Page 35 - The Christian Life and the Church Life_Government of God

The Christian Life under the Government of God 34

this is very much needed. Perhaps Peter remembered how the Lord girded
Himself with a towel and washed the disciples’ feet (John 13:4-5). The Lord
did not say, “I am the Lord, so I am much higher than you”, but He girded
Himself with humility. He lowered Himself and became meek and lowly for
His disciples. Today as we serve the Lord under the government of God, I
hope that we will all remember this pattern that the Lord has given us. We
need to gird ourselves with humility, because God resists the proud but gives
grace to the humble (James 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:5). If we want to continue receiving
grace and enjoying God, we must gird ourselves with humility.
AS WE LIVE UNDER THE GOVERNMENT OF GOD, OUR BEING
MADE SORROWFUL BY VARIOUS TRIALS AND EXPERIENCING
THE PROVING OF OUR FAITH

As we live under the government of God, we will be made sorrowful
by various trials and experience the proving of our faith (1:6-7). Paul went
through all kinds of suffering. This is why he could say in Romans 5:3 that
tribulation brings forth endurance. In 2 Corinthians 1:8, Paul says that he
despaired even of living. I do not know if we have ever gone through the
same sufferings that Paul did. But after such suffering, he could say in 2
Corinthians 4:16, that although the outer man is decaying, the inner man,
the new man, is being renewed day by day. As we go through various trials,
which we will, all of these trials will allow us to experience the proving of our
faith. But what does the proving of our faith mean?

The Trials in Verse Six Being Sufferings
That Test the Quality of Our Life as Believers

The trials in 1 Peter 1:6 are sufferings that test the quality of our life as
believers.
These Trials Being Used by God to Prove and Try Our Faith to See
Whether We Will Follow Christ in Suffering for Doing Good
These trials are used by God to prove and try our faith to see whether
we will follow Christ in suffering for doing good. First Peter 2:20 says, “For
what glory is it if, while sinning and being buffeted, you endure? But if, while
doing good and suffering, you endure, this is grace with God.”