Genuine Faith

 I replaced a few of my Bible study books and once again began studying the Bible. Here is one of the ideas that I was pondering.

Genuine Faith 1Peter 1;3-9

We go through various trials and testing in life to show what we know. It is in the testings and trials of life that we learn some valuable lessons. Peter in this text gives us help so that we can navigate through the trials of our Faith in Jesus Christ.

In life it is natural to go through what we call trials. Times where our circumstances do not seem to line up with the promises of God in the Bible. In verse 6 the apostle tells us that these trials come in various forms and that they affect diverse parts of our lives; mind, body, and spirit.

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials." James 1:2

Peter tells us that these trials can be grievous to us. That trials can cause stress and doubt and fear. They can affect our finances or our family or our health. They leave us wondering where God is.

Peter also tells us of the power of God that only is available to those going through trials. One thing God does is He keeps us in the trial of our faith. Verse 5 says, "who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." Another thing God does is He is found to be actively working in and through us during the trial. 

"For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." 2Corinthians 4:17.

God promises to give us hope in the midst of the trial. Verse 3 tells us of a living hope that is not affected by the storms of life. This is a hope that sustains us through the trial.

There is a purpose in trials that is important to understand. Just like a teacher who tests her students to see what they know, so God uses trials to test us to see if we have genuine faith or just empty slogans. Like verse 7 says, "that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ." That the work that God does in us in trials is more valuable than we understand. Trials are the way that God tests our faith. Will we still believe no matter what happens to us?

Finally, much of what God is doing in us is to prepare us for eternity. Verses 4,5,7,and 9 all talk about Heaven and the last time and the end of our faith. God intends to save us even if we don't understand the why or the how. It doesn't matter as much how you begin the Christian life as long as you begin and are born again. What matters more is how we end. God wants us to have a faith that holds fast to the Bible and the faithfulness of God in Christ.