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The Testing of your faith - 1Thess. 3
The Testing of your faith - 1Thess. 3
In chapter 3 Paul speaks directly about Christians and suffering for their faith. He desires “that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this. For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know” (1 Thess. 3:3-4). This statement of fact (warning?) is an oft-repeated one by Jesus and the apostles (cp. Matt. 10:22; Acts 14:22; Rom. 8:17; 2 Tim. 3:12; Phil. 1:29; etc.). The godly have been hated and persecuted by the ungodly since the time of Cain and Able. So it is today.
Paul then states that such affliction tries men’s faith. It is not as much the trying of our faith ‘THAT’ - i.e., our intellectual faith THAT something is true, but rather our faith IN HIM. This ‘Him’ includes both the Father and Jesus.
When we first learned the truth THAT Jesus offers us forgiveness and salvation from sins, it is a great and glorious promise. With excitement we confess our faith and are baptized into Christ. THEN, when times become difficult and we are asked to prove our trust in Jesus, things begin to change.
Such is the work of the great tempter. Paul said that he ‘feared that somehow the tempter had’ tempted them and thus Paul’s labor would have been in vain. The Thessalonians were suffering such affliction (1 Thess. 2:14, 2Thess. 1:4-6). How would the fare? Would they be moved away from their faith? Would they remain faithful?
Sometimes faith fails. Sometimes despair trumps trust. Some people decide during difficult times that simply ‘isn’t worth it’. Their faith is overthrown (2Tim. 2:16-18). They make shipwreck of their faith ( 1 Tim. 1:19). [See short study below at end of this article]
Others face the same trials and tempting, for all of our trials are common to man (1Cor. 10:13; 1Pet. 4:12-13; 5:9), but their faith in Jesus is steadfast. The hold on to their trust by realizing that WHAT they believed hasn’t changed from truth to lies, therefore WHOM they have trusted is still the Son of God. Circumstances in life don’t change truth. It is not truth that is being tested but our FAITH.
Satan seeks to devour us, but we are to resist him being steadfast in our faith (1Pet. 5:8-9). We are to face such faith-testing situations KNOWING that the testing of our faith works patience (steadfastness) (James 1:2-3). Have you been moved from your faith or are you holding on?
Hugh DeLong
What can happen to our faith?
MAY FAIL - Luke 23:32 I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not.
SHIPWRECKED - 1 Tim. 1:19 - "holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck."
CAST OFF - 1 Tim. 5:11-12 "but the younger widows refuse; for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith. (Can anyone having damnation be saved?)
ERR CONCERNING - 1 Tim. 6:20-21 "O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called; which some professing have erred concerning the faith". (see also James 5:19-20)
MAY BE OVERTHROWN - 2 Tim. 2:16-18 "But shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase unto more ungodliness, and their word will eat as doth a canker; of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus; who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already; and overthrow the faith of some.
Concerning our faith in THE faith:
DEPART FROM - 1 Tim. 4:1 - "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils."
DENY IT - 1 Tim. 5:1 - "But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel."
If these things happen to our faith, by what will a man then live? For we walk by faith, not by sight (2 Cor. 5:7). If these things happen to our faith by what shall we be saved?
