“That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
being much more precious than gold that perishes
Gold is a precious metal, but the test of our faith is much more precious than the test for gold.
This phrase emphasizes the genuineness of our faith, not the trial of faith as “being much more precious.” Similar uses of the phrase “much more” also occur in:
Romans 5:9 “Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”
Romans 5:10 “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”
Romans 5:15 “But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.”
Romans 5:20 “Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.”
Our faith is much more precious than anything else we possess. We have nothing more valuable than our faith. The closer we get to death, the more we realize how precious it is.
Peter uses the word “precious” seven times in 1 and 2 Peter. We use “precious” for just about anything. We say, “Isn’t that a precious necklace.” The Bible, however, uses this term for that which is of ultimate value.
Acts 20:24 says “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.”
The word “worth” is the same as the word “precious” in our passage. Paul’s testimony is the value here. Hebrews 13:4 says marriage is precious. “Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral.”
The contrast between gold and our faith in 1 Peter 1:7 is between material and spiritual wealth. Material wealth perishes; spiritual wealth does not. (Psalm 119:127; Proverbs 8:11)
After gold liquefies in fire, the impurities rise to the surface, where they can be skimmed away. When the goldsmith sees his face in the gold, he knows he can turn down the heat. He knows that the gold is purified. God compares our faith with gold because He deems it a precious commodity. Yet gold is of only temporal value. The Christian’s faith is of eternal value.
PRINCIPLE:
God deems a faith tested by fire as being of eternal value.
APPLICATION:
One day gold will perish. Our faith will never perish. This passage says if your faith is real, it cannot perish. If you lost your faith you never had true faith in the beginning.
