Distressed by Various Trials

I am reading in 1 Peter 1.

 

We who believe in Jesus Christ to be Lord and Savior of our lives are those who, by God-persuaded faith in him, have been crucified with Christ in death to sin and raised with Christ to walk in newness of life in him, no longer to live as slaves to sin but now as servants of God and of his righteousness in walks of obedience to his commands in holy living, by the grace of God, in the power of God (see Romans 6:1-23). And we are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

 

[Matthew 7:21-23; Matthew 24:9-14; Luke 9:23-26; John 8:31-32; John 15:1-12; Romans 6:16; Romans 8:24; Romans 11:17-24; Romans 13:11; 1 Corinthians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 15:1-2; Colossians 1:21-23; 2 Timothy 1:8-9; 2 Timothy 2:10-13; Hebrews 3:6,14-15; Hebrews 9:28; 1 Peter 1:5,9; 2 Peter 1:5-11; 2 Peter 2:20-22; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6,24-25]

 

“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:6-9 NASB1995)

 

As those who profess faith in Jesus Christ, we are to be the chosen of God, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ. We are not saved by the grace of God so that we can continue living in sin and in disobedience to God and to his commands, in practice. We do not have the guarantee of heaven as our eternal destiny based on lip service only, absent of submission to our Lord and without obedience to his commands while sin is still our practice. For faith in Jesus Christ requires that we die to sin and obey God.

 

And this is one of the reasons for which we are given various trials, to test us by fire, to see whether or not our faith in Jesus Christ is genuine, or if it is not real, or if it is weak and needs to be strengthened and refined through various trials and tribulations given us to test our faith. And this isn’t for a day or a week, but our faith will be tested from now until Jesus returns so that when he does return, our faith may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ, which is faith in action.

 

And then notice with me the wording here where it says, “obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.” But this is not in the context of our initial confessions of faith in Jesus Christ resulting in the salvation of our souls. This has to do with continuous walks of faith in obedience to our Lord in submission to his will, throughout our Christian lives, via our trials and tribulations which come to test our faith, resulting in us obtaining as the outcome of our faith the salvation of our souls.

 

“Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy.’” (1 Peter 1:13-16 NASB1995)

 

We, as followers of Jesus Christ, must follow our Lord in walks of obedience to his commands, and we must no longer live as slaves (addicted) to sin. This does not make us perfect. This does not mean we will never sin (1 John 2:1-2). This does not mean we will never fall back and need to be brought back to repentance (see Revelation 2-3; Galatians 6:1; James 5:19-20). But if sin remains our practice, and not obedience to the Lord, and this is where we still are when Jesus returns, then we will not inherit eternal life with God.

 

[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 1:18-32; Romans 2:5-10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; 2 Corinthians 5:10,15,21; Galatians 5:16-24; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; Hebrews 10:19-39; Hebrews 12:1-2; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:1-10; 1 John 2:1-6; 1 John 3:4-10; Revelation 2:1-29; Revelation 3:1-22]

 

Our Eyes on Jesus

 

Based off Hebrews 12:2-13

An Original Work / April 23, 2012

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love

 

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus.

Our faith starts and grows in Him,

Who for the joy set before Him

Endured all our sin.

Scorning the shame of the cross,

He sat down beside God above.

He was willing to die for us,

To save us, in love.

 

Think about the opposition

He endured from sinful men,

So when you go through life’s trials,

You stay strong within.

Knowing all He went through for us

Helps us not grow weak of heart;

Not grow weary; don’t give up;

And not from Him depart.

 

In your struggle against sin’s ways,

Resist not to shed your blood.

Have you forgotten the words

God spoke to us in love?

“My child, don’t ignore it when

The Lord corrects you; do faint not,

Because the Lord disciplines those

That He loves, of God.”

 

God rebukes us all for our good;

Share with Him in holiness.

It produces a harvest of

God’s own righteousness.

Therefore, strengthen all within you

That is weak and might give way.

Stand firm in the faith God gives you;

Trust Him and obey.

 

https://vimeo.com/125489683

 

Distressed by Various Trials

An Original Work / April 24, 2026

Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love