1 Peter 1:7 — Refined by Fire

A picture of a 100g gold bar.

These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

I don’t know about you, but I find this sentence confusing. I glanced through several other translations of this verse and you know what? They confused me, too.

Let’s deconstruct what Peter is saying here:

These have come

In verse six, Peter talks about the grief believers suffer because of “all kinds of trials.” Peter knows what he is talking about here. He certainly has experienced all kinds of trials! But why do trials come? Why do we suffer if God is watching out for us?

This may be one of the hardest things for us to understand this side of heaven. In heaven, of course, everything will be different. But for now, in this life, everything seems difficult. Sometimes being a believer in Jesus makes it even more difficult. Why? Peter says:

…so that the proven genuineness of your faith…

This is key! This is so important I want to stand up and shout it out to everyone around me. When we went through the Books of James and Jude, they both talked about this in different ways.

What is the “proven genuineness of … faith?” Peter speaks in the past tense. He doesn’t speak of the promised genuineness of faith. He is not referring to a passing moment of faith. The proven genuineness of something has been tested over time and found to be true. It does not vary or change. It is solid and unyielding.

So what is such faith worth?

—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire

This is the part I found confusing. What is Peter referring to that perishes? I think his point is that gold perishes. His comment about being “refined by fire” probably applies to both faith and gold.

Isaiah uses a similar phrase to make just such a point:

See, I have refined you, though not as silver;
I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
” (Isaiah 48: 10)

The difference is important. Gold can be refined by fire many times, but even in its purest form, it will not survive the end of this world. In 1 Peter 4: 7 Peter says, “The end of all things is near.” “All things” does not include your soul, but it does include all worldly things.

So why has “grief in all kinds of trials” come upon us who believe in Jesus?

—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Let’s turn this question around. There is no doubt that Jesus is glorified even if he only had saved one person who barely believed in Him. The fact that he saved anyone from the power of Satan is worthy of praise. But how much more praise, glory and honor is there when Jesus is revealed and finds that those who believe in Him have acted faithfully in His absence? We willingly suffer trials because of Him. We love others as we love ourselves, because of Him. We endure hardship and turn the other cheek because of Him.

When we trust Him, we honor Him.
When we obey Him, we glorify Him.
When we proclaim Him, we praise Him.

Application: Strive to live your faith in Jesus every moment of every day.

Food for Thought: What do you think Peter meant when he wrote “… when Jesus Christ is revealed?”

8 Replies to “1 Peter 1:7 — Refined by Fire”

  1. I like to think that the refining is not fire or a sieve or test but it is the rigors of finishing school. Be respectful of others. Show grace under pressure. Discipline yourself daily. Pay attention to needs of others. Present your best self everyday to God. Life is designed to be a “finishing” school for “young” Christians.

    We need to be attentive each day to the educational opportunities

    1. Thank you, Feather!
      I like your metaphors. I agree, the refining is not intended as a screening out or separating of the good from the bad as with a sieve test. Jesus tells us in Matthew 13: 47-50 that the angels separate the good from the bad at the end of the age. So that is a different process. Your image of a “finishing school” is very apt. Well said!

  2. I think He meant when Christ is revealed in glory at His second coming. At His coming, our faith in Him will be worth much more than that which passes. It fits well with 1 Peter 1: 3 – 5.

    1. Rich,
      What you write is so true! In the end, after everything in this world is “laid bare” (2 Peter 3:10) the only things of value will be what God values. The only gift we can offer is our faith, because that is, as you point out, what he values.

  3. The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, the need for a Savior, and judgement, John 16:8-12. This conviction is to the degree we can freely choose to accept or reject Jesus Christ as revealed by the Holy Spirit in faith.
    (which is also provided by God. Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 3:24, Romans 12:3)

    We are left on this world to reveal Jesus Christ to others as we are conformed to the image of his Son, Rom 8:29.

    Our God is really pulling out all the stops. He is doing everything He can possibly do without making our choice for us. He wants everyone to choose life and purposely allows all to exercise free will.

    As Rich says, Peter is writing about the coming day of great joy for some and eternal sorrow for others. All will see Jesus in all His glory and each will receive what they have chosen.

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