This does not mean that their faith was more precious than gold (though of course it is), but that the testing of it was a much more important and valuable process than that of testing gold by fire. By Peter’s striking this note of suffering early in his letter, he was only stressing that which had been stressed by Jesus himself (Mark 8:31-38); and Peter would return to this, again and again, throughout the epistle (1 Peter 2:21; 3:14-22; 4:12-19; 5:1, 10). Thus the sufferings of a Christian must not be viewed as any unscheduled disaster overtaking us without the will of God, but the very route by which the Lord Jesus demonstrates His wonderful redemption, displays His glory and provides a testimony of character to all involved. Make now mistake: God tries his people in adversity. He lays his hand on them heavily, to show:
(a.) whether they will bear up under their trials, and persevere in His service;
(b.) to show whether their faith will keep them from murmuring or complaining;
(c.) to show whether faith is adapted to comfort and sustain the soul.
The result becomes evident at the coming of Christ, when the judgment of believers’ works will occur (Mt. 16:28; 2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 3:11-15; Lk. 14:14; Rev. 11:15-18, etc.,) their fiery trial of persecution will result in praise, glory and honor for them. This is confirmed by Paul in 2 Timothy 4:8 and in Revelation 2:10.
As in all things, God’s ultimate purpose for us is to
grow more and more into the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). This is the goal of
the Christian, and everything in life, including the trials and tribulations, all
designed to enable us to reach that goal. It is part of the process of
sanctification; that is, being set apart for God’s purposes and fitted to live
for His glory. The way the trials accomplish this is explained in 1 Peter
1:6-7. The true believer’s faith will be
made sure by the trials we experience so that we can rest in the knowledge that
it is real and will last forever. Trials
develop godly character, and that enables us to “rejoice in our
sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance,
character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God
has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given
us” (Romans 5:3-5). Jesus Christ set the perfect example. “But God
demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us” (Romans 5:8). These verses point out aspects of His divine
purpose for both Jesus Christ’s trials and tribulations and ours. Persevering
proves our faith. “I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens
me” (Philippians 4:13).
At the same time, we must be careful never to make excuses for our “trials
and tribulations” if they are a result of our own wrongdoing. “By no
means let any of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a
troublesome meddler” (1 Peter 4:15). God will forgive our sins because the
eternal punishment for them has been paid by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.
However, we still have to suffer the natural consequences in this life for our
sins and bad choices. But God uses even those sufferings to mold and shape us
for His purposes and our ultimate good.
Trials and tribulations come with both a purpose and a reward. “Consider
it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the
testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect
result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”
“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been
approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to
those who love Him” (James 1:2-4,12).
Through all of life’s trials and tribulations, we have the victory. “But
thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord, Jesus
Christ.” These verses encourage us to see that although we are in a
spiritual battle, Satan has no authority over the believer in Christ. God has
given us His Word to guide us, His Holy Spirit to enable us, and the privilege
of coming to Him anywhere, at any time, to pray about anything. He has also
assured us that no trial will test us beyond our ability to bear it, and “he
will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians
10:13).
- Scriptural Comparison: From a local church’s perspective, there are ten aspects to trials and tribulations which, when understood, calm a congregation’s fears while providing the local fellowship the framework to avoid recrimination one against another, lay the foundation for forbearance one to another while preserving the union of the body one with another:
- To develop perseverance: James 1:3, “…because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” Perseverance in the Greek is “Hupomone” and it means steadfastness, constancy, endurance: specifically in the New Testament it is the characteristic of a man who is not swerved from his deliberate purpose and his loyalty to faith and piety by even the greatest trials and sufferings. How do you think this is developed within the Body of Christ? Through the pain associated with being counted among Christ and resistance to that which is clearly not scriptural. The church will not become all that God intends it to be if we are only running in the sunshine which, by the way, leads to only a dry existence.
- To bring us to maturity: Hebrews 5:8, “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.” Christ learned obedience through suffering. If in His sinlessness Christ required suffering to become mature and fulfill His calling, so much more do we who are sinful need to learn obedience.
- To assure us of our sonship. Hebrews 12; Romans 8:37, “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.” Hebrews 12:3-11 tells us if we do not experience discipline than we are illegitimate children, not true sons.
- To prove the genuine nature of our faith: 1 Thessalonians 1:6, “You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.” It is not difficult to be a Christian when all is right with our world – that is no peculiar challenge at all. But when challenges arise, unsettle the fellowship, threaten division within and our testimony to the world – then and there is the test of faith. At this point God calls upon us, in reliance of the Holy Spirit, both to be and to do according to scripture.
- To develop within us humility: 2 Cor. 12:7, “…Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.” Paul’s ailment was to prevent him from becoming conceited. Why? “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” – Proverbs 16:18. The desire to depend upon ourselves is of critical concern to God. Full of our notions and our own abilities God, in His great mercy, brings into our lives and the life of His church issues of deep pain in order to develop within us humility – the soil in which all the evidences of His grace grow. Make no mistake, how we act and react is of prime importance to God.
- To keep us on track: Psalm 119:67-68, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word. You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.” Notice how our intensity and sensitivity towards God changes when a shadow falls across our horizon. Solomon writes to his son in Proverbs 3:11-12, “My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.”
- To deepen our insight into the heart of God: 2 Corinthians 4:7-11, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. “ Truly, this is a calling to the church.
- To enable us to help others in their trials: 2 Kings 5: 2-3, “Now the Syrians on one of their raids had carried off a little girl from the land of Israel, and she worked in the service of Naaman’s wife. 3She said to her mistress, “Would that my lord were with the prophet who is in Samaria! He would cure him of his leprosy.” The servant girl caught up in ethnic cleansing, shuffled off to a foreign land to serve a foreign household. All the ingredients for the potential of bitterness, disgruntlement and an attitude of “I don’t want to be here, I don’t like you therefore I’m not going to help you.” But when she looked upon the pain of her master’s wife and that of her master himself with the onset of leprosy…from her own pain she became sympathetic and volunteered the information of going to the man of God. Why would she help? Because in her own experience God had come through and helped her. The journey through which God has brought us He uses to minister to another.
- To reveal what we really love: Deuteronomy 13:3, “you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the LORD your God is testing you, to know whether you love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” Challenges clarify things in a way that nothing else will or can.
- To display His glory: Isaiah 43:6-7, “Do not withhold; bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the end of the earth, 7everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.” We are the expression of God’s glory – created in His image for the purpose of demonstrating His love, concern and care. We are the bride of Christ, displaying to all the world His majesty and sufficiency.
- Conclusion: It is not only possible but anticipated that God’s people will face challenges and testings. As we have discovered, God is at work or, as I like to say, He is in the midst of the mist. While some may claim they can’t see Him, we are told not to live by sight but by the Word of God…the Word which instructs, encourages, is always right and shall never pass away. God has provided all we need as the Holy Spirit brings the Word alive in our hearts and adjusts our attitudes and actions accordingly. To this end the church’s prayer:
“We do not know what lies ahead, the way we can not see, but One stands near to be our guide and He will show the way to we. I know who holds the future and He guides us with His hand. With God things just don’t happen, everything by Him is planned. So as we face tomorrow, with its challenges large and small, we will trust the God of miracles and give to Him our all.”