“THE PROVING OF YOUR FAITH”
J. Renton
1 Peter 1: 7, 8 (to “love”)
It is in mind to say a few words about faith because faith is tested at this moment considering what has happened among us. The Lord appreciates faith, appreciates persons here who have faith. Faith believes and trusts. It would be a challenge to us; can we trust the One who has taken a little one from a household where he was loved? Can we trust Him without seeing, knowing that His way is best (Hymn 335)? We are in the time of the proving of our faith. We need to be assured in the first place that this beloved child’s eternal welfare is assured. The Lord coming into manhood and going into death and rising again, secures the eternal welfare of little children. Matthew 18 would teach us that, the Lord Himself said, “For the Son of man has come to save that which was lost” (Matthew 18: 11). He did not require to seek little children. He said elsewhere, “for the Son of man has come to seek and to save that which is lost”, Luke 19: 10. We, dear brethren, who have come to years of responsibility had to be sought, the Lord sought us, but He did not require to seek this little child. His work avails for little children such as Roland. We need to be assured of that. That same chapter tells us that their angels, the angels of little children, “continually behold the face of my Father who is in the heavens” (Matthew 18: 10), which indicates God’s interest in little children. It says, too, in that chapter, “it is not the will of your Father who is in the heavens that one of these little ones should perish” (Matthew 18: 14). We may be assured, therefore, that no one of these little ones will perish. That is truth which would be light in our souls at this moment.
The Lord does not explain what He does; if He gave us explanation there would not be the same need for faith; but the Lord does not explain His movements. He acts among us, and sometimes His actions result in sorrow, deep sorrow; but what the Lord appreciates is faith, faith in each one of us, in the parents here, in the relatives, in the local brethren. Does the Lord see faith? This is the time of the proving of our faith. Peter was one himself who understood the Lord’s appreciation of faith. The Lord said to him, “I have besought for thee that thy faith fail not”, Luke 22: 32. Peter failed, but the Lord interceded that his faith would not fail. We may count on the Lord’s intercession at this very moment, beloved brethren, that our faith should not fail, that we should he strong in faith, as Peter himself said, “stedfast in faith”, 1 Peter 5: 9.
In the previous verse we read, “put to grief by various trials”. The Lord’s people go through a great variety of trials, and this is a very severe grief, “put to grief by various trials, that the proving of your faith ...”. The believer’s sojourn here is the time of the proving of his faith; faith is proved by being sustained in such sorrowful circumstances—“the proving of your faith, much more precious than of gold which perishes, though it be proved by fire”. Gold is proved by fire, but in comparison with faith gold perishes; faith does not perish. Gold is proved by fire, and the proving of faith is by being put to grief by various trials. This is a time of the proving, and this is what affords such pleasure to the Lord as He looks down. He does not explain His movements but finds believers accepting them, trusting Him, trusting the One who has so acted, because the taking of this child is the Lord’s own action. Oh to be strong in faith, not only for our support, but for the pleasure of God.
God has pleasure in proving our faith, and seeing the faith of the believer enduring such circumstances.
So it says, “be found to praise and glory and honour in the revelation of Jesus Christ”. That is future, the meantime is the time of “the proving of your faith”, but in the future it is going to be found to praise and glory and honour. This is not the time for praise and glory and honour, it is the time for the proving of our faith. But as sure as this is the time of the proving of our faith, so in the revelation of Jesus Christ there is going to be found praise and glory and honour. That is our great hope, beloved brethren, in the revelation of Jesus Christ. It says,
“whom, having not seen, ye love”; that is faith. We have never seen the Lord Jesus; we are going to see Him one day, but we have never yet seen Him. Peter had seen Him, therefore he could not say, ‘whom having not seen, we love’, but he says; “whom, having not seen, ye love”. This is the time of faith; the Lord Himself said, “blessed they who have not seen and have believed”, John 20: 29. Oh the time of faith, the proving of our faith, how important it is! So it says, “whom, having not seen, ye love”; it is like love with faith. Paul speaks in the last two verses of the Epistle to the Ephesians of “love with faith”, which is a beautiful combination. “Peace to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in incorruption”
May we all be supported and strengthened in this time when our faith is tested; faith endures such testings; it is the time of the proving of our faith. May it be so for the Lord’s own pleasure.