I Peter 1:6-1:12

Faith Tested

Grace is God drawing sinners closer and closer to Him. How does God accomplish this purpose? Not by shielding us from the devil, nor by protecting us from frustrating circumstance, not by shielding us from self-created, but rather by exposing us to all these things, so as to overwhelm us with a sense of our own inadequacy, and to drive us to cling to Him more closely.

  1. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations:
  2. That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
  3. Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:
  4. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.
  5. Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you:
  6. Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.
  7. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.