"FAITH TRIED BY FIRE" (An Article by Christian Henry) ~ 7/16/26

“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:” (I Peter 1:7)

This epistle is addressed to believers in general, who are strangers in every city or country where they live. Due to their allegiance to God and His Son, they are treated as foreigners on earth because they are “not of this world.” No matter if they have lived in the same city their entire life, they don’t belong. These Christians are to ascribe their salvation to the electing love of the Father, the redemption of the Son, and the sanctification of the Holy Ghost; always giving glory to one God in three Persons, into whose name they had been baptized. True faith in this reality is invaluable to believers, and its genuineness often needs to be proven.

The trial of your faith is the putting of your religion to the test to determine its true nature. Think of a defendant on trial to determine their guilt or innocence, with evidence being submitted for and against them. This is the principal end by which God deals out His afflictive providences. Often, they seem random and unfair, but these afflictions are things He gives to try the faith of His people, just as He did Job.

He compares the faith of the saints with gold and argues that if people do so far esteem their gold that they will make the excellency and preciousness of it appear by trying it in fire, God will all the more have the faith of the saints (more precious to Him than gold is to men) tried by afflictions, that the excellency of it may more fully be discovered.

Since faith is so valuable to us and since those who have it, though poor in this world, are rich, the trying of it is abundantly more precious than gold. When tried in the fire, metals are purged of their imperfections and proved genuine, shining brighter; so faith, being tried in the fire of afflictions, is purged of unbelief. In this, the believer is purged from their imperfections and is tried and proved to be a true believer. Their faith shines the more illustriously to work virtues like patience and hope. The process of showing whether it is genuine is far more important than refining gold in the fire, because greater results are to be achieved by it.

Gold will fade over time. This doesn’t necessarily mean that precious metal will perish instantly by the process of being tried in the fire. Rather, this speaks of how earthly wealth will never stand the test of time, even less so in eternity. It will be worn away and consumed by use, as in the very trial of it. Gold, though it will bear the action of fire, is yet a destructible thing, and will not endure forever. However valuable it is, it’s not an enduring, imperishable, indestructible thing, like faith. It may not perish in the fire, but it will in some way, for it will not endure forever. Faith is not consumed nor wasted, but increased by being used, and made stronger by being tried. It is more desirable to test one’s faith than it is gold, because it is more valuable. It pertains to that which is eternal and indestructible and is therefore of greater importance to show its true nature and to free it from every improper mixture.

This trial by fire is important in that our faith may be found to be true. Present trials, though not wished for now, will end in glory. Tears may flow, and you may feel like the weights can’t possibly get any heavier, but you must trust that it will end well. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (Rom. 8:28) Christ’s glory is at present hid and obscured, while He is instructing and training His sheep unto patience and defers the judging of His enemies, but at last it will be fully manifested in the face of the world, when He comes again.

Jesus is now in Heaven, out of sight, but will appear a second time when every eye will see Him, and when the believer’s faith is found true, the Lord will applaud. It will be said unto them, "Well done, good and faithful servant,” as their faith will be praised for its steadiness and constancy, regardless of all the persecutions and tribulations they have suffered.

The Lord does not willingly afflict, yet His wise love often appoints sharp trials to reveal people's hearts and to do them good in the end. Gold does not increase by trial in the fire; it becomes less, but faith is made firm and multiplied by troubles and afflictions. Gold must perish at last, and can only purchase perishing things, while the trial of faith will be found to praise, honor, and glory. Let this reconcile us to present afflictions.