This Sunday, I was looking at some of the minor trials I have in doing this blog. Internet speed has been slow and I can’t really write here until the speed is fast enough to load this blogging platform. Before going to church, I read through the Morning and Evening Devotional by Charles H. Spurgeon. I feel that a lot of times, the Church faces persecution for this reason–true faith may be real faith but it’s a dwarfish faith. 1 Peter 1:7 talks about the trials of one ‘s faith saying:
So that the tested genuineness of your faith–more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire–may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. (ESV)
I may have left the KJV Only camp (due to most of them being prone to nonsense conspiracy theories like those written by the late Peter S. Ruckman), but I think this translation happens to be my favorite rendition of the verse.
That the trial of your faith being much more precious than of gold that periseth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: (KJV)
The entry of the Spurgeon devotional goes as follows:
Faith untried may be true faith, but it is sure to be little faith, and it is likely to remain dwarfish so long as it is without trials. Faith never prospers so well as when all things are against her: tempests are her trainers, and lightnings are her illuminators. When a calm reigns on the sea, spread the sails as you will, the ship moves not to its harbour; for on a slumbering ocean the keel sleeps too. Let the winds rush howling forth, and let the waters lift up themselves, then, though the vessel may rock, and her deck may be washed with waves, and her mast may creak under the pressure of the full and swelling sail, it is then that she makes headway towards her desired haven. No flowers wear so lovely a blue as those which grow at the foot of the frozen glacier; no stars gleam so brightly as those which glisten in the polar sky; no water tastes so sweet as that which springs amid the desert sand; and no faith is so precious as that which lives and triumphs in adversity. Tried faith brings experience. You could not have believed your own weakness had you not been compelled to pass through the rivers; and you would never have known God’s strength had you not been supported amid the water-floods. Faith increases in solidity, assurance, and intensity, the more it is exercised with tribulation. Faith is precious, and its trial is precious too.
Let not this, however, discourage those who are young in faith. You will have trials enough without seeking them: the full portion will be measured out to you in due season. Meanwhile, if you cannot yet claim the result of long experience, thank God for what grace you have; praise him for that degree of holy confidence whereunto you have attained: walk according to that rule, and you shall yet have more and more of the blessing of God, till your faith shall remove mountains and conquer impossibilities.
With a sermon on discipleship by Pastor Tim Carns of Grace Church (the first time to met him) at Living Word I.T. Park, I felt like it’s very easy not to witness especially if the persons aren’t hostile to one’s faith. It might be easier to preach the Gospel to a Muslim bandit than to a Muslim who’s just another officemate. It might be easier to preach to a Catholic who’s blatantly mean than to a Catholic officemate who is humanly speaking, a good person. I guess human beings are confrontational by nature. Think how Christian churches tend to be way more active when persecution is very much active. Some Christian churches in China are emerging from the underground, even being willing to preach even when guns are pointed, and the same kind of scenario can be seen in countries of freedom of religion is non-existent. It might be a state atheist country or a theocratic country (ex. Islamic governments). Revival can be seen in these churches.
We could look at the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints. The doctrine is associated with eternal security. Yes, I do believe in once saved always saved but there are Scriptural warnings against false converts. Not everyone who claims to be eternally secure in Christ for eternity, is saved. The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints says this:
Perseverance of the saints is the Calvinist doctrine that those who are truly saved will persevere to the end and cannot lose their salvation. It doesn’t mean that a person who is truly saved will never lose faith or backslide at any time. But that they will ultimately persevere in faith (inspite of failures) such as not to lose their salvation.
The doctrine of perseverance is rooted in God’s unconditional election and predestination. That is, since God is the One who chose and predestined the elect to salvation, therefore the elect will be saved. They might turn away from faith and give appearance of losing their salvation, but if they really are elect they will repent and ultimately return to faith, because God is the One ensuring their salvation.
This doctrine is also closely related to the doctrine of justification and adoption. Because God is the One who justifies the elect, no one can bring any condemnation on them. In the same way because those who truly believe in Christ are adopted as God’s sons, they cannot be condemned to eternal punishment (although subject to God’s loving discipline as a Father).
Every trial makes every reward sweet. There’s a saying you can’t appreciate the sweet waters if you don’t know the bitter waters. You can’t appreciate the manna until you have passed through hunger. The Christian life requires all types of experiences–whether good or bad–to appreciate the best. God’s wonderful plan in the life of the believer has never been about happy-healthy-wealthy as the prosperity fools preach. Instead, it’s all about mixing the good with the bad, in this wonderful plan. The wonderful plan of God may even involve martyrdom for some. Martyrdom can be very low view of the world. However, Hebrews 11, the hall of faith in the Bible, mentions martyrs in Hebrews 11:35-40, which describe the very perseverance of the saints.
There’s a saying that the Church is watered by the blood of the precious martyrs. Just think of how direct persecution only made Christianity grow. The late Leonard Ravenhill commented how the early Church grew under poverty, prisons, and persecutions, in contrast to churches (note the lowercase c) which are now married to prosperity, personality, and popularity. Paul David Washer of Heartcry Missionary as he comments on how worldly prosperity can hurt the Church more than persecution.
There are lessons to think about when it comes to suffering in the Christian life. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says that God never puts the believer beyond what they can’t handle. Sure, it seems so heavy but it’s because He is there! God also never lets Satan attack a believer, even for a bit, without a good reason. Every demonic attack by Satan on the Christian is permitted by God. God has every reason to let Satan attack believers one way or another.
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