PURPOSE IN PAIN

Verse 7. Reason for the trials –7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Trials come so that this faith may be proven genuine and that will glorify Jesus. This faith is more precious than pure gold and, if genuine, will not be corrupted.

Does this sound like God sends trials? God is good and only does good. We live in a fallen world that is anti-God, full of evil and has not yet been fully redeemed. We live in the now and not yet. So, while God does not send trials, He will use them to test and refine our character. Faith is forged in the furnace of testing and trials.

Verse 8-9. 8 Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; even though you do not see Him now…

Here, we get a clearer picture of whom Peter is writing to. These people have not witnessed Jesus in real life. So, they could be Gentile converts from these areas, along with Jews who have run away from persecution. These believers, like you and me, have received the message by faith, thereby obtaining the salvation of their souls.

Verse 10-12. Peter reminds them that what they know about Jesus was something the Prophets of old wrote about hundreds of years before. They longed for the Messiah and wrote about Him so the recipients can now see that it is Jesus whom they were writing about. The prophets like Isaiah longed to see and know what we know. They did not even fully understand what they were writing about. He reminds them of the privilege of having someone come and share the good news with them because the Holy Spirit prompted them to do so. Even the angels looked forward to this day but could not participate in it. Sharing the Good News is a privilege given to humans alone.

Peter references the Old Testament because some of his readers were Jews who had come to faith. He points to the gospel thread that runs through the Old Testament, showing that faith is not new. It was always there, even before the beginning of time. We also need these reminders now and then that there is an age to come, or we begin to live carelessly and make unwise choices as if everything that matters is only in the here and now.

Reflections

• Do you see your trials as opportunities to refine your character?
• Jesus values our refined faith as more than gold!