Genuine Faith
We’re in a brand new series called ‘Stand Firm” where we’ll be doing a deep dive into the Books of 1 & 2 Peter. For Week 3 we jumped into the eulogy (not the funeral kind) found in 1 Peter 1:3-12 and focused on vv. 6-7 that starts to hone in on one of Peter’s core messages — Suffering as a reult of Genuine Faith.
6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 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.
By virtue of being chosen (elect exiles/foreknowledge) to respond in faith to the gospel (vv. 1-3), we are at the same time necessarily alienated from the priorities and values of the culture around us. This will inevitably result in suffering. But for the disciple of Jesus Christ, that suffering produces joy. Genuine faith embraces paradox and Genuine faith means that:
We can/will rejoice despite suffering since suffering does not prevent joy.
We are willing to suffer in order to glorify God.
We are willing to suffer in order to obtain glory — the outcome of our faith/the salvation of our souls (v. 9).
Give the sermon a listen and we hope to see you this week at a Family Meal and/or a DNA group to dive even deeper.