“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12, ESV)
Recently, I came across a scientific proof that changed the English language. In years gone by, the way to check if gold was pure or not was to give it an “acid test”. During this test, the gold was bathed in nitric acid. If the gold was pure, the acid would have no effect. If the gold was fake or filled with impurities, the nitric acid would decompose the impurities. Among those who tested gold purity, this became known as an “acid test”. Many years later, the words “acid test” are used to describe a challenge that will prove whether something is legitimate, pure, or good. Some object or idea is proven to be the real thing only when it has gone through an “acid test” of sorts, whereby it is proven legit.
In the same way that gold must be tested to prove it is pure and valuable, one’s faith must go through “acid tests” of sorts in order to be proven true. These “acid tests” can come in the form of temptations, suffering, challenges, threats, facing one’s demons, and a myriad of other trials. The proof that one’s faith is real and pure will come as one passes through the “acid test”.
Long before there was nitric acid testing of gold, refiners used fire to purify the metal and separate out impurities. The epistle of Peter mentions this type of gold refining. In 1 Peter 1:6-7, it gives this example: “… you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Whether by acid testing or fire, gold was and is considered a precious commodity. It needs to be pure. In needs to be refined in order to preserve its worth. Faith, too, needs refining and testing to prove its worth. Sadly, many forget the importance of spiritual refining and testing.
Carrie Ann was brought up in a church that praised the love of God. She sang many hymns about God’s redeeming love, about being saved by grace, and about Jesus’ love of others. In Sunday School, Carrie Ann learned about how Jesus’ death on a cross saved her. Though Carrie Ann’s church was great at teaching about God’s grace and Jesus’ sacrifice, the people at the church did not often talk about the temptation of sin, a fall from grace, the inherent sinfulness of man, and the challenges of the spiritual life. Instead, they just focused on love and being “nice” for others and for God.
When Carrie Ann attended a state college, she encountered a lot of temptations. Drugs were easy to obtain. Parties were dangerous places where a drink could be doped with MDMA (Ecstasy) or Ketamine (a date-rape drug in some forms). Alcohol flowed freely. Sexually transmitted diseases were rampant. Cohabitation was the norm. The smell of marijuana on a person’s clothing was ever-present. It was not unusual to find people who passed out after parties sleeping it off on the park benches. To fit in, Carrie began to go to parties. Before long, she drank to look “cool”. She learned what drugs she liked and didn’t like. She even lost her virginity to a guy she didn’t really know.
When Carrie Ann came home for Spring Break that year, she attended worship with her family. She hadn’t been to church in months. As she sat in that pew, the topic for the day was God’s love. Carrie Ann didn’t feel she deserved that kind of love. She knew she had sinned greatly. She resolved to not come back to worship. She didn’t want to feel awkward in church ever again.
Near the end of that semester, Carrie Ann went with a friend to an end-of-school party. There, she talked with another woman from her class at school named Ginny. The two talked about being raised in a church. Carrie Ann found Ginny to be a wonderful person. After a while, Ginny mentioned that she had done some awful things during her freshman year. Carrie Ann began to open up to Ginny about her own indiscretions. As the two talked, Carrie Ann and Ginny both realized that they both needed God in their lives again. They began to experience a need to pray. Quietly, the two went to a quiet place in a corner of a yard and prayed together. They asked for forgiveness. They asked for God’s help. After that the two were best friends. They still are.
Years later, Carrie Ann told her husband that her college years taught her a valuable lesson. She needed God in her life. She needed forgiveness and grace. She needed to own up to her sinful nature. She needed help learning how to live faithfully. Carrie Ann’s “acid test” in college proved she had a weak faith that was easily overcome by a desire to fit in. It took her a while, but with Ginny’s help that experience taught Carrie Ann so much about dealing with temptations and insecurities. To make a difference, Carrie Ann now leads a High School Youth Group at her church. She makes sure she is available to the youth to help them deal with difficult spiritual issues. She wants them ready for their own spiritual testing.
The scripture reading for today further clarifies the spiritual tests that help hone one’s spiritual life. James 1:12 explains that “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial.” Why? Because “when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” Tests of faith given by Satan attempt to destroy one’s spiritual life. Tests of faith by God help to purify and strengthen one’s soul. As an “acid test” proves the validity of gold, so too, a spiritual acid test and refining fire work to purify and deepen one’s faith in God and the revelation of Christ Jesus!
Have you gone through any refining fire in your spiritual life lately? Would an “acid test” of your faith prove it worthy?
In the same way that gold must be tested to prove it is pure and valuable, one’s faith must go through “acid tests” of sorts in order to be proven true. These “acid tests” can come in the form of temptations, suffering, challenges, threats, facing one’s demons, and a myriad of other trials. The proof that one’s faith is real and pure will come as one passes through the “acid test”.
Long before there was nitric acid testing of gold, refiners used fire to purify the metal and separate out impurities. The epistle of Peter mentions this type of gold refining. In 1 Peter 1:6-7, it gives this example: “… you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” Whether by acid testing or fire, gold was and is considered a precious commodity. It needs to be pure. In needs to be refined in order to preserve its worth. Faith, too, needs refining and testing to prove its worth. Sadly, many forget the importance of spiritual refining and testing.
Carrie Ann was brought up in a church that praised the love of God. She sang many hymns about God’s redeeming love, about being saved by grace, and about Jesus’ love of others. In Sunday School, Carrie Ann learned about how Jesus’ death on a cross saved her. Though Carrie Ann’s church was great at teaching about God’s grace and Jesus’ sacrifice, the people at the church did not often talk about the temptation of sin, a fall from grace, the inherent sinfulness of man, and the challenges of the spiritual life. Instead, they just focused on love and being “nice” for others and for God.
When Carrie Ann attended a state college, she encountered a lot of temptations. Drugs were easy to obtain. Parties were dangerous places where a drink could be doped with MDMA (Ecstasy) or Ketamine (a date-rape drug in some forms). Alcohol flowed freely. Sexually transmitted diseases were rampant. Cohabitation was the norm. The smell of marijuana on a person’s clothing was ever-present. It was not unusual to find people who passed out after parties sleeping it off on the park benches. To fit in, Carrie began to go to parties. Before long, she drank to look “cool”. She learned what drugs she liked and didn’t like. She even lost her virginity to a guy she didn’t really know.
When Carrie Ann came home for Spring Break that year, she attended worship with her family. She hadn’t been to church in months. As she sat in that pew, the topic for the day was God’s love. Carrie Ann didn’t feel she deserved that kind of love. She knew she had sinned greatly. She resolved to not come back to worship. She didn’t want to feel awkward in church ever again.
Near the end of that semester, Carrie Ann went with a friend to an end-of-school party. There, she talked with another woman from her class at school named Ginny. The two talked about being raised in a church. Carrie Ann found Ginny to be a wonderful person. After a while, Ginny mentioned that she had done some awful things during her freshman year. Carrie Ann began to open up to Ginny about her own indiscretions. As the two talked, Carrie Ann and Ginny both realized that they both needed God in their lives again. They began to experience a need to pray. Quietly, the two went to a quiet place in a corner of a yard and prayed together. They asked for forgiveness. They asked for God’s help. After that the two were best friends. They still are.
Years later, Carrie Ann told her husband that her college years taught her a valuable lesson. She needed God in her life. She needed forgiveness and grace. She needed to own up to her sinful nature. She needed help learning how to live faithfully. Carrie Ann’s “acid test” in college proved she had a weak faith that was easily overcome by a desire to fit in. It took her a while, but with Ginny’s help that experience taught Carrie Ann so much about dealing with temptations and insecurities. To make a difference, Carrie Ann now leads a High School Youth Group at her church. She makes sure she is available to the youth to help them deal with difficult spiritual issues. She wants them ready for their own spiritual testing.
The scripture reading for today further clarifies the spiritual tests that help hone one’s spiritual life. James 1:12 explains that “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial.” Why? Because “when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” Tests of faith given by Satan attempt to destroy one’s spiritual life. Tests of faith by God help to purify and strengthen one’s soul. As an “acid test” proves the validity of gold, so too, a spiritual acid test and refining fire work to purify and deepen one’s faith in God and the revelation of Christ Jesus!
Have you gone through any refining fire in your spiritual life lately? Would an “acid test” of your faith prove it worthy?