Sermon Tone Analysis

Text: 1 Pet 1:6-7

NASB--6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the */proof/* of your faith, /being/ more precious than gold which is perishable, even though */tested/* by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

“. . .

*/genuineness/* of your faith . .

.” (NKJV, TCNT, NLT, Message, HCSB, ESV, AMP)

“. . .

may be proved */genuine/*. .

.” (NIV, TNIV)

“. . .

*/proof/* (margin-*/genuineness/*) of your faith . .

.” (NASB)

“. . .

*/trial/* of your faith . .

.” (KJV)

 

Introduction:  Peter wrote during a time of great persecution, yet he was full of faith and hope.

He knew the tests of life were not always easy and he had failed many of them.

Yet, he also knew the Lord he served would never put him through a test without a purpose.

Here he states that purpose--that the */genuineness of our faith/* may be revealed.

Before we talk about the genuineness of our faith, let’s just talk about genuineness in general.

What is */Genuineness/*?

*/Genuineness/*--really coming from it’s stated, advertised, or reputed source; not sham

SYN: */authentic/*, veritable, */real/*, bona fide, */legitimate/* (Oxford Dictionary)

    

     It would be a great tragedy to go to an auction and bid on a painting thinking that it was an original painted by Picasso, then after getting it home to discover that it was a clever forgery.

So how do we recognize */genuineness/*?

In other words how do we know what is */real/*, what is the */authentic/*, or what is the *legitimate* item.

1)  Trademarks, stamps of approval (e.g.

Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval, Microsoft Genuine software, USDA Grades on meat, Genuine GM~/Ford parts)

2)  e.g.

Coke in a red can is recognized around the world.

“The Real Thing” is a trademark—but Coke can also be distinguished by its taste as is often proved in taste tests.

Besides protecting us from being taken at an auction, what is the importance of */genuineness/*?

1)  Verifies the quality, and value of a product—i.e.

whether it is backed by a warranty or guarantee (e.g.

Genuine GM parts are backed by General Motors to work or be replaced at no cost.

That is not true if you by non-genuine GM parts).

2)  Verifies the authenticity or truth of something—the facts as reported are true and accurate and can be verified

3)  We have laws (consumer protection laws) that protect us from ungenuine (fake, counterfeit) products to insure we don’t get ripped off by buying a phony.

These laws make sure the product is what the label says it is.

4)  Genuineness is diminished by fakes (e.g.

counterfeit money devalues real money—by flooding the market with too many dollars)

 

So how is */genuineness/* of a product determined?—*TESTING!*

1)  UL approved—we have a whole industry devoted to testing products for safety and genuineness—i.e. can they stand up to the tests of life that they will have to face in the real world

2)  Consumer Reports—comparison of products to see which is the best for the job—extensive testing to prove the good and bad of the product

 

Now that we have a basic understanding of genuineness in the natural, let’s look at it in the spiritual.

The same truths and principles that we see in operation in the natural are just as important in the spiritual realm.

Here is a truth that you can count on; Faith that is not *tested* can not be trusted—because it has not been proven to be */genuine/*.

Let’s look at few scriptures that discuss the testing of our faith.

A. Abraham--Gen 22:1 “God tested Abraham (NASB) and after the testing was completed, God said “. . .

for now I know that you fear (reverence) God . .

.” (Gen 22:12)

1.  God knew the faith of Abraham, but for it to be revealed to Abraham it had to be tested.

2.

After the testing not only did God know how strong his faith was, but Abraham knew it.

B. Moses and Israel in the wilderness--Deut 8:2 “. . .

that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart . .

.”

The purpose of this testing was to reveal what was really in their hearts whether they would keep His commandments or not.

Sadly we know they failed the test and because of their unbelief and the whole generation died before entering the Promised Land except Joshua and Caleb.

C. Israel in the Promised Land--Judges 2:22 “in order to test Israel . .

.”

God left nations in the land to test whether they would continue to keep the ways of the Lord or follow after the sins of their ancestors.

D. Jesus tested the disciple’s faith--John 6:6 “And this He was saying to test him; for He Himself knew what He was intending to do.” Jesus tested Phillip to see if he would believe that Jesus could do this great miracle of feeding the 5,000 on 5 loaves and 2 fishes.

E.  James talks about the testing of our faith--James 1:3 “knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.”

This verse ties back to what Peter was saying.

So back in 1 Pet 1:7 we see the word “*Proof*” (NASB) or */genuineness/*.

Ø      1383.

dokimazo—approved, tried--*/genuine/*.

In NT times this word was used about the refining of metals that contained impurities.

Peter uses the word referring to the */genuineness/* of our faith.

So Peter is thinking about the */genuineness/* of our faith being like the refining of metal.

The purpose of the refining process is to get the purest metal by removing the impurities.

     A.

The fire that is used to refine is not destructive, but it is a cleansing (purifying) fire.

B. The metal is placed in a cauldron and must be heated hotter and hotter to get the dross (impurities) to the surface where it can be scraped off the top.

Each time the dross is scraped off the metal is as pure as it can be at that point.

To make it purer it must be heated hotter still.

Then more dross comes off.

The hotter the fire, the purer the gold!! Purer gold is more expensive due to the process it takes to purify it.

This is why we have different grades of gold (e.g.

10K, 14K, and 24K— each getting more expensive as the grade goes up).

We have seen that Testing proves whether something is */genuine/* or not.

So the testing of our faith proves how */genuine/* it is—like the purity of gold.

(V.

7 “even though tested by fire”).

Notice Peter says that the purifying of our faith is more precious that the purifying of gold, since gold perishes, but our faith endures.

Many years ago God asked me if I wanted my faith to be 24K or 14K gold.

Of course I said 24K knowing that it is more precious and valuable, but I did not understand the process that was necessary to get me there.

He began to teach me the process of purifying my faith.

He purifies us like metal to remove the impurities (dross)--how?

The same way metal is purified—by turning up the heat in our lives!

The purer we are to become, the hotter it must get so more dross can be removed from our lives.

Just like gold we get to a certain level of “purification” and can get no purer until the fire is turned up hotter.

Each time we are to become purer the heat must be turned up again.

Ø     Prov 17:3 “The refining pot is for silver and the furnace for gold, But the LORD */tests/* hearts.”(NASB)

Ø     Job 23:10 “When He has */tried/* (or “*/tested/*” (NKJV)) me, I shall come forth as gold.”

(NASB)

Lest you think I am saying this out of pride, let me assure you that I don’t think I have even reached the 10K level, but God keeps working on me and maybe some day He will make me into that 24K that He desires.

Tonight G.G. and I will share our testimonies so that you will understand more of how God has purified our lives to the point that we are today.

So for this morning I’ll just tell you that it has been a process of many years and many trials including the loss of loved ones.

Now in order for us to be willing to allow God to purify us, we must understand that God is a Just (Righteous), Holy God who will never act inconsistent with His nature and character.

The primary nature and character of God is His grace and mercy.

God will never do anything that will not be consistent with His grace and mercy.

Ø     Gen 18:25 (NKJV) Abraham--”Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You!  Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?”

Ø     Rev 15:3 (NASB) “They sang the song of Moses . . .

and the song of the Lamb, saying . . .

Just (Righteous) and true are Your ways, O King of the saints!”

Ø     Mal 3:6 (NASB) “For I, the Lord, I do not change; . .

.”

Ø     Heb 13:8 “Jesus Christ /is/ the same yesterday and today, and forever.”