INTO THE FIRE: TRIALS

“JUST ONE MORE TIME.” Into the building and into the fiery fray. It was a daring hostage rescue in northern Iraq. There are dozens trapped in multiple locked cells. And the final building is still ablaze with fire and the roof is beginning to collapse. But Sergeant Payne reenters the building one more time to rescue one final hostage.

This past week Sergeant Major Thomas P. Payne received the prestigious Medal of Honor for his valor and heroism in that Iraqi fiery rescue operation.

COMPARED TO CHRISTIAN'S FIERY TRIALS. This true military account reminds me of the Christian and what he/she faces as spiritual warriorsⁱ living through “fiery” tests on the theater of life. “Once saved, always saved” cannot be true because the Christian must face “fiery tests.” These tests are described Biblically by a metaphor of ore smelting. In Psalms 66:10 (ABP+), we read, “Thou, O God, hast proved us: thou hast smelted us, as silver is smelted.”

A. T. Robinson's Word Pictures comments, “It is a metaphor that must not be understood as purgatorial,ⁱⁱ but simple testing (Ellicott) as every fire tests the quality of the material used in the building,” The quality of material heated in the smelting heat will determine its value by removing the slag, the impurities.

PURPOSE OF "THE TRIAL". “[You] who, in the power of God are being guarded, through [the] faith, unto [towards] salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time, in which ye are glad, a little now, if it be necessary, being made to sorrow in manifold trials, that the proof of your faith--much more precious than of gold that is perishing, and through fire being approved-- ... receiving the end of your faith--salvation of souls” (1 Peter 1:5-9, YLT). The faith delivered through the apostles (Jude 3) is God's medium of the needed power and strength for you to succeed through the trials of your proving.

"THE FAITH" ESPOUSED IS WHAT IS TESTED. You and I should not think the testing of "the faith" in us is to be any different. "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" (1 Peter 1:7). "Your faith" is literally "the faith" of yours; i.e., with the definite articleⁱⁱⁱ which means it refers to that which is contained in the gospel (Romans 1:16, 17; 10:17) and "which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3). It is the Word of God (Romans 10:17) that “increased” and a “great company" were obedient to (Acts 6:7). Paul and Barnabas exhorted believers “to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God^iv” (Acts 14:22).

WALKING THROUGH FIRE. "Dear friends, don't be surprised or shocked that you are going through testing that is like walking through fire. Be glad for the chance to suffer as Christ suffered. It will prepare you for even greater happiness when he makes his glorious return” (1 Peter 4:12, 13, CEV). Are you a true believer? You will be asked to prove it.

"Walking through fire" (πυρώσει) The word according to Vincent's Word Studies means "burning." In Proverbs 27:21, it is rendered in KJV as "furnace."^v Compare with "And I will bring the third part [Jewish remnant] through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried” (Zechariah 13:9).

"Going through testing" (ὑμῖν γινομένῃ). The Greek is present participle, which means it is taking place [now]! This means, therefore, that the trial as actually in progress. What test are you anticipating?

WHO ARE TESTED? Both Bible teachers and Bible students are “tried by fire”. “If any man's work [one's students] shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire" (1 Corinthians 3:15). In conjunction with the metaphor of fire, the apostle also uses the metaphor of God's farm crop.

TRIALS OF THE SOILS. This reminds me of the parable of the sower whose crop must depend on the quality of the soil. The soil must bear these tests: (1) “tribulation or persecution”, (2) “the cares of the world”, and (3) “the deceitfulness of riches choking the seed ("Faith", the word of God).”

HOW IS THE FAITH TESTED IN US? We are told that God does not test us; it is the devil. God cannot be tried by evil but we know that Jesus, “God in the flesh”^vi was tempted by the devil^vii and yet without sin.^viii The avenues of temptation was then of the flesh and are summed up by the apostle John, 1 John 2:15 teaches that it is through (1) the flesh (Jesus was hungry and the devil took advantage of that), (2) the eyes (Jesus was offered the kingdoms of the world) and (3) the pride of life (Jesus was challenged to jump from a height).^ix Our mother Eve's trust in Her Creator was tried by these same means.

THE SUCCESS OF A TEST IS TO RESIST. “Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Jesus' resistence to the wilderness' temptations sent the Devil away but we should remember that it was only for a season.

FREEDOM FROM THE DESTRUCTION. Resistance to tests is by orchestrating the EPICHORUS of FAITH given to us by God. 2 Peter 1:1-7.

"To those who with us have a part in the same holy faith in the righteousness of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ: ... Because by His power he has given us everything necessary ... so that by them we might have our part in God's being, and be made free from the destruction which is in the world through the desires of the flesh. So, for this very cause, take every care; joining (EPICHORUS) virtue to faith, and knowledge to virtue, And self-control to knowledge, and a quiet mind to self-control, and fear of God to a quiet mind, And love of the brothers to fear of God, and to love of the brothers, love itself” (2 Peter 1:1b-7, BBE).

God's power has given us "everything necessary for life." Just like a supervisor of a play's chorus upon life's stage, we are to furnish our faith with:

Peter's conclusion: "For if you have these things in good measure, they will make you fertile and full of fruit in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 1:8). This Knowledge is different from the former; it is the precise and correct knowledge (Greek, epignosis). For the man who has not these things is blind and has forgotten that he was saved from his sins (v. 9).

Not only do we realize from these passages that “once saved, always saved” is a false doctrine but that the faith you accept will be tested. But you can be assisted in your trials by following God's instructions. Be joined with the helps of the power of God that guarantee our success in facing the fiery trials of temptations from the devil (Hebrews 4:1, 11).

ii GEHENNA FIRE. "As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world” (Matthew 13:40). “Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).

iii “The” definite article in Greek is important and specifies a specific thing. Read article at https://www.biblestudylessons.net/articles/definitearticle.htm

iv Robertson's comment: “culmination of the kingdom of Heaven.” This is surely true since Paul writes that the Colossian brethren were already in the “kingdom” of Christ (Colossians 1:13). And as Peter and the apostles taught on the day of Pentecost that Jesus was now reigning from Heaven at the right hand of the Father. Jesus is not going to reign in earthly Jerusalem. Jesus is descendant of Jeconiah (Jeremiah 22:28-30).

v Strong's Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries: "fire" πυρόω^G4448, “to kindle, that is, (passively) to be ignited, glow (literally), be refined (by implication), or (figuratively) to be inflamed (with anger, grief, lust).”

vi 1 Timothy 3:16; Philippians 2:7-- “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” (1 Timothy 3:16b). “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:5-7).

viii “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15).

ix “For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:15).