1 Peter 1:6-7

A Heavenly Inheritance

We can imagine the best thing in our lives that’s ever happened will be multiplied 100s of times in heaven for eternity.

Peter used the word trials rather than tribulation and persecution because he was dealing with the general problems that Christians face as they are surrounded by unbelievers.

The phrase “wherein ye greatly rejoice” refers to the time when this earthly sojourn will be finished and the trump of God sounds and we shall be changed.

You see, my friend, we can have joy in the midst of the storm, knowing on the one hand we can rejoice in the prospect of kept inheritance for a kept people; on the other hand, we can find joy and knowledge that the various trials are only for a little while, whereas the glory will be forever.

The phrase “now for a season, if need be, if necessary, you are in hindrances or distressed” refers to a short time of heaviness and temptations and trials.

Season means “a small, a few” and refers to a little while. Surely this present life is a little while compared to eternity.

“If need be” or “if necessary” presents the fact that in some lives there seems to be more need of trials than in others. To these servants of God whom He purposed to use in a larger, greater way, how many trials are allowed to come, for we must be ground between the millstones of suffering before we can be bread for the multitude.

This indicates that there are special times when God knows that we need to go through trials.

Sometimes trials discipline us when we have disobeyed God’s will (ex. Spark N Shine led to 4 surgeries—”slow down, son.”

At the time trials prepare us for spiritual growth, or even help us from sinning. 2 Cor12:1-9

We don’t always know the need being met, but we can trust God to know and do what is best.

Manifold or various means —many colored. No matter what color our day may be—a blue Monday or a gray Thursday—God has grace sufficient to meet the need. Trials are varied and God matches the trial to our strength and needs.

He wants to make us excellent for His glory. No pain, no gain.

When God permits His children to go through the furnace, He keeps His eye on the clock and hand on the thermostat.

If we rebel, He may have to set the clock, but if we submit, He won’t permit us to suffer 1 more minute.

The important thing is that we learn the lesson He wants to teach us and that we bring glory to Him alone.

He burns off the cheap impurities and makes a beautiful article of value.

You see, my friend, the goldsmith, keeps the metal in the furnace until he can see his face. God is holy, pure, and righteous. You see, our Lord keeps us in the furnace of suffering until we reflect the glory and beauty of Jesus Christ.

A faith that can’t be tested cannot be trusted.

Just as the assessor tests the gold to see if it is pure gold or counterfeit so the trials of life test our faith to prove its sincerity.

Too many professing Christians have false faith and this will be revealed in the trials of life. The seed that fell on shallow soil produced rootless plants and the plants died when the sun came up.

Matt 13:1-9, 18-23

The sun in the parable represents tribulation or persecution.

The person who abandons his faith when the going gets tough is only proving that he really had no faith at all.

Faith must be tested, otherwise it cannot be verified.

There is further comfort for suffering saints in knowing that their sufferings are neither purposeless nor fruitless.

The sufferings of the ungodly are only the foretaste of the pangs of hell which they will endure for eternity. This isn’t true for the Christian.

Of all the substances of man, gold is one of the most imperishable. It can be subject to intense heat and might seem to be indestructible but the items that are not made entirely of gold perish through use, pressure, and fire.

True faith is indestructible. The believer may undergo severe tests and trials, but instead of destroying his faith, they have “food” for their faith to feed on.

Job 13:15 NASB95

“Though He slay me, I will hope in Him. Nevertheless I will argue my ways before Him.

The genuineness of faith can be proven only by fire. When prevailing conditions are favorable, it might be easy to be a Christian. But when public confession of Christ brings persecution and suffering, then the casual followers drift away and are lost in the crowd.

A religion which lost nothing is worth nothing. Fait which refuses to pay the price is worthless. It is the kind of faith that Jesus condemns.

The Holy Spirit has to bring us to the place where the cross of Christ becomes the sole object of our faith. We may think we have faith in the Word; however, if we don’t understand that the Word is actually the story of the cross then we totally don’t understand the Word and will, in such case, pull the Word out of context. It is the burning of the Holy Spirit that makes the Word of God real to your heart and life; however, He can’t really do that unless you have a proper understanding of the cross. That’s the reason the Holy Spirit leads the believing sinner to Christ and Him crucified, as it regards to his salvation experience.

The main reason that there is so much false doctrine presently is because the church knows little about the cross. That means that the church knows so little about the Word, hence the false doctrine. So the Holy Spirit, first of all, sets about to make the cross the object of our faith. Sometimes we have to be brought to crisis before this happens.

Even after our faith is solidly in the cross, further testing will show that often times our faith still contains impurities.

So the phrase, “might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearance of Jesus Christ” refers to the rapture of the church.

God will reward every instance of faith that stood the test.

He will reward honor and glory to tried and suffering believers who were able to accept their tribulations as a vote of confidence from Him.

This will be apparent when Jesus Christ comes back to earth to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords and all those whom the world rejects will be shown to be clearly the sons of God.

Are you God’s son today? If not, you can start right now.

With every head bowed and eye closed, if you don’t know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, will you come to Jesus today?