Pure Gold (Luke 8:13; 1 Peter 4:12)

Luke 8:13 says, "...and these have no root, who for a while believe, and in time of testing  fall away."

TESTING

The necessity of revisiting this portion of scripture, is found in the depth of insight gained from this word "testing".

It is without any contradiction of scripture that every true Believer will encounter trial by fire, as it is metaphorically referred to in the Word (1Pet.4:12). If we do not experience the testing of the Word in our lives, (Matt.13:21; Mk 4:17), then we have reason to question the validity of our Christian experience and relationship with God.

COVENANT

In fact, in the OT, testing was a sign that you were in covenant with another, and both partners had to know the full extent of  covenant-loyalty that each was committed to. In other words, it was not a test of commitment to the covenant, but rather THE LEVEL OF COMMITTMENT that was tested.

Covenants could be "drawn up", and ratified, to express  varying obligations of one party  to another, and just how far the level of commitment went depended on the parties involved. The classic biblical case of covenant-loyalty, is found in the testing of Abraham, who was asked to sacrifice his only son Isaac. Not only did Abraham's loyalty forever define the level of commitment to the covenant, but it also defined God's reciprocal obligation to give His Son, in like  manner, as His covenant partner had done.

WORD TESTED

There are several references to God testing individuals and Israel, generally, to know what was in their heart. (Deut.8:2; 13:3; 2Chr.32:31). It is, in a very real sense, God's way of not only allowing us to define just how far we want to take this relationship, that we have with Him, but also exposing to ourselves, exactly where we are at, in our level of commitment to Him; and He will not violate the boundaries THAT WE HAVE SET in the covenant.

The fact that the Word in  our life is going to be tested, is unquestionable, but what is at question, is whether we will choose to expand the level of commitment that we have existed in, up to this point, in our covenant relationship, and take our spiritual lives to the next level in God. It is our choice to practice the Word more in our lives; feed on the Word more; let every action and decision be dominated more, by "...it is written..." and generally, totally sell out, so that absolutely everything about us breathes, speaks, and smells like God, so that we look like, sound like, and reflect Him in all we are.

TRIAL by FIRE

Interestingly enough, the symbolism of "testing" is referred to as "trial by fire" (1Pet.4:12). This imagery comes from that of the goldsmith, whose job it was to refine the crude gold ore. The gold ore in itself was valuable, but the extent of it's use and value was increased as it was refined. To extract the pure gold from the various foreign elements that adhered to it, the gold ore was "tested", or heated to enough intensity to liquefy the gold. In this process, the impurities were separated from the pure gold, and these impurities would rise to the surface. The impurities would then be skimmed off the surface, leaving less and less of the mixed elements, and more and more of the pure gold. The gold smith would continue this process, to heat the gold, and skim off the unwanted elements, until he could see his reflection clearly mirrored in the liquid, which at that point, it was then 100% pure gold.

The symbolism of this factual illustration is obvious, that with the testing of God's Word, in our lives, we reflect more and more, of His image. However, we decide whether we will go through more testing, by deciding if we will sow more and more of His word into our lives, because tribulation or persecution [the testing], arise because of the Word. (Matt.13:21; Mk. 4:17).

More Word = More Testing = More of His Image reflected. (The Choice is Ours).

You are God's Best and God's Best is Yours.