Does God Test Our Faith?

[Arial]

James 1:2-4 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 in nothing.

Proverbs 17:3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.

1 Peter 1:7 So that the tested genuiness 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.

We see from the Proverbs scripture that God does test our hearts. And though the other two do not specifically say that it is God doing the testing, we see that we are tested. I propose that all trials, and stumbling, and even doubts, are God testing our faith. So I propose three questions for discussion.

1. What is God's purpose in testing our faith?

2. If we look back on a situation and see it as our faith being tested and our victory through it, what is bound to happen in our hearts and to our faith?

3. Is there ever any question as to the ultimate outcome of this testing as to our salvation for the one the Father has given to the Son?

Please give Scriptural support in your responses.

 

[Hazelelponi]

see that we are tested. I propose that all trials, and stumbling, and even doubts, are God testing our faith. So I propose three questions for discussion.

Hi...

1. What is God's purpose in testing our faith?

2 Timothy 2:21; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Romans 12:1-2

To create us to be vessels fit for His use.

2. If we look back on a situation and see it as our faith being tested and our victory through it, what is bound to happen in our hearts and to our faith?

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. "

We don't see what we have faith in but the more our faith is tested, the more we understand and get to know the nature of the God we worship and te more we find ourselves trusting in His promises, and resting in them.

The more we trust in God's promises, the more we are able to operate in faith and the more useful we become to God.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him

3. Is there ever any question as to the ultimate outcome of this testing as to our salvation for the one the Father has given to the Son?

No.

All doubt is from Satan isn't it? Doubt began in Genesis with Satan.

We already know Jesus work is complete, there's no doubt. He was resurrected. He will lose not one of us.

 

[Arial]

To create us to be vessels fit for His use.

I agree. But how does testing our faith do that?

Hebrews 11:1 "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. "

We don't see what we have faith in but the more our faith is tested, the more we understand and get to know the nature of the God we worship and te more we find ourselves trusting in His promises, and resting in them.

The more we trust in God's promises, the more we are able to operate in faith and the more useful we become to God.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please Him

Well, what it did for me when I looked back on one particular situation in my life----and started to apply God's testing of my faith to many other trials, and failures on my part, I was awestruck. A joy of certainty and the faithfulness of God filled me.

So, maybe I need to address what I have come to understand is the meaning of God testing our faith. It cannot mean that he is checking to see if we have faith or if it will withstand the test. He knows the first because he gave it, and with the second, he is both author and finisher of our faith.

God tests our faith to strengthen our faith. To draw us nearer to him and teach us to trust him. To show us that even if we stumble we will not fall because it is God who holds us up and keeps us. Even when we suffer in one way or another, he always brings us through. And even when we shake our first at him in anger and frustration, or may even be tempted to just walk away from him, he does not and will not let go.

In that time I alluded to earlier, I was a fairly new Christian. I had fallen so deep into sin in order to keep my marriage alive that I could not even read the Bible or pray I felt like such a fraud in doing so. But every day, sometimes several times a day I would say this one thing to God. "I only breathe because you give me breath." I could not even ask his forgiveness at that point. I did not know how I could do the things I did as his child. When I see that as my faith being tested by God---and it certainly was in a test---I see that one thing I said to him each day, as the ember that never goes out. I never denied my beliefs. I never walked away from him.

 

[Hazelelponi]

I agree. But how does testing our faith do that?

Well, what it did for me when I looked back on one particular situation in my life----and started to apply God's testing of my faith to many other trials, and failures on my part, I was awestruck. A joy of certainty and the faithfulness of God filled me.

So, maybe I need to address what I have come to understand is the meaning of God testing our faith.

It cannot mean that he is checking to see if we have faith or if it will withstand the test. He knows the first because he gave it, and with the second, he is both author and finisher of our faith.

True true

God tests our faith to strengthen our faith. To draw us nearer to him and teach us to trust him.

Absolutely

To show us that even if we stumble we will not fall because it is God who holds us up and keeps us.

Amen

Even when we suffer in one way or another, he always brings us through. And even when we shake our first at him in anger and frustration,

Amen

or may even be tempted to just walk away from him, he does not and will not let go.

I have not this experience

In that time I alluded to earlier, I was a fairly new Christian. I had fallen so deep into sin in order to keep my marriage alive that I could not even read the Bible or pray I felt like such a fraud in doing so. But every day, sometimes several times a day I would say this one thing to God. "I only breathe because you give me breath." I could not even ask his forgiveness at that point. I did not know how I could do the things I did as his child. When I see that as my faith being tested by God---and it certainly was in a test---I see that one thing I said to him each day, as the ember that never goes out. I never denied my beliefs. I never walked away from him.

Lovely testimony.

When God has tested me, it's been to strengthen me. I am weak, for real. Everything has been to make me strong enough to have full confidence in God's decisions, God's judgements and decisions over me, and his direction.

Most of it is really related to direction of my faith, and having confidence this is God's path for me and I've not just gone insane... hope that makes sense.

 

[Carbon]

James 1:2-4 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 in nothing.

Proverbs 17:3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.

1 Peter 1:7 So that the tested genuiness 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.

We see from the Proverbs scripture that God does test our hearts. And though the other two do not specifically say that it is God doing the testing, we see that we are tested. I propose that all trials, and stumbling, and even doubts, are God testing our faith. So I propose three questions for discussion.

1. What is God's purpose in testing our faith?

2. If we look back on a situation and see it as our faith being tested and our victory through it, what is bound to happen in our hearts and to our faith?

3. Is there ever any question as to the ultimate outcome of this testing as to our salvation for the one the Father has given to the Son?

Please give Scriptural support in your responses.

A quick answer. I personally do not believe God tests anyones faith. Everything He does that seems like a test is for conforming us to the image of Christ, part of our sanctification.

 

[Arial]

A quick answer. I personally do not believe God tests anyones faith. Everything He does that seems like a test is for conforming us to the image of Christ, part of our sanctification.

I see what you are saying, but the Bible does say he tests our faith. It is a matter of correctly understanding what it is meant by God testing our faith. He strengthens and purifies it as though through fire. He was testing Abraham's faith when he asked him to sacrifice Isaac. Not to see if Abraham would do it. God doesn't learn things, as you know.

The faith we have that saves is not our own---not self generated. Not at the first, and not ever. The testing is for our benefit.

 

[Carbon]

I see what you are saying, but the Bible does say he tests our faith. It is a matter of correctly understanding what it is meant by God testing our faith. He strengthens and purifies it as though through fire. He was testing Abraham's faith when he asked him to sacrifice Isaac. Not to see if Abraham would do it. God doesn't learn things, as you know.

The faith we have that saves is not our own---not self generated. Not at the first, and not ever. The testing is for our benefit.

Yes. And we agree, we just said it differently.

At least I believe we did.

 

[makesends]

James 1:2-4 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 in nothing.

Proverbs 17:3 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the Lord tests hearts.

1 Peter 1:7 So that the tested genuiness 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.

We see from the Proverbs scripture that God does test our hearts. And though the other two do not specifically say that it is God doing the testing, we see that we are tested. I propose that all trials, and stumbling, and even doubts, are God testing our faith. So I propose three questions for discussion.

1. What is God's purpose in testing our faith?

2. If we look back on a situation and see it as our faith being tested and our victory through it, what is bound to happen in our hearts and to our faith?

3. Is there ever any question as to the ultimate outcome of this testing as to our salvation for the one the Father has given to the Son?

Please give Scriptural support in your responses.

The "testing" in these contexts seems to me more along lines similar to "training"; the feel to me is not so much like taking a test to gauge our faith, but more like, developing our faith —strengthening and purifying.

Many years ago I considered such passages as James 1 to be a generic statements, about a generic growing to become obedient like Christ, vaguely, eventually, to become a fully-developed Christian, (y'know, that could satisfy God with their faithfulness). To me, that was "sanctification".

But there is plenty of reason to understand that the specific trials of life that each goes through are for the sake of the specific end-product God is making of each one of us. Also, I agree completely about the stumbling. That is part of our learning and growing. So in that sense, the testing is also for the purpose of exposing what God is making.

And here, so many other passages apply. "Remain in me", "Apart from me you can do nothing", "...it is God who works in you both to will and to do according to his good pleasure", "...God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance", and so many others all touch on this, are applicable to this.

 

[Arial]

But there is plenty of reason to understand that the specific trials of life that each goes through are for the sake of the specific end-product God is making of each one of us. Also, I agree completely about the stumbling. That is part of our learning and growing. So in that sense, the testing is also for the purpose of exposing what God is making.

Good point to bring out. We are all serving God's purposes, even the unbeliever. We tend, I think, to forget that man was created for a specific purpose. To tend to the creation, our spouses, our children, our friends, all those around us, the animals, all that we are given----homes, jobs, cars etc. We do those things, just quite often, not according to the moral responsibility that was commanded at creation and for creation, due to the fall and the creation being subjected to futility on account of it. There is no unnecessary person, and certainly no unnecessary person in the body of Christ.

For the Christian, every breath, every step and misstep, even the particular sins we walked through, though they are still sin and are our doing, are leading us to Christ in the perfect way for us as an individual, to serve the purpose he has for us. And that holds true after he has placed us in Christ by grace and through faith, just as equally.