"In this you rejoice, 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 Jesus Christ" 1 Peter 1:6-7
Why does God need to test our faith? Because like a precious, rare jewel, there are MANY counterfeits of the Christian faith. Many people profess to "believe", but is that faith genuine faith? To put it in another words, is that faith a gift that God gave you? "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God" Eph 2:8. Or is that faith something that you have made for yourselves, like the people of old used to make their own idols of wood and stone?
How shall the genuineness of our faith be tested? With "various trials". It seems Peter is thinking the same thought as James: "Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness" James 1:2-3.
When something bad happens, do we turn away from Jesus? Then maybe our faith was a counterfeit faith, because we trusted in a counterfeit Jesus who exists to give you a comfortable life. Maybe we are so disappointed and let down when troubles come because our trust was in the things that God gives us, and not God Himself.
Peter, the man who wrote the above passage, himself needed to be tested whether the faith he had was genuine. And we know that the faith he had was genuine: “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers” Luke 22:31-32.
Peter's test was obviously the crucifixion of his Master. Peter had believed that Jesus was the Christ, and that He was the Son of God. But when he saw this supposed Son of God get beaten and spat on, he was tested and shaken like no time before. And so with his lips at least, Peter denied his own Lord, three times.
Yet there was still faith in Peter's heart. By God's grace, the coal had not completely cooled from the devil's wind. There was still fire in his faith, because Jesus prayed for his faith, that it may not fail. And we know how boldly he testified the name of Jesus afterwards.
The test of our faith is this: whether it fails or not. It may appear as though we have lost all hope, and there may be moments when it appears that we are not even Christians, just as when Peter denied his Lord. Yet even through such failures, the fire will still be burning within the faith of our souls, IF that faith is genuine. The faith that is from God is invincible, and unquenchable, because GOD is the author of it and the perfecter of it: "looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith" Hebrews 12:2.
Lord Jesus, give us Your faith, and increase the faith that You have given us by your grace. It is all Your doing, O Lord!
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