FOUND UNTO GOD’S PRAISE
By Elder Mark Green
“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 Pet. 1.7).
There is no denying that the faith of the child of God is tried in many ways throughout his sojourn here in this low ground of sin and sorrow. Whether it be in sickness, sorrow or loneliness, our faith is buffeted by difficult circumstances and the assaults of Satan.
However, though it be tried even by fire, because it is precious to God, it will be found safe and secure in the last day. It may be bruised and weakened, it may be reduced to the size of a mustard seed, but it cannot be extinguished. When the Lord returns, it will be in a glorious demonstration of the power and faithfulness of God.
When Christ appears, our faith, though it will have been tried, will be found. It will not disappear completely in any who were bought by the blood of His crucifixion as long as they live here below.
We do not always do what we are commanded to do, but God always does what He has promised to do. God has promised eternal life to every one of His elect, and in order for us to live in heaven we must be born of the Spirit, and must continue in that condition.
It stands to reason that if we could not get ourselves into that condition initially, then we do not have the power to preserve ourselves in it, either. So, it must be God who preserves us. This is exactly what Peter says in verse five. He tells us that we are kept by the power of God.
He keeps us. We do not keep ourselves. If we continue in a condition of possessing eternal life, it is because of God’s power and immutability, not because of what we do or have done. If I possess faith until I leave this world (and I will if I am His), it will not be because of anything I did, because of what God has done.
People sometimes stray from gospel faith or have their faith overthrown. Paul told the Galatians that they had “fallen from grace” (that is, from the doctrines of grace), and that what they were then believing was not the gospel. They had ceased to believe the gospel.
The apostle told Timothy that Hymenaeus and Philetus, by preaching that the resurrection was already past, had overthrown the faith of some – thank God it was not all, but they had overthrown the faith of some. They had caused some people to become confused and to cease believing in the doctrine of the Resurrection. How can you have “gospel faith” in any true sense if you do not believe in the Resurrection?
So, here are Scriptural examples of at least two groups of people who had had gospel faith, but who had been led away from it by the wiles of Satan and designing men. They were not kept in gospel faith; but having been born again, they did not cease to be born again. They still possessed faith. They still believed in God. Their innermost beings still longed for heaven and immortal glory. Their thoughts still tended heavenward and homeward. Their faith was kept by the power of God, even though their gospel faith had been overthrown. – Editor