I enjoyed Proverbs 17:3 earlier today. “The fining pot is for silver, and the furnace for gold: but the LORD trieth the hearts.”
But Preacher, you just referred to God as an Assayer!
Yes … here’s the textbook definition for “assayer” … “an analyst who assays (performs tests on) metals.” Then secondarily, “someone who is skilled at analyzing data.”
The white-hot fires of testing also purify the metals our verse mentions, additionally!
Bottom line … GOD TESTS US!
For genuineness!
For absence of impurities!
For, I believe, our own sake’s, for our assurance that we are true Christians!
I think this. God does NOT primarily try us for His Sake. He already knows who is real and who is counterfeit!
He tries us to educe precious virtues from us that can only be extracted by trials and pressure.
Paul nearly says this in 2 Corinthians 13:5 … “Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?”
And 1 Corinthians 11:31 agrees: “For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.”
Christian friends …
Face the purifying, assuring fires of discomfort down here on earth … and you’ll likely not find your works burned by fire at the Judgment Seat of Christ! “
Here’s the Text, in full detail: “Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” 1 Corinthians 3:13-17
It’s amazing how one little Line from Proverbs can prompt a lot of Biblical thinking, prodding one’s mind to scan the entire Bible for supporting Truth!
Thank God for the Book of Proverbs!
Specializing in imparting God’s Wisdom to us who believe in its Central Character, the Lord Jesus Christ!
— Dr. Mike Bagwell
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