TESTING THE METAL
"We glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation works patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope makes not ashamed......" Romans 5v3-5.
Just as Jesus declared a blessing on all who were persecuted for their faith, and all who were perceived to be losing out somehow in life for their faith, so Paul here states that the experience of tribulations were the normal for the Christian life. We don't invite them but we glory in them because we know they have a benign outcome. Later on Paul says " all things work together for good to them who love God, to the who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8 v 28 He does not say all things will be good, he says all things will work together for good, there may be many unpleasant things on the way through.
God is at work in our lives, with the purpose that He weans our attachments away from this world, and fixes our attention on the world to come. In this way He makes good to us our great salvation, He reveals His grace, and thus more of His glorious person by a process of trial by fire. In the Holy Scriptures God views His work in the lives of believers in terms of the process of purification of gold, and refining of silver. The scriptures abound with references to the refinement of precious metals and a reading of the following scriptures is very informative;
Job 23v10 - Psalm 12 v 6 - Psalm 66 v 10 - Proverbs 17 v 3 - Isaiah 48 v 10 - Zechariah 13 v 9 - Malachi 3 v 3 .
We could see a similar process in modern times in the process used for the tempering of steel. This process which is covered in a number of internet communications makes very interesting reading. Steel is widely used in our modern world for applications as diverse as the making of dinky toys to the construction of huge bridges, and railway lines carrying massive loads. Obviously the quality of steel will vary tremendously depending on the product. The process appears to be something like this, a furnace is heated to a minimum of 736 degrees C, the metal is heated to the appropriate level, then plunged immediately into cold water; sometimes the cooling process is more gradual, leaving it to cool at room temperature. This process is repeated several times HOT, COLD, HOT, COLD, HOT, COLD etc. depending on the finished requirement this process of intense heat/fast cooling/slow cooling softens and then toughens the steel to the required level. In like manner God puts the Christian through a trial by fire because he is preparing them for maturity of character and fitfulness for use. Here then is the GOLDEN CHAIN OF CHRISTIAN MATURITY, tribulation works patience (endurance) endurance works experience (which means fully tested) experience works hope, and hope works confidence. Naturally speaking tribulation brings frustration but in the Christian life it brings steely endurance which leads to real character which breeds hope and infuses confidence. The hope is that no believer could ever be satisfied with the present order of things in this world and knows that only God can bring the remedy. The tribulations He brings (they may come from men, they may come from demons) but in the end they come from God; they are real troubles, not minor inconveniences, they are real stresses and they have a benign purpose. God knows how much we can take, He knows what He wants us to be, He knows how much softening and how much toughening we need. He brings real hard stresses to produce endurance - the long cooling process after fire. This produces character, real spiritual strength which in turn produces hope, the desire for a better world, a falling out of love with the present world; and this in turn brings confidence and assurance which is the most important feature of our lives if God is going to use us.
In summary, in a few verses Paul has taken us from our past through our present to our future. He has made clear our past is dealt with, we are at peace with God; that our present is catered for, not only do we have a constant supply of Divine grace, but God is at work within us all of our lives; and this brings us to the glorious future to which we are headed.
IT IS ENOUGH TO MAKE EVERYONE WANT TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN, ISN'T IT?
Tomorrow d.v. the inward strength.
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