Are We Passing God’s Tests?
Introduction. While we feel healthy, we know certain diseases can lie hidden. Each day doctors must sit down with a patient to give them bad news they were not expecting. To find these things early, we have our blood pressure checked every visit and get routine lab work to check cholesterol and diabetes. These simple tests have greatly increased our longevity and health.
Would it surprise us to learn that God has done exactly the same thing with common spiritual problems? His tests have two very important purposes. First, so each individual can receive a fair verdict “when we all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” to “receive the things done in the body.” (2Cor. 5:10). Everyone has the opportunity to fully reveal their character. God told us “I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways.” This is how Jesus knew Nathaniel was “an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” (Jn. 1:47). God will be able to show us each test, how we fared, and then declare our eternal fate.
Yet there is another perhaps even more important reason. This is an open book test. God has revealed to us the nature of these tests and we can assess our own lives before the last day and correct them. If we are wise, we will seek to find and interpret each of these results and take the steps necessary to avoid the serious spiritual consequences that will come if we don’t change. Just like high blood pressure and being overweight can lead to lifestyle changes, so should spiritual test results.
If we want to gain an understanding of our heart and how God tests, we only have to read the Scriptures and accept the truth He reveals. “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.” (Jer. 17:9-10). Paul saw the deceit in his own heart: “In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.” (1Cor. 4:3-4).
Unless we are accustomed to judging ourselves by the Scriptures, this passage may be very difficult to understand. We are all masters of rationalization, excuse making, and ignoring or minimizing certain facts. We take our own perspective of events and have difficulty accepting the perspective of another. Paul told us that he learned at some point in his life to stop using his own memory and criteria to assess his conduct and thoughts. Scripture is the only objective standard that can lead us to see ourselves as clearly as God sees us. “The word of God is living and active,” “...discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12).
At the end of His life, Jesus revealed that there will be no surprises on the day of judgment. “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him — the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” (Jn. 12:48). Everything God will use to judge us has been fully recorded in the Scriptures - every word Jesus spoke while on earth and those revealed later when they could “bear” them. (Jn. 16:12-13; Mt. 28:18-20).
These are the words we must use to assess and judge ourselves because they are the words God will use. Jesus contrasted those who hear His words and do them with those who hear His words and ignore them. When we assess our thoughts by what God says instead of what we think, then we follow the example of Paul and allow the Word to discern our thoughts and intents.
It is our response to God’s commands that reveal our heart to Him. Since God works directly in our lives and also influences us through His word, we have to look at both to get a clear assessment of ourselves. Sometimes God words His command to require a careful and thoughtful response. Other times it stretches our faith or our comfort zone, pushing us to reveal ourselves fully to Him. God made Abraham wait from age 75 until 99 before giving a son, then “tested him” by asking him to offer Isaac as a burnt offering. Paul said God chose to put “foolish” and “weak” things into the gospel to sift and test to see if man would give up his own wisdom and trust God fully.
When Israel left Egypt, God revealed exactly how this is done. In the first test, God did not make provisions for their needs in the manner they expected. The water was there and they were in no danger, but the water was bitter. God knew it was bitter, but in order to see how much faith and trust they had in Him, He let them suffer just a bit: “And there He tested them”. Enduring trials revealed their trust, so God could see it and so could they. But instead of humbly asking and patiently waiting, they demanded and murmured at the inconvenience, failing the test. (Ex. 15:22-25).
Not long after this, their food began to run out. Instead of making immediate provisions, God allowed them to become hungry. This was the beginning of the tests He would give to them regarding the manner in which they would gather food. It is not difficult to see into their hearts as we hear their words: “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, ... when we ate bread to the full!” (Ex. 16:3). How could they justify such words? Yet though their faith was weak and their words harsh, God chose to feed them. But the manner He would feed them would test them and force them to grow: “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.”
The tests came in the specific manner in which God asked them to gather and keep the manna. First, God asked them to collect no more than a homer per person. Those who trusted God and gathered no more than a homer had no lack, but those who gathered more found when it was measured they only had a homer. Their lack of faith was rebuked by the extra work that accomplished nothing. Second, God told them not to leave any of it until the morning. Those who trusted God disposed of it. Those who didn’t trust God, kept it until the morning. But when they went to eat it, it had bred worms in the night and stank. Once again their lack of faith was rebuked in their failure to keep the command and was revealed in the immediate consequences.
The third test came at the end of the week. On the sixth day, they went out to gather, and when they had finished they had two homers instead of one. When they questioned Moses, he told them that this was another test. They were to cook the entire amount on the Friday, and keep it overnight to eat. They were strictly charged not to come and gather any manna on the seventh day because it was the Sabbath day of rest.
Yet still some came on the Sabbath day looking for the bread. When they failed this test God rebuked them. “The LORD said to Moses, ‘How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws?’” (Ex. 16:28). The distinctions God had asked Israel to make regarding the changes in the amount, the keeping it over night, and the honoring of the Sabbath were all tests to see if Israel was listening and in submission. It was very easy to see the results of the tests. Though they should have learned a lesson here, they did not. Finally, God swore in His wrath they would not enter into His rest and they wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Moses summed up all the events that occurred during those forty years as God testing them.
Would it surprise us to learn that God has done exactly the same thing with common spiritual problems? His tests have two very important purposes. First, so each individual can receive a fair verdict “when we all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” to “receive the things done in the body.” (2Cor. 5:10). Everyone has the opportunity to fully reveal their character. God told us “I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways.” This is how Jesus knew Nathaniel was “an Israelite indeed, in whom is no deceit!” (Jn. 1:47). God will be able to show us each test, how we fared, and then declare our eternal fate.
Yet there is another perhaps even more important reason. This is an open book test. God has revealed to us the nature of these tests and we can assess our own lives before the last day and correct them. If we are wise, we will seek to find and interpret each of these results and take the steps necessary to avoid the serious spiritual consequences that will come if we don’t change. Just like high blood pressure and being overweight can lead to lifestyle changes, so should spiritual test results.
If we want to gain an understanding of our heart and how God tests, we only have to read the Scriptures and accept the truth He reveals. “The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, Even to give every man according to his ways, According to the fruit of his doings.” (Jer. 17:9-10). Paul saw the deceit in his own heart: “In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I know of nothing against myself, yet I am not justified by this; but He who judges me is the Lord.” (1Cor. 4:3-4).
Unless we are accustomed to judging ourselves by the Scriptures, this passage may be very difficult to understand. We are all masters of rationalization, excuse making, and ignoring or minimizing certain facts. We take our own perspective of events and have difficulty accepting the perspective of another. Paul told us that he learned at some point in his life to stop using his own memory and criteria to assess his conduct and thoughts. Scripture is the only objective standard that can lead us to see ourselves as clearly as God sees us. “The word of God is living and active,” “...discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12).
At the end of His life, Jesus revealed that there will be no surprises on the day of judgment. “He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him — the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” (Jn. 12:48). Everything God will use to judge us has been fully recorded in the Scriptures - every word Jesus spoke while on earth and those revealed later when they could “bear” them. (Jn. 16:12-13; Mt. 28:18-20).
These are the words we must use to assess and judge ourselves because they are the words God will use. Jesus contrasted those who hear His words and do them with those who hear His words and ignore them. When we assess our thoughts by what God says instead of what we think, then we follow the example of Paul and allow the Word to discern our thoughts and intents.
It is our response to God’s commands that reveal our heart to Him. Since God works directly in our lives and also influences us through His word, we have to look at both to get a clear assessment of ourselves. Sometimes God words His command to require a careful and thoughtful response. Other times it stretches our faith or our comfort zone, pushing us to reveal ourselves fully to Him. God made Abraham wait from age 75 until 99 before giving a son, then “tested him” by asking him to offer Isaac as a burnt offering. Paul said God chose to put “foolish” and “weak” things into the gospel to sift and test to see if man would give up his own wisdom and trust God fully.
When Israel left Egypt, God revealed exactly how this is done. In the first test, God did not make provisions for their needs in the manner they expected. The water was there and they were in no danger, but the water was bitter. God knew it was bitter, but in order to see how much faith and trust they had in Him, He let them suffer just a bit: “And there He tested them”. Enduring trials revealed their trust, so God could see it and so could they. But instead of humbly asking and patiently waiting, they demanded and murmured at the inconvenience, failing the test. (Ex. 15:22-25).
Not long after this, their food began to run out. Instead of making immediate provisions, God allowed them to become hungry. This was the beginning of the tests He would give to them regarding the manner in which they would gather food. It is not difficult to see into their hearts as we hear their words: “Oh, that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, ... when we ate bread to the full!” (Ex. 16:3). How could they justify such words? Yet though their faith was weak and their words harsh, God chose to feed them. But the manner He would feed them would test them and force them to grow: “Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you. And the people shall go out and gather a certain quota every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in My law or not.”
The tests came in the specific manner in which God asked them to gather and keep the manna. First, God asked them to collect no more than a homer per person. Those who trusted God and gathered no more than a homer had no lack, but those who gathered more found when it was measured they only had a homer. Their lack of faith was rebuked by the extra work that accomplished nothing. Second, God told them not to leave any of it until the morning. Those who trusted God disposed of it. Those who didn’t trust God, kept it until the morning. But when they went to eat it, it had bred worms in the night and stank. Once again their lack of faith was rebuked in their failure to keep the command and was revealed in the immediate consequences.
The third test came at the end of the week. On the sixth day, they went out to gather, and when they had finished they had two homers instead of one. When they questioned Moses, he told them that this was another test. They were to cook the entire amount on the Friday, and keep it overnight to eat. They were strictly charged not to come and gather any manna on the seventh day because it was the Sabbath day of rest.
Yet still some came on the Sabbath day looking for the bread. When they failed this test God rebuked them. “The LORD said to Moses, ‘How long do you refuse to keep My commandments and My laws?’” (Ex. 16:28). The distinctions God had asked Israel to make regarding the changes in the amount, the keeping it over night, and the honoring of the Sabbath were all tests to see if Israel was listening and in submission. It was very easy to see the results of the tests. Though they should have learned a lesson here, they did not. Finally, God swore in His wrath they would not enter into His rest and they wandered in the wilderness for forty years. Moses summed up all the events that occurred during those forty years as God testing them.
- “And you shall remember that the LORD your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the LORD.” (Dt. 8:2-3)
- “Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, "The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play." 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” (1Cor. 10:1-12)