Rev. Brian Moseley
Introduction:
Proverbs 27:21 ESV
21 The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and a man is tested by his praise.
Assaying silver and gold (Cupellation), is a process in which a precious metal piece is melted down entirely, resulting in the separation of the silver or gold from other metals or impurities. This method allows “assayers” to physically see (measure) what percentage of that piece pure silver or gold is, versus the impurities which are separated.
Jeremiah 6:27 ESV
27 “I have made you a tester of metals among my people, that you may know and test their ways.”
In this verse from Jeremiah, the profit while warning Judah and Jerusalem to turn away from their rebellious spirit, is being told by God that he is to test the hearts of the people. At first glance, the reader takes the book of Jeremiah as God threatening his people. But once we understand the true unchanging nature and heart of God as being a loving, merciful and gracious God, we see that the prophet is serving his purpose to warn the people of God to turn away from their sin and avoid utter destruction. Seeing the difference between threatening and warning, it changes our perspective in the context in which these verses were written. We need to understand God’s definition of being tested, the motives behind being tested or measured, and the desire of God’s heart (His will), in the outcome.
1. The definition of being “tested by God”:
Referring to the previous verse from proverbs, we understand that the purpose of testing precious metals in a Crucible and fire, is to separate and measure the pure from the impure. We must take special care when reading and understanding scripture to maintain two specific perspectives. The first perspective is that all scripture is relative to spiritual aspects of life, over physical aspects and the second, is that we are to believe in faith and not operate from a place of fear. Faith and fear are opposites of one another.
2 Timothy 1:7 ESV
7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
2. Why are we tested by God?
The world has a perspective that many times unfortunately is reinforced by false religious teachings, that the motive of God’s testing us is so that He can unleash his wrath like in the Old Testament. They have no understanding of his heart and his true nature.
Why the world thinks we are tested:
– to see where we have failed
– to create condemnation and judgment
-to punish us
-to teach us a lesson
-to see how we perform and reward us accordingly
What scripture teaches about how God redeems us in the fire:
-He uses it to show us that we need him. To reveal our impurities to us. God does not unknowingly measure our hearts to see how pure we are. He already knows everything about us. He measures our hearts to show us where we are impure! He shows us where we need to repent, to draw deeper into his presence and embrace.
John 5:24 ESV
24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
Romans 8:1-2 ESV
Life in the Spirit
8 There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.[a] 2 For the law of the Spirit of life has set you[b] free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.
Mark 9:23-25
24 Immediately the father of the child cried out[a] and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!”
-to show us his mercy. This is how we receive salvation, and later should receive everything by his mercy and grace.
Colossians 2:6-7 ESV
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
-to show us his love and glory in the midst of the fire, and as a result of it. Testimony!
Romans 8:26-28 ESV
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because[a] the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,[b] for those who are called according to his purpose.
– God does not place tests, challenges, difficulties, pain, sickness, trauma, and death upon us, we were born into it. Only His Children are redeemed!
James 1:13 ESV
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.
Psalm 51:5 ESV
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
Ephesians 2:3 ESV
3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body[a] and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.[b]
Genesis 8:21ESV
21 And when the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, the Lord said in his heart, “I will never again curse[a] the ground because of man, for the intention of man’s heart is evil from his youth. Neither will I ever again strike down every living creature as I have done.
Romans 5:12 ESV
Death in Adam, Life in Christ
12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men[a] because all sinned
-it is not about our performance; it is about what Jesus has already done for us. It is not about what we can do based on performance to please him.
Ephesians 2:8-10 ESV
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
3. Knowing the Heart of God:
– To Know God and His Son Jesus is to Love them.
1 John 4:6-8 ESV
6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.
God Is Love
7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
James 4:8 ESV
8 Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
Jeremiah 33:3 ESV
3 Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.
– To Know something is for it to come alive. What we don’t know is dead to us.
Colossians 2:13-14 ESV
13 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, 14 by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
– Why did God create us? Family!!
Revelation 4:11 KJV
11 Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.
Galatians 3:28-29 ESV
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave[a] nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.
– Why does God Love us?
- He placed a part of himself in us at the moment of our Creation. He Draws Himself to Himself!
John 1:4 ESV
4 In him was life,[a] and the life was the light of men.
John 1:9 ESV
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
John 6:44 ESV
44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
John 12:32 ESV
- and I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
– Examples of His Love:
- We are Created by God: Genesis 1:27
- He Designed us: Psalm 139:13-14
- God doesn’t make mistakes: Psalm 18:30, Deuteronomy 32:4
- Christ died for us: John 3:16, Romans 5:8
- We who believe upon Jesus are forgiven: Ephesians 1:7
- He chose us to be his: Ephesians 1:4
- We who believe upon Jesus are Redeemed: Isaiah 44:22
- We are wanted by God: Isaiah 41:9
- He shows us Grace and saved us: Ephesians 2:4-10
- He has a future for us: Jeremiah 29:11
- God LOVES us: 1 John 4:16
- We are Children of God: John 1:12-13
Conclusion:
We are created to be dependent upon our father for his purposes, not ours! We are each born into The Tempest of sin and the flames of rebellion that were ignited in Eden. Our loving father does not cast us into these circumstances, we were born into it! As silver and gold are “tested”, measured for purity and the removal of impurities, he measures our hearts. He doesn’t take measure for his understanding because he already knows what lies in our heart. He measures our heart to show us what impurities lie within and to purify us to him, in the midst of the fire. The level of our praise during the fire reveals to us our level of purity!
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