Faith Tested by Fire | 1 Peter 1:6-12

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Could you please stand for the reading of God's Word from 1 Peter, chapter 1. The text today is 6 through 12, but I'm going to back up to the earlier passage that we looked at last week, at least a portion of it, so that we can see the context and the flow of what I think a major portion of this is one sentence. So Peter, like Paul, likes to write very long sentences, shortened up a little bit in the translation. But hear the Word of the Lord from 1 Peter 1, verse 3, blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 1 · chapter mention 1 Peter 1:3

According to his great mercy, he's caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for salvation, ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though for a little while, if necessary, you've been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that perishes though it's tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you've not seen him, you love him.

Though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours were searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves, but you and the things that have now been announced to you through those who preach the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things in which angels long to look.

This is the Word of the Lord. It's always my joy to be here at Faith Church, because I know you to be a people of the book, and I love the book, the Holy Bible. I love seeing what the Lord has for us and teaching it to others.

So if you have a copy of God's Word, you'll be helped. If you keep it open right now to 1 Peter, much of what I'm going to say is going to come right out of this text, and you'll want to see it for yourself. If you've ever traveled from home, you know a bit of what it's like to be out of place.

As the saying goes, to be a fish out of water. It's the experience of culture shock. Even in your own country or in your own state, just leaving your hometown, you notice how customs are different, foods are different, people speak differently, and all of this makes one homesick.

They long for home. I went to college only three hours away from where I grew up, even in the same state, and nonetheless, the people, the atmosphere, the culture, it was just different enough from what I was used to, and it made me long for home. But then, a strange thing happened.

On the occasions, weekends where I would go home, most surprisingly, I experienced reverse culture shock. You ever experienced that? Especially when you go overseas, and you kind of get used to being that fish out of water. You come home, you think you're going to return to what you're used to, and then there's still that culture shock.

Things are the same, but also different, and just not exactly what you remember. So it's a strange feeling. I should fit in here, but I don't.

This should be my home, but it does not feel like it. That was the experience of the Christians to whom Peter wrote this letter. They lived in a culture that they had always lived in.

They grew up in the same world that they lived in. They didn't travel anywhere. It was still their home, yet in that culture, they were viewed with great suspicion because they weren't like the rest of society.

They weren't like the rest of society. Christ had changed them. They were different now, and so they had strange customs, like communion, a little bit of bread and wine.

What's that thing you do, right? They had strange ethics. They insisted on being faithful in marriage, that a man would be devoted to his one wife, and his wife would be devoted to her husband. Yes, even then, that was an anomaly, but they were committed to that.

But most of all, they had this strange belief that a man who was crucified by the Romans is actually still alive. And not only is he still alive, he is the risen King of Kings and Lord of all. He is the ruler and potentate of the whole earth, even greater than Caesar.

He's the ruler of the world. Crucifixion was so offensive and so terrible and so just shocking to Romans that they didn't want to speak about it. So off-putting, you might say.

Scandalous then to say that one who was crucified is actually still alive, and he's the King of all. What are these weird things these Christians believe? And so it was a conformity-conscious society. There was desire to have across the society people just fit in and go along and get along.

So they were treated like exiles, even in their own homes, viewed with suspicion because they would not participate in the social activities of the society, namely the sexual activities and the idol worship all around them. They were, therefore, even hated by their neighbors, those same neighbors they were trying to love. They were despised in return.

Does any of this sound familiar? Does any of this sound similar to the age we currently live in? In this world today, writ large, Christianity is viewed as weird. What is all this discussion about sin and right and wrong and concern with ethics? Why do you believe those things about life? Why can't you just be pro-choice like the rest of us? Why do you believe those things about marriage and sex? Why can't you just be open and affirming like everybody else? Well Peter writes to help his congregations in just such a world, and he writes to help us as well. And he does this, in this passage, by prescribing three things.

To navigate such a world, then and now, Peter prescribes three things. A joy in trials, a faith even without sight, and a word by the Spirit. And so we'll look at this passage under those three headings.

A joy in trials, a faith even without sight, and a word by the Spirit. So to begin, Peter tells us to navigate this kind of world, you need to have joy in trials. Look again at verses six and seven.

In this you rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness 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 Christ. Paul reminds them and us that we should rejoice. In this you rejoice.

But in what? What does he mean in verse six by in this? Well he's looking back to the previous verses, verses three and four, which Tom also read for us. Peter tells them that you've been born again in verse three. You've been born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

This is the understanding that when somebody comes to Christ, they are a new creature, they are regenerated as we say, they are born again, they are brand new. And the way that happens is, Peter says, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It's as though when Jesus was raised from the dead, he through his spirit unleashed a power in the world that can cause spiritually dead people to come alive.

And so there's a very real sense that if you are a believer in Jesus Christ today, you are born again, you are participating in the power of Jesus' own resurrection to give you that born again life. And to be born again this way in verse three, he goes on in verse four to say, now you have an inheritance. And this inheritance is incorruptible, undefilable, unfading, and it's prepared for you in heaven.

If you really wrap your minds around that, what it means to be born again, participating with Christ in his resurrection, in anticipation of someday you will have a home, if you feel homeless now, you will have a home because you have an inheritance in heaven. Pause and think about that and you should rejoice. Paul's reminding them and us that these are things worth rejoicing in.

But why does he remind us? Why does he have to say that? Well because he goes on to say, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials. Indeed, they have been grieved by trials. So it's very easy that when we're in a trial, I have a friend who says you're either coming out of a trial or you're in a trial or you're about to go into a trial, so trials are everywhere.

And when you're in them, it's very easy to focus on the difficulty. Peter's saying, take a step back and just think about this. Your eternity is set, it's prepared for you in heaven, and already you've been born again and participating with Christ.

That should help you negotiate through some trials, even with joy. Now, what are the trials that Peter has in mind? Well, I've already mentioned it. It's social estrangement because of following Christ.

A degree of social persecution. There are all kinds of trials in this world, of course. There's persecution, there are simply the trials of health or job or relationship difficulties.

There are many trials in this world, but Peter is specifically focusing here, in this book, my understanding, is that it's those social persecution, the pressure to just fit in and then to feel belittled when you don't. And so, Peter reminds them of that, these great truths, so they can navigate that kind of social pressure and social estrangement. But why should it be joyful? It's one thing to say, I know I need perseverance, I know I need to endure those sort of situations, but why should I have joy? Why should I count it all joy? Well, like fire, such difficulties are refining your faith, making your faith stronger to endure.

Just like gold, when it's heated by fire and the impurities come out, you're left with purer gold. So Peter asked Jesus, he said, we believe, help our unbelief. If you're a follower of Jesus Christ, you have faith, but you could have a purer, stronger faith.

And so Peter is saying, those kinds of difficulties and trials, put your faith to the test, demonstrate that it's real, you see that in verse 7, the tested genuineness, that it's legit and purified. But then he concludes verse 7 with some pretty amazing words. Look at how verse 7 concludes.

This faith will be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Now what does he mean by that? First of all, what does he mean by the revelation of Jesus Christ? What does that mean? Well, the revelation of Jesus Christ, simply put, is a way of speaking of Jesus's return. Jesus's return.

When Jesus was raised from the dead, he ascended to heaven, from heaven, he sits at the right hand of God the Father and rules all the affairs of history. And you believe that by faith, faith that's being tested in certain contexts, right? But soon he will be revealed. To reveal something is to pull back the veil and show you the truth of what's always been there.

So, I'm holding glasses in my hand, you may not be able to see them right now, but now if I reveal them, I didn't make it true that I'm holding glasses, I already was. Does that make sense? And so Jesus already is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the risen Savior of his people and you know that by faith. But soon, when Jesus returns, everyone will see.

It will be revealed to all. What you believe through faith has actually been true all along. And so when Jesus returns it says, your faith will bring praise and glory and honor to Jesus.

So when you think of Jesus's return, I don't know what you think of, will it be glorious and magnificent and powerful and awesome? You should think that because of the power and majesty of Christ, the book of Revelation really emphasizes that. But one of the reasons Jesus will be praised and glorified and honored when he returns is by the faith of his people. Your faith will redound to his glory and praise and honor.

Why is that? Because on that day it will be shown that throughout your life, you have resisted the temptation to conform to the society and instead follow Jesus. Thereby demonstrating to the world that your discipleship of Jesus, your following Jesus, your faith in Jesus is more important to you than just fitting in. Because the desire to fit in is very powerful.

To be made fun of, to be mocked, to be ignored, to be left out, to be criticized. Those are all real pressures. Whoever said sticks and stones will break my bones but words can never hurt me was never picked on.

Words do hurt. Words hurt. James, read James, James says multiple times that words are like a spark that can start a whole forest fire.

So words are powerful. Words have an impact on people when they're delivered to people. Or being left out or being estranged or whatever it may be.

But when Jesus returns then it will be revealed to everybody that you were right. You will be vindicated that it was worth following Jesus in all the ways he calls you to even if that makes you a fish out of water in society a little bit. Your faith will bring praise and glory and honor to Christ when he is revealed.

Your faith will redound to his glory. Do you ever feel belittled at work? Do you ever feel left out at school or in the neighborhood because of your faith in Christ? Peter says rejoice because such social persecution is refining and purifying and strengthening your faith so that Jesus who is worthy of all praise honor and glory will receive more praise worthy and glory when he returns. I know of a pastor who tells a story about a young girl.

I think she's 15 or 16 in the story and she is a virgin. She has learned from the teachings of the church, from the Bible, from Christianity that she wants to preserve her virginity for her marriage. It's an age old Christian teaching and she's committed to that.

But her friends are not and her friends are putting pressure on her to sleep with her boyfriend because we've done it. Everyone's doing it. Why are you such a stick in the mud? Why are you acting all holier than everybody else? You know, why don't you just get with the program? Everyone's doing it.

And she said, at any moment I can become like you, but you can never become like me. We talk about thinking quick on your feet under that kind of pressure. Now the point there is not to shame people who haven't made the same commitment.

Jesus can forgive all sins and redeem all people. That's not the problem. The point is her discipleship of Jesus and her commitment to the Christian walk was greater than the pressure to conform.

And that is a powerful statement to make because you're saying something about Jesus and that he is worthy to be followed even if you belittle me along the way. We would rather relish Christ than relinquish him and cave. So we too need to be bold in the face of social scorn.

Thereby demonstrate that Jesus Christ, following him in faithfulness is more valuable than fitting in or winning the approval of our peers. As the great hymn says, riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise. Thou my inheritance now and always.

So Peter teaches us how to have joy even in such trials because they refine our faith, which brings great glory to Christ, which is more important. Glorifying Christ is more important than fitting in to an ever wishy-washy and changing world. We need joy in trials.

Then also we need faith even without sight. Look again at verse 8. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy, there it is again, that is inexpressible and filled with glory.

Again, this verse is principally focused on the return of Jesus Christ. The point is not that Christianity is some kind of leap in the dark. Do you see that in verse 8? Though you do not see him, he repeats it.

Though you do not see him now, nonetheless you love him and you have faith in him. The point is not that Christianity is a leap in the dark. There's no reason to believe in Christ.

We can't see him. Seeing is believing and we can't see him, but let's just leap out into the dark anyway because Christianity makes us feel good or something like that. That's not the point.

The point is in the word now. Do you see that in verse 8? In the word now. You do not see him now.

Implication? You will see him. You will see him. Right now you see him with the eyes of faith, but soon everyone will see him with their own eyes.

Peter's point therefore is that Jesus is still alive. Even though you can't see him, that doesn't change the fact. There's something on the other side of Pluto right now.

You can't see it, but that doesn't change the reality of it. So in the same way, Jesus is risen. He has ascended to the right hand of the Father.

He is the risen King of Kings, granting salvation to his people. And just because you can't see, weigh, hear, touch, taste, or smell any of that, doesn't change the reality that it's true. But soon enough, all will see him.

Again, that's why in verse 7, he calls this the revelation of Christ, revealing to people what is always been true. Yet when he returns, it will not only be to his glory. You should ask the question right now, what's in it for me? If my faith, being refined and purified through this social trial that I'm going through in the neighborhood, in the workplace, my family, with friends, school, wherever it is, if that refining of that faith redounds to his glory, hey, that's great for him.

That's great for Jesus. It does show the exceeding worth of following Jesus, but what's in it for me? That's not a bad question to ask. Well, in verse 9, you have the answer.

In this, you are obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. The upshot to all of this for you is that your soul will be saved. Now, what is salvation? That's pretty critical.

To move through this passage and understand the punch that Peter is trying to get across is that you should deeply care about your salvation, the salvation of your soul. And so we move with that question, what is salvation? We move with that to our third point. Peter's third point is we need a word by the Spirit.

And so let's look again at verses 10 through 12. Concerning this salvation, so you can see how he's still on the point of salvation, the salvation of your souls. He's now going to explain what that is.

Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ, I want you to note that, the Spirit of Christ, the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves, but you in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preach the good news to you, again, by the Holy Spirit, sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look. There are two critical points to gather from this last paragraph in our passage today.

The first is, again, that question, what does it mean for your souls to be saved and how does that happen? That's Peter's big payoff. That's what's in it for you. So it's a critical question to ask.

That's why in verse 10, he goes on focusing on that concerning the salvation. Here let me tell you. The key words for us are at the end of verse 11.

Notice at the end of verse 11, Peter says, when he says the prophets who prophesied at the beginning of verse 10, he's talking about the Old Testament. He's talking about those who were part of Israel who were predicting the coming of Christ. So then verse 11, the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.

Let's take that in two parts. Number one, the sufferings of Christ. What does he mean by that? Well, he means, as we've already discussed, the crucifixion of Jesus under the hands of the Romans.

From beginning to end, the Bible is clear on this point. The wages of sin is death. If you sin, if you violate God's law, if you disobey his will, you will perish.

The Bible is straightforward and very clear on that. And the predicament we all find ourselves in is we have all sinned. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.

We have not done the things we're supposed to do. We have left undone the things we are supposed to do. And this is God's judgment over all of us.

And that's why all of us know it is inevitable that we will die. Yet, Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Come into this world and hear this, lived a perfect life.

Jesus Christ never sinned. Thirty, thirty-three some years of life, never coveted, never lied, never bore false testimony, never hated his neighbor, never neglected an opportunity to do good, never transgressed for a single moment, a single command from God his Father. Perfect obedience for thirty-three or so years.

You try that for thirty-three minutes, thirty-three years, yet he died. He died. So if the wages of sin is death and he's never sinned, why is he dying? The answer is as a substitute for his people.

He died as a substitute for you so that you can be forgiven, so that God the Father can look on you and say, you have a clean slate. You have a perfect record because Jesus has taken away all of your guilt onto himself and bore your penalty in himself. Those are the sufferings of Christ, listen, that he willingly did.

Do not think that Jesus is a poor martyr, is in the wrong place at the wrong time. He willingly obeyed the Father to the end of giving his life for your atonement and forgiveness. Those are the sufferings of Christ that Peter means, and that is how your soul is saved.

But he doesn't stop there, does he? He says the sufferings of Christ and subsequent glories, and subsequent glories. Now what does he mean by that? He means what he's been talking about this whole time, his resurrection, that Jesus is still alive. And when he came out of the grave, he had the same body, but that body was glorified, indestructible, incorruptible, unable to die again, a glorified body.

And then he ascended to heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty in the presence of angels and archangels and the souls of saints who have gone before him. And when he returns, more glory and demonstration in his revelation. And so, from the earliest days of Christianity, we have confessed that Jesus' death is the means by which we are forgiven, and his resurrection is a promise, therefore, that he can raise you.

Because Jesus is raised back to life, he has the ability to raise his people back to life as well. Jesus said in the Gospel of John, he who follows me will never perish. Though he die, I will raise him up at the last day.

These are the signs.

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