“REJOICE IN YOUR SALVATION”

(I Peter 1:3-7)

PART TWO

We are going to talk about election before this series is done – but not today.

We are going to talk about being chosen before this series is done – but not today.

We are going to admire the beautiful statement of the Trinity before this series is done – but that will also be another day.

How about grace and peace? No, not today.

Can we jump these great hurdles for today and do some running in verses 3-7?

We need to praise the Lord and rejoice in our salvation.

How?

Recognize two timely parts of my salvation.

#1 – Rejoice because my final salvation is yet to be revealed.

#2 – Rejoice because the present trials of my faith will end when Jesus Christ is revealed.

The genuiness of my faith is being tested.

The genuiness of my love is being tested.

The genuiness of what I believe is being tested.

The genuiness of my joy is being tested.

How do you like that?

I don’t like it when my wife tests whether or not I am genuine. Why? Partly because it is an awful feeling when I realize that I am not being genuine. And partly because her tests at times fall on the side of being a bit unfair (at least according to me).

My relationship with the Lord must work in a similar way, but on such a different level.

Do I know and understand that the Lord God wants my faith to grow?

Do I realize that my faith must be genuine (deep, pure, and sincere) in order for it to grow?

Do I understand what it takes for this to happen?

There is nothing new about this!

Immediately after the beginning of the church at Pentecost – fierce testing began to take place.

Many suffered; and many died.

I Peter was most likely written in the early 60’s A.D. in the days of the early church.

Do you know what these scattered believers were wondering and asking?

Why are we suffering?

How long will this suffering last?

Why is my faith in the Lord Jesus Christ being so severely tested?

Something doesn’t seem right in this.

Are we sure that this is the way it is suppose to be?

The apostle Peter lays some wonderful ground work for these early Christian’s lives – whom he loved so much – and paved a path for all of us who would believe in the centuries to follow.

This path will prove helpful for all who believe – right up until the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

What is this path?

I. There will be times of testing for God’s people (vs. 6).

Everything that happens is not a test of your faith

- Man is my faith being tested today, the neighbor’s dog tipped over my garbage can and tore open 3 bags of garbage!

- Wow was my faith being tested today, I went to Cenex to get a tank full of gas and a cup of coffee and I forgot that it was Tuesday (seniors discount day); I had to wait 5 minutes to get up to the pumps and the seniors had the coffee pot drained dry!

- I was telling a story last week at one of the fellowship times about my last dollar that I spent on a burger at the McDonalds in Monticello. Now that burned my britches, but that was not a test of my faith.

- Everything that I do demonstrates my faith and can exhibit whether or not I am walking in the Spirit; but what we are looking at here goes quite a bit deeper.

The words used here are not describing small events, in fact the “grief” is not the event at all. The Linguistic Key says, “the word expresses not suffering but mental effect of suffering”. Serious events that led to serious anguish of heart and soul are what we are looking at today.

Little things do not make us lose our faith; they may make us lose our temper and may even get us into trouble; they may even make us feel like we are losing our mind and thus we do and say stupid things . . . but even this is short lived.

These times of testing for God’s people will strike the deepest parts of your soul and lead to serious anguish of heart. By the Lord’s providential will and permissive will these tests will get right to the bottom of all you know and say that you believe and then the still small voice of the Lord quietly say to you – “Do you trust Me?” “Do you love Me?” “Will you serve me?” “Will you rejoice in Me?”

II. The times of testing have a purpose (vs. 7).

#1 – So that your faith may be proved genuine.

#2 – So that you faith may result in praise, glory and honor

III. These times of testing have a very certain and significant ending time (vs. 7).

There are seasons of testing for each of us – “though now for a season” (KJV).

There is a greater season being described here, which encompasses all the believers of the church age.

At the revelation of Jesus Christ (2^nd Coming), which will be the end of all things as we now know them – this great season of testing for all believers will end.

No more crying, no more sickness, no more dying. . and according to Peter, no more testing.

The whole body of Christ will be completely, finally, and fully saved.

“IN THIS YOU REJOICE”

We need to praise the Lord and rejoice in our salvation.

How?

Recognize two timely parts of my salvation.

#1 – Rejoice because my final salvation is yet to be revealed.

#2 – Rejoice because the present trials of my faith will end when Jesus Christ is revealed.