I would follow you wherever you may go, only don't make me go in there. This thought occurred to me the other day as I watch the The Lord of the Ring: Return of the King. In one scene Aragorn (the returning king) and his friends Legolas (an elf) and Gimli (a dwarf) have to enter into a haunted mountain pass and a city built by spirits of the dead. Just prior to entering into the city, Gimli has a look on his face that says, "I would follow you wherever you go, only don't make me go in there." Throughout the movie (and the book its based on, excellent movie/better book) Gimli proves his love and loyalty for Aragorn. Yet, for the briefest of moments he seems unwilling to take the next step. Finally, in a mixture of shame and trust, he pushes beyond his fear and follows after the king.
I saw myself in Gimli--caught at a crossroads, forced to chose. Will I continue to trust my King and follow him even if I am uncertain where his footsteps will lead me, or will I in fear stop following him? It is easy enough to say that we follow Jesus. After all, nearly 2 billion people claim Christianity in this world, yet at times it is hard to distinguish the "believer" from the non-believer. But following Jesus is more than praying a prayer, or being baptized, or mentally accenting to some collection of facts. When the Holy Spirit awakens us to believe the gospel, he works a mighty transformation in us. That transformation brings about a desire to walk in humble obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ.
Richard Belcher reminds us, "the essence of worship is submission to God" (in A Journey in Providence). If we can stand at the beginning of a trial and say to the the Lord, "I would follow you wherever you would go, only don't make me go in there", what does that say about our faith? Is a faith not submitted to God able to save? The New Testament says "no." Thus we must conclude, we must humbly submit to the will of God and trust him as he leads us. We walk through difficult paths because we know our King goes before us, and he is forever with us and we are forever in him, by grace through faith. May we have the courage to say in the face of danger, "I would follow you wherever you may go." Then, may we step out in faith, knowing that our Lord will lead us to victory.
Showing posts with label Tested Faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tested Faith. Show all posts
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Tested Faith
Socrates once said, "An unexamined life is not worth living." Inquisitive fellow that he was, I assume he meant that we must all be on a quest for understanding ourselves and the world around us. Someone said something to me about the testing of the faith and this Socrates quote to mind. My mind began to shuffle Socrates' words to fit the Christian life. Here is what I came up with, "An untested faith is not alive."
Many of us seem genuinely surprised when facing difficulties. Peter responds to our surprise, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you" (1 Pet 4:12, ESV). The fiery trial Peter addressed was persecution, but author of Hebrews reminds us that all hardship is to be endured as discipline from the Lord (Heb. 12:7). When we understand testing (trials/difficulties) as discipline, and remember that God disciplines those he loves, difficulty then becomes a confirmation of God's love for us.
I have to stress here that there is a real difference between punishment and discipline. Discipline is meant to bring about correction, to form, and to shape. Discipline is restorative; its function is reconciliation. Punishment is meant to bring about justice. Punishment is retributive; its function is to penalize wrong doing. Also, it is important to stress that not all hardship in a believer's life is the direct result of sinning. We do, however, have to remember that every follower of Jesus Christ is a redeemed sinner and that the Holy Spirit is continually at work in us to eradicate our sin nature (this is the process of sanctification). We need to make these distinctions so we will understand that God is not punishing us for our sin (he has already punished Christ for our sin), but he is disciplining us (correcting us) so that we may reflect Christ's glory.
How does this understanding help us in the midst of a trial? If we understand trials to be a sign of God's love for us, his desire to cleanse and accept us, and his continual work in us, then it should bring us great joy that we are undergoing difficulty. You may ask, "How can it bring us great joy?". James commands, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing" (James 1:2-4, ESV). How can we count it all joy to suffer trials? Because we know the trials are being used by God to make us into fully matured followers of Christ who possess all they need.
Peter reminds us of our "inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven" for us (1 Pet. 1:4, ESV). He goes on to say, "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes thought it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 1:6-7, ESV). Thus Peter calls on us to reflect not on what we have suffered, but on what we are about to gain when Christ appears. Our joy comes from the knowledge that we, as saved sinners, are being fashioned into glorious saints, and that the trials that we go through are preparing us for Christ's return.
Let's return to our statement, "An untested faith is not alive." What does it mean? It means that if we are not be tested we are not truly of the faith. As the author of Hebrews stated, "If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons" (Heb. 12:8, ESV). If a person can continually habitually live in unrepentant sin, and not undergo the severe discipline of the Lord, then that person has no reason to believe that they truly know the Lord. If there is no conviction of sin, no desire for repentance, and no perception of the need of reconciliation, then there is no life. A faith that is not tested is a faith that will not grow; a faith that does not grow is not alive.
Rejoice the next time difficulty comes your way, because the Lord is at work in you. Ask the Lord, "What lesson would you have me to learn?", "What sinful behaviour or attitude must I depart with?", "What must I do to make it right?". Listen for the answers and then respond in obedient faith. Remember God is not out to harm you, but he is in the process of transforming you into the image of the Son.
Many of us seem genuinely surprised when facing difficulties. Peter responds to our surprise, "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you" (1 Pet 4:12, ESV). The fiery trial Peter addressed was persecution, but author of Hebrews reminds us that all hardship is to be endured as discipline from the Lord (Heb. 12:7). When we understand testing (trials/difficulties) as discipline, and remember that God disciplines those he loves, difficulty then becomes a confirmation of God's love for us.
I have to stress here that there is a real difference between punishment and discipline. Discipline is meant to bring about correction, to form, and to shape. Discipline is restorative; its function is reconciliation. Punishment is meant to bring about justice. Punishment is retributive; its function is to penalize wrong doing. Also, it is important to stress that not all hardship in a believer's life is the direct result of sinning. We do, however, have to remember that every follower of Jesus Christ is a redeemed sinner and that the Holy Spirit is continually at work in us to eradicate our sin nature (this is the process of sanctification). We need to make these distinctions so we will understand that God is not punishing us for our sin (he has already punished Christ for our sin), but he is disciplining us (correcting us) so that we may reflect Christ's glory.
How does this understanding help us in the midst of a trial? If we understand trials to be a sign of God's love for us, his desire to cleanse and accept us, and his continual work in us, then it should bring us great joy that we are undergoing difficulty. You may ask, "How can it bring us great joy?". James commands, "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing" (James 1:2-4, ESV). How can we count it all joy to suffer trials? Because we know the trials are being used by God to make us into fully matured followers of Christ who possess all they need.
Peter reminds us of our "inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven" for us (1 Pet. 1:4, ESV). He goes on to say, "In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes thought it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the the revelation of Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 1:6-7, ESV). Thus Peter calls on us to reflect not on what we have suffered, but on what we are about to gain when Christ appears. Our joy comes from the knowledge that we, as saved sinners, are being fashioned into glorious saints, and that the trials that we go through are preparing us for Christ's return.
Let's return to our statement, "An untested faith is not alive." What does it mean? It means that if we are not be tested we are not truly of the faith. As the author of Hebrews stated, "If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons" (Heb. 12:8, ESV). If a person can continually habitually live in unrepentant sin, and not undergo the severe discipline of the Lord, then that person has no reason to believe that they truly know the Lord. If there is no conviction of sin, no desire for repentance, and no perception of the need of reconciliation, then there is no life. A faith that is not tested is a faith that will not grow; a faith that does not grow is not alive.
Rejoice the next time difficulty comes your way, because the Lord is at work in you. Ask the Lord, "What lesson would you have me to learn?", "What sinful behaviour or attitude must I depart with?", "What must I do to make it right?". Listen for the answers and then respond in obedient faith. Remember God is not out to harm you, but he is in the process of transforming you into the image of the Son.
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