In our fifth and final article in our series, ‘God’s Purpose for Mankind’, we consider the Biblical reasons for believers facing trials and testings. These challenges are all part of God’s purpose for preparing His children for living in eternity with Him — to make us into the likeness or image of His Son, Jesus Christ.

As a quick review, the first four articles are:

• Created for a Relationship with God
• Called to Reconcile Others to God
• Connected to Refresh and Serve Others
• Chosen to Represent Jesus to Others

Trials vs. Temptation

First, understand the difference between a trial/testing and a temptation. God brings us trials to test and strengthen our faith for our good. Temptation is evil that comes from Satan to destroy our testimony.

Trials are always for making us more Christ-like; temptation is always enticing us to sin, to do evil instead of good. We must never equate being tempted to sin as being from God. We must never equate being tested by God to make us more like Jesus as being from Satan.

I hear Christians ask for prayer when, after experiencing a flat tire, then late for work, then dealing with an angry customer, their claim that Satan is oppressing them. In reality, it’s God working on making them better. Never give blame or credit to Satan for what God is bringing into your life to make you into the image of Jesus.

People ask, did God create evil? The answer is a resounding, NO! Evil is not a “created” thing, meaning it cannot exist on its own. Evil is simply the absence of good. I like this illustration to help understand the concept. A hole is real, but it’s only a hole when it exists in something else. We call the absence of dirt a hole, but it cannot be separated from the dirt. Without the dirt, there could be no hole in the dirt. So, another angle of this thought: if you remove dirt from the ground, you have a hole in the dirt. Place the removed dirt on another surface. You don’t have another hole. You have dirt.

To complete this thought of being tempted to sin and it not originating from God, consider scripture:

· “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone (James 1:13).

· God clearly tells us where evil and the temptation to sin originates (Matthew 4:1; Ephesians 6:11; 1 Corinthians 7:5; 1 Thessalonians 3:5; John 13:2).

Purpose of trials

This brings us to our focus, that we are challenged (tested) by God to make us more into the image of Jesus. We are to “count it all joy when trials come” (James 1:3) because the trials strengthen our faith. In other words, trials are good for us. We know that all things work together for good to those who love God (Romans 8:28) and to build (mold, conform our likeness) us into the likeness of Jesus (1 Peter 1:7–9).

Jesus taught that His followers would be persecuted, to go through suffering, so that they could also experience God’s glory. James states that our testing builds our patience and endurance, waiting on God and seeing His faithfulness and goodness to us (James 1; Romans 5:3; Hebrews 10:36).

When the disciples had their faith tested throughout Jesus’ ministry, it was always to “increase their faith” in God for protection, provision, and His faithfulness in His promises.

Types of trials

A further study into the reasons for God testing His children, we find seven (7) types of challenges:

• To show others that we belong to God, to become a living testimony to others around us (1 Peter 4:14; Hebrews 13:12–14).
• To be God’s witness of His ongoing faithfulness, doing as He promises and never leaving us alone (1 Corinthians 10:12–13).
• To correct our path (chasten) for our good (Hebrews 12:6–11) when we veer off.
• To experience suffering so we can minister to those who are suffering (2 Corinthians 2:4). Remember, we have a Savior who also, as a man, experienced life as we do so He could identify with us and us with Him (Hebrews 4:15–16).
• To further grow God’s fruit of the Spirit in our lives, building our Christ-like characteristics (Galatians 5:22–23; James 1:3–4; Ephesians 5:8–11; 2 Corinthians 12:10).
• To perfect (complete) us as we prepare for eternity with Him (Hebrews 12:2).
• To transform our bodies into the likeness of His glorious body (Philippians 3:21).

How shall we, then, live?

God gives us the provisions and tools to live a victorious Christian life, even through trials and hardships. God encourages us by stating that we don’t have to live like others who are without Jesus. We can be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2) so we can be re-shaped into the image of Jesus. As we discussed in our ‘Chosen’ article, we are to live consecrated, separated lives apart from the sin of the world (back to not submitting to temptation), living as people owned by God (1 John 3:2).

Part of that mind renewal is a change in our view or perspective. God tells us to cast our gaze upon Him — to stay focused and not looking side to side towards distractions. As we do so, we concentrate on the pure, positive things of God (Philippians 4:8), counting our trials as being worthy to be conformed into Jesus’ image that leads to joy, unsurpassed peace, a rested mind, continued praise with unceasing prayer, singing of hymns and spiritual songs, ever thankful for the work God is completing in our lives.

Conclusion

It is with this zeal, this transformation of God working in our lives, and the daily renewal of our thoughts toward God that leads us into a life of God’s blessing. It is this life that God wants for us, and one that will draw those without Christ to Him.

Ultimately, God’s purpose for all mankind is to live eternally with Him. For the believer who has established that relationship with God, the whole of everything we do is to reconcile others to Him. That is God’s purpose for mankind, in a nutshell.

As believers, we can live it. But it requires suppressing our will and allowing the Holy Spirit to control us. God has provided what we need to live the Christian life. He has also given us the free will to choose whether we want to live such a life. Doing so reaps God’s eternal blessings and rewards. Not doing so leads to God’s judgment and separation from Him.

There is a choice, and it is yours!