August 22, 2004

Cawson Street Church of Christ

Mural Worthey

Hopewell, Virginia

Introduction

There are several especially challenging periods in life when your faith may be tested. We have all experienced some of these. The Bible encourages us to exhort one another daily and hold onto our faith.

"But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." (Heb. 3:13.) "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, (for he is faithful that promised), and let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works. Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one another, and so much the more, as you see the day approaching." (Heb. 10:23-25.)

"Now the just shall live by faith, but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition, but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." (Heb. 10:38-39.) That last phrase means to keep on believing until the end.

The Hebrew letter was written to encourage faithfulness and continuance in the faith when faith is challenged by unbelief. These young Jewish believers were being encouraged to leave Christianity and to return to Judaism.

Here are some specific times when your faith may be tested severely.

Young people are especially vulnerable spiritually just because they are young in physical and emotional maturity. There is a connection between the physical and the spiritual. Human beings are made of both body and spirit. Just as there is a challenge to live in this world and yet not of this world, there is likewise a challenge to live in this body and maintain a spiritual life.

Paul wrote, "But I keep under my body and bring it into subjection; lest that by any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." (1 Cor. 9:27.) If the apostle Paul needed to buffet his body and keep it in subjection to the Spirit, we also will need to do the same.

The wise man, Solomon, wrote much good advise to the young. He wrote, "Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth, and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth and walk in the ways of thine heart and in the sight of thine eyes. But know thou that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart and put away evil from thy flesh. For childhood and youth are vanity. Remember now thy Creator in the days of they youth while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them." (Eccl. 11:9-12:1.)

"My son, hear the instruction of thy father and forsake not the law of thy mother. For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head and chains about thy neck. My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not." (Prov. 1:8-10.)

Why did the wise man write so much concerning the young? He did so because he knew the challenges that they face during these early years. This is called wisdom literature because he is encouraging everyone, young and old, to embrace wisdom and not folly. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. (Prov. 1:7, 9:10.) The young are experiencing some of the most dramatic changes in the development of their bodies and minds. Some young people have a more difficult time maintaining balance in their lives during this period than others have. One writer described the difference as going down some mild rapids in a boat and going over Niagara Falls! Some crash and destroy themselves, but others do not. One or two bad choices during this vulnerable period can cause much destruction. Think about how the decision to start living together and having children outside of marriage can affect the rest of your life. Or taking drugs at a young age and becoming addicted. Or drinking and driving. Or stopping the good practice of attending Bible classes and worship. Those can be detrimental and fatal decisions. Hold fast to faith.

The young also face another challenge. Not only is their body physically undergoing great strides in growth toward maturity, changing more in a few years than in their entire life, but mentally and intellectually, their world is expanding at a breakneck speed. From high school, you go into the explosive world of colleges and universities. You are exposed to every kind of idea and philosophy. Human wisdom is put on display. Your science classes challenges the very foundation of your faith by suggesting that evolution is true, though evolution does not even deal with origins.

During this time of explosive learning, you need to give yourself time to reflect and think about what has been presented to you. For the university to parade a transgender person before you as an intellectual and brave person pushing the boundaries of freedom of expression in life, this does not mean that such a decision is wholesome, good, natural and right for a person to do. But that is the conclusion that they want you to draw. It is a faulty conclusion.

By the way, your parents and grandparents may never have gone to college. They may not have the degrees that these evolutionists and transgenders possess, but you would be wise if you stopped long enough to consider their common sense and wisdom gained from Scripture and experience in living. Do not so quickly reject it as non-sense.

When Satan wanted to test the faith of Job, he thought about afflicting him physically. Satan thought, perhaps with some reason, that men serve God with greater ease when life is comfortable. But if those comforts are removed, then faithful men would denounce God. A lesser man than Job might have cursed God and died in unbelief, but Job did not. He withstood the encouragement of his wife to denounce his faith. He showed that he did not trust in his possessions but rather in the One who gave them.

One of the most remarkable statements made in the entire book is this one: "Though he slay me, yet will I trust him." (Job 13:15.) No matter what happens in life to us physically, we have every right and need to hold fast to our faith. Think about this way—there should be no conditions placed on our faith other than that God exists. That is, we should not say, I will believe in God if he blesses me physically and financially. If he exists and he does, then we should always trust him. The fool says in his heart that God does not exist. We should not say, I will trust God and remain faithful if . . . .

The conflict that those in Job’s day felt was produced by the prevalent and false notion that if one is righteous in his life, then God will bless him physically and financially. If one suffers much in life, then that is proof that God is punishing the person for secret sins. Since Job was suffering intensely, then his sins must be great before God. Job knew his own heart and life. He was not proud or self-righteous, but he challenged the common theology of the day. Whatever the reason was for his suffering, he knew that it was not because he was a secret or public sinner. Yes, he admitted the common failures of being a human being. But he loved God and sought to do his will. He was a faithful patriarch offering sacrifices for his children in the event that they sinned.

But the discussion in Job shows how suffering brings to the forefront one’s faith and hope. Will you maintain faith in God even when things are going terribly wrong in life?

Several New Testament letters were written to suffering Christians. The issue once again is how they should respond when being unjustly treated by others. Paul (Romans), Peter, James and John (Revelation) all deal with this theme. These letters show the unique temptation to faith during times of suffering. In the context of these letters, the suffering is usually by persecution (that is, they are suffering directly due to their faith by evil rulers). Here are some of their comments:

"You are in heaviness through many trials, that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:6-7.)

"Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you, but rejoice, inasmuch as your are partakers of Christ’s suffering; that, when his glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy." (1 Peter 4:13.) "But if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf." (4:16.)

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into divers temptations (trials), knowing that the trial of your faith works patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that you may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." (James 1:2-4.)

"Be thou faithful unto death and I will give unto you a crown of life." (Rev. 2:10.)

Paul likewise wrote encouraging words to those suffering. He asked who and what shall separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. (Rom. 8:35-39.) He asked if tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril or sword could so separate us. He answered, Nay, but in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. The discussion over these lofty and high sentiments centers on the phrase, the love of God or Christ. Does this mean our love for God or his love for us. Those who believe in predestination and specific selection of the number of the redeemed invariably write that this is the saved person’s love for God. But there are many objections to this view. Here are some of them.

1. These words of Paul are too lofty to describe man’s love for Christ. Yes, we love him even though we have not seen him. But we love him because he first loved us. His love is so much greater than ours is for him.
2. The text expressly states that Paul is writing about God’s love for us. "We are more than conquerors through him that loved us." (8:37.)
3. Believers might feel in the midst of severe trials that God does not love them anymore. Job might have felt that especially in light of the common teaching of the day. Christians may have come to that conclusion. If God really loves us, then why doesn’t he help? All day long, we are counted as sheep for the slaughter.
4. Even for those who are not directly persecuted, suffering abounds in our world. We face the same issues from severe suffering. Questions of faith naturally arise.

Hold fast to your faith during times of suffering—all forms of sufferings and adversity.

Even for Christians there are mountain-top experiences in the life of faith and there are valleys. The Psalmist wrote, "Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, Thou art with me." (Psalm 23:1.) We all have times when we soar in our confidence before God, but there are probably more times when things are not spectacular or high-water marks. We need not be so careful during the times when our faith reaches to heaven itself, but we must be cautious during the low moments of discouragement and failures.

It is in the valleys that Satan can be more easily tempt us to doubt God or the truthfulness of the marvelous things of God’s Word. In the Bible, the story of man’s failures come when man is vulnerable, alone, discouraged, hurting and rejected by others. Satan tempted Jesus when he was hungry in the wilderness while fasting. (Matt. 4.) He tempted Jesus to bypass the cross and worship him instead. Then all the glory of the kingdoms would be given to him.

You too will be tempted to leave the faith and the Christ, not when things are going well, but when things become difficult. You may experience some conflict with others at church. Someone in the church may have done you wrong. The congregation is experiencing a lull in growth and spiritual interest. During those moments in the valley of the life of the church, you are tempted to walk away.

We could add, Hold onto your faith when you are young and when you are old. Hold on stedfastly when things are going well and when things are not going so well. Whatever else you turn loose of, do not turn loose of your hope and trust in the Lord!