1PE 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

>>Those who possess true saving faith are not only able to tell of how the Lord has tried their faith, but frequently try themselves. Where there is so much at stake we must be sure.

>>In JOH 3:1-21 we find the sermon preached to Nicodemus who came to Jesus in the night to keep from being revealed, wherein Jesus said

JOH 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.

>>David saw the need for his faith to be able to stand the light of God's countenance and came to the light to be examined: "that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God."

>>David asked the Lord to prove the genuineness of his faith by his walk of life.

PSA 26:1-2 Judge me, O LORD; for I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD; therefore I shall not slide.

2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.

>>David had a heart religion. As David, "...cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God," he pleads for his God to examine the motives of his heart.

PSA 26:3-8 For thy lovingkindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.

4 I have not sat with vain persons, neither will I go in with dissemblers.

5 I have hated the congregation of evildoers; and will not sit with the wicked.

6 I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD:

7 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.

8 LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.

>>Now see how David pleads for God's restraining grace.

PSA 26:9-12 Gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men:

10 In whose hands is mischief, and their right hand is full of bribes.

11 But as for me, I will walk in mine integrity: redeem me, and be merciful unto me.

12 My foot standeth in an even place: in the congregations will I bless the LORD.

>>Those who understand David's faith love the most searching and discriminating preaching best. They want to know the worst as well as the best.

2CO 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

>>As we can see from the greatest trial on record of Abraham's saving faith, it was a trial of obedience.

GEN 22:11-12 And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

12 And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

>>Without the exercise of saving faith our faith is dead as a body without a soul.

JAM 2:20-26 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar?

22 Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect?

23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.

24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

>>As we see from our text God tries our faith for His own Glory.

1PE 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

>>Holding our text in the context in which it is written let's consider what is "...found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

1PE 1:15-16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

>>The chapter before us tells us what it is that God looks at as pure.

1PE 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently:

>>In context with our text we are told how God will judge on the great day of accounting.

1PE 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear; [i.e., in holy reverence for God and His will].

>>As we pointed out last week God is not pleased with a legalistic obedience, but the exercise of saving faith is motivated by love.

GAL 5:6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.

>>The motivation of saving faith is what distinguishes it from that of a mere religionist. Satan's gospel teaches works to merit heaven---The Pharisee works that he may be seen and applauded by men---the one under slavish fear works lest he should be beaten, lest he should be damned---but the true believer, through the exercise of saving faith works from a motive of love.

>>If there were no heaven, and if there were no hell, the principle of saving faith would motivate the true believer to serve his God from a motive of love. See what David said in

PSA 119:97 O how I love thy law! it is my meditation all the day.

>>David's word's express the desires of the heart that is purified by the trials and exercised by saving faith.

PSA 119:101-106 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.

102 I have not departed from thy judgments: for thou hast taught me.

103 How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

104 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

106 I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.

>>Saving faith cannot be separated from the obedience of faith.

1JO 2:3-4 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.

4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

>>One cannot claim to have entered into the merits of Christ's blood or His High Priestly intercession without coming through the conduit of "...sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience," which is the context in which our text is found.

1PE 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied."

>>There is no justification by faith, nor salvation by grace to those who remain in their rebellion and self willed enmity against God's revealed will.

>>No person will ever come unto the "marriage of the Lamb" who has not made himself ready. We cannot wish for the blessings of grace if we have not been saved from sin by grace.

REV 19:7-8 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

8 And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

>>Those who are honest with themselves desire to have their faith tried.

>>The presumptuous love to hear about the finished work of Christ and eternal security which strengthens his false peace,

>>The presumptuous count the preaching of self examination for the exercise of saving faith as unbelief and destructive to his faith, therefore he will count you as an enemy of the truth.

>>The characteristic of saving faith is that it gives the heart a victory over the world.

1JO 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

>>Take notice that this victory over the world is not sought in our own strength.

JOH 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

>>Christ overcame the world for His people, and now "through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience" 1PE 1:2, He overcomes the world in them.

>>Our eye of faith is opened to see the emptiness of all the world has to offer as the Spirit weans us by showing us those precious things of Christ.

2CO 5:14-15 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

>>We cannot expect to live after the flesh and reap eternal life. This philosophy attempts to mock the Judge before whom we must appear.

GAL 6:7-10 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

>>So the question must arise in every concerned heart, How do I obtain a genuine saving faith seeing it is a gift of God?

EPH 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

>>God's Word tells us how we can obtain this gift.

EZE 36:26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

>>This is a precious promise, but how do we obtain such a promise?

EZE 36:37 Thus saith the Lord GOD; I will yet for this be enquired of by the house of Israel, to do it for them; I will increase them with men like a flock.

>>The second means to obtain saving faith is by the written and preached Word.

ROM 10:16-17 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?

17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

>>In His intercessory prayer Jesus said JOH 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;

>>The apostle Paul taught this same principle in

1CO 3:5-6 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?

6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

>>Paul also taught this principle in 2TI 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

>>David said in PSA 119:93 I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me.

>>Therefore, read the Scriptures prayerfully.

JOH 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.