God testing followers

[awitch]

Hi everyone,

I've been a regular over in the World Religions section for quite some time now, but I had a few Christian-specific questions I thought I would throw out here.

Does God actively test Christians and if so, why?

 

[ForJesusChrist]

Yes.
To test there faith.

God Bless

 

[awitch]

Yes.
To test there faith.

God Bless

Ok...that leads to my next questions.
-Why does an omnipotent/omniscient god need to test (the implication being that such a god would already know)?

-Isn't going to church, following Christian tenets, etc be a sufficient demonstration?

-What kinds of tests could a Christian expect?

 

[ForJesusChrist]

-If God did not test our faith, we would never know if we were in good or bad faith.

-going to church is merely an action, not a statement of TRUE faith. Yes it is a good demonstration, however God wants to see if we really devote our lives, not just our actions (ex: you could know how to start a fire from scratch, but can you really do it?)

-depends, different for everyone. Read about Abraham and his son Issac.

 

[Joshua260]

Ok...that leads to my next questions.
-Why does an omnipotent/omniscient god need to test (the implication being that such a god would already know)?

-Isn't going to church, following Christian tenets, etc be a sufficient demonstration?

-What kinds of tests could a Christian expect?

Interesting questions. I wonder if those times of testing and trials are geared more toward teaching the Christian something rather than teaching God something.

 

[ForJesusChrist]

Interesting questions. I wonder if those times of testing and trials are geared more toward teaching the Christian something rather than teaching God something.

God knows everything. He cannot be taught. So yes, it does teach the individual.

 

[awitch]

-If God did not test our faith, we would never know if we were in good or bad faith.

How would you differentiate a test of faith with a punishment? For example, if a storm causes major damage, one might consider it a punishment for sin and want to change, or one might consider it a test of faith which would strengthen his/her resolve to stay the same.

-going to church is merely an action, not a statement of TRUE faith. Yes it is a good demonstration, however God wants to see if we really devote our lives, not just our actions (ex: you could know how to start a fire from scratch, but can you really do it?)

OK, I get that, but what if you believe you are already doing the things God approves of, and are mostly successful (perhaps way better than average) at avoiding sin. Would a person who is doing a good job still be tested?


Hope it doesn't sound like I'm baiting anyone; I'm just sincerely curious.

 

[ViaCrucis]

I don't think God goes around testing people's faith.

That said, difficult life situations certainly do put our faith to the test, and in that sense Christianity has at times spoken of such as God permitting trials through which we, in faith, endure and persevere. But it's not like God is actively creating bad situations to see what we'll do as though life were a game show; it's that bad things happen, that's just life. It's the reality of the sort of world in which we inhabit.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[ViaCrucis]

-If God did not test our faith, we would never know if we were in good or bad faith.

I'm not sure I understand what this means.

I don't know what "bad faith" would be in Christian terminology. Christian language only knows of faith. Faith is by definition good, because faith is our trust in the saving promises of God in Christ.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[ForJesusChrist]

I'm not sure I understand what this means.

I don't know what "bad faith" would be in Christian terminology. Christian language only knows of faith. Faith is by definition good, because faith is our trust in the saving promises of God in Christ.

-CryptoLutheran

More over, would you be willing to do anything for God, or are you just living as a Christian because you feel its right. How far would you go? Is your faith your life? Would you do anything to support it? If someone held a gun to your head and asked if you were a Christian, would you say yes?

 

[ViaCrucis]

More over, would you be willing to do anything for God, or are you just living as a Christian because you feel its right. How far would you go? Is your faith your life? Would you do anything to support it? If someone held a gun to your head and asked if you were a Christian, would you say yes?

I'm a Christian because I believe the good news. I stand justified before God on account of what He has accomplished in and by Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection; and that is my sole hope in this life and the next, when I stand before the Almighty Judge I have no rest in the things I've done, the things I've thought, or the things I've said--it is by Christ alone, in whom I stand by the grace of God come to me by the efficacious working of His Gospel.

I am His and He is mine because He has said so, by His Gospel preached to me, by my Baptism into which I have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, crucified, buried, and dead with Jesus and renewed and brought into the life of resurrection that belongs to Him. I therefore need not fear, the mercies of God are ever abounding.

If I should falter--and falter I do, because sinner I remain--He is faithful to forgive all sin, we need only confess it and it is forgiven.

If I should live or should I die, I belong to Him.

I don't put any faith in my power or ability in this life. I do not know how I may feel or act should I be put to the guillotine. But feeling and acting does not merit my station before God, my station before God is merited and found solely in and by the Son of God who gave His life and whose Name I bear by the Baptism I have received, sealed into His holy and gracious promises to keep me and have me as His own.

In standing and falling I belong to God, that is Christ's promise to me. And to you, and to everyone. That's the solemn declaration of the Gospel.

-CryptoLutheran

 

[ForJesusChrist]

I'm a Christian because I believe the good news. I stand justified before God on account of what He has accomplished in and by Jesus Christ, His death and resurrection; and that is my sole hope in this life and the next, when I stand before the Almighty Judge I have no rest in the things I've done, the things I've thought, or the things I've said--it is by Christ alone, in whom I stand by the grace of God come to me by the efficacious working of His Gospel.

I am His and He is mine because He has said so, by His Gospel preached to me, by my Baptism into which I have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, crucified, buried, and dead with Jesus and renewed and brought into the life of resurrection that belongs to Him. I therefore need not fear, the mercies of God are ever abounding.

If I should falter--and falter I do, because sinner I remain--He is faithful to forgive all sin, we need only confess it and it is forgiven.

If I should live or should I die, I belong to Him.

I don't put any faith in my power or ability in this life. I do not know how I may feel or act should I be put to the guillotine. But feeling and acting does not merit my station before God, my station before God is merited and found solely in and by the Son of God who gave His life and whose Name I bear by the Baptism I have received, sealed into His holy and gracious promises to keep me and have me as His own.

In standing and falling I belong to God, that is Christ's promise to me. And to you, and to everyone. That's the solemn declaration of the Gospel.

-CryptoLutheran

Aint nothing more to say.

Well put, well put.

God Bless

 

[bling]

Hi everyone,

I've been a regular over in the World Religions section for quite some time now, but I had a few Christian-specific questions I thought I would throw out here.

Does God actively test Christians and if so, why?

You are right to realize God would not have to “test” the faith of His followers since He would know the results of the test.

The English word, “test” is given to describe in what Abraham went through by offering up Isaac, but that might be a poor translation for what the Hebrew meaning was trying to convey.

God provides opportunities (tests) for believers to be successful and show others true faith. During the time of Abraham in the country he lived in there were rulers offering up their children as human sacrifices (this showed the huge commitment these pagan kings had to their gods). Abraham going through the exact same ritual showed his faith to be as great as any of these other rulers of the day, plus God showed His Love and power by providing a substitute only after Abraham had truly gone through with the sacrifice without Isaac dying.

 

[ladyches]

I think God allows testing such as in the case of Job, when Satan was given permission to take away his wealth and children. But God also appointed the Holy Spirit to lead Jesus into the wilderness to be tested. So it's possible that God does both today.

 

[bling]

I think God allows testing such as in the case of Job, when Satan was given permission to take away his wealth and children. But God also appointed the Holy Spirit to lead Jesus into the wilderness to be tested. So it's possible that God does both today.

Did Job fail the test?

I do not see Job being "tested" as much as being given a learning experience.

 

[Emmy]

Dear awitch. God knows our hearts and sees our deeds, God will know whom we follow. In Matthew 22: 35-40: Jesus is giving us a great opportunity to show all around us, whom we follow. Jesus tells a Lawyer:
" The first and great Commandment is: Love God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The second is like it: Love thy neighbour as thyself." Jesus also tells us: " On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." What to do now? All we know and all we meet, friends and not-friends, we will treat them as we would love to be treated, kindly and
always with friendly words, also a helping hand if needed. God sees our sincere efforts, and God will approve and Bless us.
A Christian`s strong weapon is Love, with love we will overcome all strife and wrong behaviour. Love is very catching, and people around us will treat us the same as we treat people. We might stumble and forget at times, but then we ask God to forgive us and carry on Loving and Caring. God is Love,
and God wants loving sons and daughters. The Bible tells to " Repent," and to
" Be Born Again." We give up all selfishness and unloving, and turn gradually
into Loving men and women. God wants our love, freely given and NO tags
attached. Let us always remember: Matthew 7: 7-10: We ask God for Love and Joy, then thank God and share all with our neighbour. Keep asking and receiving, then thank and share all Love and Joy all around us. That sounds a
bit strange at first, but gradually we will turn into sons and daughters, which God wants to live eternally with. Jesus Christ our Saviour, will help and guide us on the way: JESUS IS THE WAY. I say this with love, awitch.
Greetings from Emmy, sister in Christ.

 

[andy b]

life tests you daily and how you answer determines the type of person you are whether your a sptiritual or non spirttual person

 

[1watchman]

I don't see the Christian faith as "testing" one so much as revealing. In the Old Testament there was a lot of testing of those who were already in the Israelite religion, to see if they were willing to fully obey and follow God --and some were; but in the NT we first see the fundamental need to be "born again" by receiving the Lord Jesus into our heart. After that some trials may be allowed to help the "child of God" overcome their flesh and trust God more.