How Confirmation in Christ Makes You Shine in the World
The idea of confirmation by trial is a Bible idea. God’s Word, for example, has gone through ‘verification’ seven times according to the psalmist (Psalms 12:6, 119:40). What about your words? How’s your count going? You remember Abraham? Do you recall how he faced the trial of his life about Isaac his only son? When God gave him his test results the Lord also said, “Now, I know that you will not withhold your only son from me.” The three Hebrew boys in Daniel (Daniel 3:8-30) also come to mind in this way. Tests sometimes come from the Lord (Proverbs 17:3, Psalms 66:10). They come by His still small voice speaking and asking you to do something way outside your comfort zone. Tests that have the Lord’s digital signature are unlike the enemies assaults in this way. God’s tests come to corroborate you, to confirm you (Zechariah 13:9), to add value to your life. It’s all positive. His workings make champions out of wannabes. The enemy’s tests come to destroy you. His bag is to make your life and testimony powerless. This negative stuff is what’s on James’s mind here.
For more on this subject see ‘Enduring Tests and Trials: The Crown of Life; James 1:12’
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