The Fire of Purification

1 Peter 4:12-13 (ESV) "Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ's sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed."

On January 24, 1848, James Wilson Marshall discovered gold at Sutter’s Mill in Coloma, California, and the California Gold Rush began. Within a short period of time, some 300,000 men, women and children flocked to the California to seek their fortune. The California Gold Rush may be the biggest and most famous of gold rushes in our nation’s history but was by no means the only one. There were gold mines throughout the mountains of Colorado, Wyoming and Montana. People worked hard to find the gold and get it to the market. They panned for it. They dug for it. Some stole to get it. A few made fortunes. Some made a living and many other lost their lives in the pursuit of gold.

Before gold could be considered “useful” as a precious metal and made into jewelry or currency, it had to go through a complicated process of refinement. It was separated from the minerals surrounding it and then refined by great heat to further remove impurities. As more junk was removed from the gold it became more pure and valuable.

In the Bible there are many references to this refining process in relation to the Christian life. It is a very appropriate analogy. Peter uses the analogy here in I Peter 4:12-13. He calls it a fiery trial. He tells us not to be concerned that this fiery trial is a foreign or strange thing. The obvious implication is that it is a normal part of the Christian life. We come to Christ as gold in the rough. We are valuable to God. He gave His only Son to redeem us. But we come to Him like gold ore in a mixture of other minerals and junk. There is much of the world and the flesh that taints the purity of the gold. Through fiery trials He begins to separate the gold from the junk. Over and over again, he stokes the fire until some impurity rises to the top to be skimmed off. He will continue the refining process until we are conformed to the image of Christ. This is the ultimate goal of the refining process in the Christian life. Paul tells us in Romans 8:29 that we are “predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son…”

As more and more of the impurities are removed, Peter tells us that His glory is revealed. We become more like Him. Certainly it is not an easy process but the end is glorious! I like the way the KJV translates the verse. It says “…that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.” This literally means we should “jump for joy” at the thought of His glory being revealed in us!!

Be encouraged. He is always at work in your life. The trial you are going through now, or soon will be going through, is for a purpose. He is working to remove the junk from the ore of your life so more of His glory will shine through. Don’t fight it. Though the pain and heartache may seem to be unbearable, hold on to the truth of I Peter 4:12-13. As you share in Christ’s sufferings He will reveal His glory. Amen!