2) Why does God permit trials & temptations in our life, it is too hard and I feel it is not fair?. If he really loves us then why put us thru tribulations. If you love someone truly will you allow them to suffer? (Ninar) (Updated 7/15)
Schools need exams, software products need to be tested. The same way humans need to undergo tests in life. First there are few facts about tribulations. Then there are few reasons for temptations followed by a story.
FACTS ABOUT TRIALS, TEMPTATIONS AND TRIBULATIONS
1) Temptation: God does not tempt us, He tests us
God does not tempt us, but he tests us like He tested Abraham (Gen 22:1). God allows us to be tempted like Jesus was led by the Spirit to be tempted (Mat 4:1). He tests us to refine us.
James 1:13 Let no man say he is TEMPTed of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempts he any man: 14 But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15 lust conceives, it brings forth sin: and sin, brings forth death.
Psa 66:10 God TESTed us; refined us like silver. (2 Cor 2:9)
2) Christian Life is subject to temptation, to prove our love for God.
It is clear from the Bible that once we become followers of Christ, life will not be a bed of roses. Even Jesus was tempted just after being baptised in Mat 4.
Phil 1: 29 We not only have to believe in Jesus, but also to SUFFER for his sake.
2 Tim 2:3 ENDURE HARDSHIPS like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. 3:12 all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall SUFFER persecution.
Act 14:22 We must thru many TRIBULATIONS enter the Kingdom of God.
Mat 16:24;10:38 Jesus said, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.. He that takes not his cross, and follows after me, is not worthy of me...whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
Mat 10:16 I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves... 22 you shall be hated of all men for my name's sake
(Ref to Endure Chastening:- Prov 3:11-15 / Heb 12:3-13)
We take it one step further to state that God commends when we endure sufferings when we do good.
1 Pet 2:20 if you suffer for doing good and endure it, this is commendable before God. 3:17 It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.
Some Examples of Men of God who endured sufferings
Here are examples of 3 men of God who escape the fire for their trust in God. Then even Daniel (Dan 6) was ready to be thrown in the Lions den and came out alive. Paul endured many sufferings for Christ and yet only has concern for the Church. Even and also feels he possessed all things.
Dan 3:17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, God is able to save us 18 But even if he does not, we will not serve your gods or images.
2 Cor 7:4 I am filled with comfort. I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.
James 1:2 count it all joy when you fall into various trials
Act 20:23 Paul-the Holy Spirit testifies that chains and tribulations await me. 24 But none of these move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself...to testify the gospel. 21:13 Paul is ready to die for the Gospel. (1 Cor 15:31 in Christ Jesus, I die daily)
2 Cor 6:4 in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God: in much patience, tribulations, needs, distresses, 5 stripes, imprisonments, tumults, labors, sleeplessness, fastings; 6 by purity, knowledge, longsuffering, kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, 7 by the word of truth, the power of God, the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, 8 by honor and dishonor, evil report and good report; as deceivers, and yet true; 9 as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as chastened, and yet not killed; 10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, "and yet possessing all things."
2 Cor 11:23 in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26 in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27 in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness— 28 besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.
3) Only God can help us overcome temptation - God knows our limit and will not let us be tempted beyond what we can edure. We cannot overcome temptation by ourself, only thru Gods Grace. But for God to help overcome tempations we must watch, pray and obey him - Matt 26:41
1 Cor 10:13 God will not allow us be tempted beyond our limit. He will also provide a way out
2 Pet 2:4/9 If God can punish angels into hell; he knows how to deliver godly from temptation
...9 The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:
Heb 2:18/4:15 God understands our weakness for He was also tempted; For we have not a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.
Zach 4:6 Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD
Phil 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.
God upholds those who fall (Ps 145:14 / 37:24 / Is 41:10-13/ 42:6
4) Overcoming hardships ends in reward
James 1:12 Blessed is he who endures temptation, when approved will be rewarded
Mat 24:13/10:22 He who endures to the end shall be saved.
John 12:24 If a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it brings forth much fruit. (Heb 12:11)
REASONS AND RESULTS OF TRIALS, TEMPTATIONS AND TRIBULATIONS
1) To be tested for obedience
Great men of God are tested for obedience. God tested Abraham (Gen 22:1) but provided a way for him out (1 Cor 10:13).
The spirit of God led Jesus to the wilderness to be tempted (Mat/Luk 4:1). God also allowed Job to undergo tribulations to test his righteousness. Jesus faced His first biggest temptation just after His first glorious moment of baptism. Similarly after comming to Christ, we should not expect paradise but be ready to face hardships for Christ like He did.
2 Cor 2:9 We are put to test if obedient in all things.
1 Tim 3:10 Let deacons first be tested before serving and be found blameless in faith of Jesus.
2) As punishment for sin
Rom 2:6 God will render to each one according to his deeds; 8 to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil
Gen 3:16 God punishes Eve with sorrow, pain & submission 17 and Adam to toil the land 22 restricts them from the tree of life 23 and out of the garden of Eden to till the ground
Exodus 7:4 I will lay My hand on Egypt..."by great judgments". 5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the LORD, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt...
Heb 3:17 He was angry forty years with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness that would not enter His rest, who did not obey? 19 because of unbelief.
Judg 2:11/20 The children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, So He delivered them into the hands of plunderers who despoiled them; and He sold them into the hands of their enemies all around, so that they could no longer stand before their enemies.
Mat 27:25 the people said, "His blood be on us and on our children."
1 King 13:26 the man of God was disobedient to the LORD. Therefore the LORD has delivered him to the lion, which has torn him and killed him.
2 King 5 Gehazi was punished due to his greed and lies.
Acts 5 Ananias & his wife are punished to death for their lies.
Acts 12 People exalted King Herod as God and he kept the glory and did not give glory to God, so an angel struck him to death.
3) To prepare and improve us
Comforts in life makes us spiritually weak. Adam was given all things and did not go thru tribulations, hence he fell for sin. Jonah had all respect and comforts in life thus he disobeyed God from going to Nineveh. David was running from Saul and always obeyed God. But when he got comfortable he does not go to war and falls for adultery and thus brings disaster into his family (2 Sam 11).
But tribulations prunes us. In Gen 22 God tested Abraham before he was honored as Father of nations. In Gen 28-29, Jacob ran from his house and had to work 7 years twice after getting cheated by his uncle. In 32:24 had to wrestle with God and ended up limping. These God did to prepare him. In Gen 39-40, Joseph was sold by his brothers, enslaved in Egypt, framed by his masters wife and jailed to prepare him for his future. In Exo 1, Moses had to run from his palace and flock sheep for 40 years in the wilderness to be prepared for Gods will. In Mat 4:1 Jesus went thru 40 days fasting and tempted by satan to pass on to starting His ministry
Psa 66:10 God TESTed us; refined us like silver.
Eph 3:13 Dont lose heart at tribulation, its for our glory (good). (Rom 5:3/8:18/ 1 Pet 1:6)
Jam 1:3 Testing of faith produces patience making us perfect.
John 15:2 He cuts off every branch that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he PRUNES so it will be more fruitful.
Heb 12:11 no chastening seems to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness. (Prov 3:11)
4) To bring us to salvation
2 Cor 1:6 we are afflicted for our consolation and salvation
2 Cor 7:9 I rejoice, when made sorry, that you sorrowed to repentance: for you were made sorry after a godly manner. 10 For godly sorrow works repentance to salvation:
2 Pet 3:15 Longsuffering of our Lord is salvation.
Jonah 1:15 The sea ceased from raging. Then the men onboard feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice to the LORD and took vows.
(Ref:- Heb 5:8/Rom 2:4-leads to repentance)
5) So Persecution spreads the gospel
Acts 8:3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison. 4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
Phil 1:12 Tribulations resulted in the furtherance of Gospel
6) So we can help others who fell similarly
Heb 2:18 For because he himself has suffered and been tempted, he is able to help those who are tempted
2 Cor 1:4 - God comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
7) For Gods works & Glory to be declared
John 9:1-3 Jesus came across a blind man. Jesus replied that neither has this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.
John 11:4 Jesus said, "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it."
Dan 3:28 Nebuchadnezzar said, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and yielded their bodies, not to serve nor worship any god except their own God!
Dan 6:23 Daniel was taken up out of the den, because he believed in his God. 26 Darius made a decree that men must fear the God of Daniel sho has delivered him from the power of the lions.
8) For us to rely and depend upon God
Great Men of God faced stressfull situations to fight the eneny, such that they completely depended on God.
Judg 7:2 The Lord said to Gideon, "Your people are too many for Me to give the Midianites into their hands, lest Israel claim glory for itself against Me, saying, ‘My own hand has saved me."
Gen 32:24 Jacob had to wrestle with God and ended up limping (and henceforth depended on the Lord).
Exo 4:10 Moses was not eloquent and slow of speech and tongue (but he depended on the Lord).
1 Sam 17:37/47 The LORD does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will give you (Goliath) into our hands (Young DAVID killed lions, bears and Goliath with his trust in the Lord.)
1 Cron 14:11 (ASA was able to defeat a bigger army of the Ethiopians by just trusting the Lord. He relied upon the Lord and won.)
CONCLUSION
Hence we conclude that temptations and tribulations are part of following Christ. But only thru Gods help we can overcome it and He will reward us. We undergo tribulations to test for obedience, improve, discibline and know God. In order to overcome these hurdles, we must :-
Psa 17:4 ABIDE by WORD: By the Word, I have kept away from evil.
119:1 Blessed are Who walk in the law of the LORD, who keep His testimonies, Who seek Him 3 They do no iniquity;
They walk in His ways.
James 4:7 OBEY GOD & AVOID EVIL: Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.
Mat 26:41 WATCH & PRAY, lest you enter into temptation.
1 John 5:18/3:9 BE BORN AGAIN: whosoever is born of God sins not; but he that is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one touches him not.
Heb 6:1 GROW INTO PERFECTION: Let us LEAVE the discussion of the BASIC PRINCIPLES of Christ and let us go on to PERFECTION, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of the doctrine of baptisms, of laying on of hands, of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgment.
Zach 4:6 BY MY SPIRIT: Not by might nor by power, (but by My Spirit), Says the LORD.
An Example:-
The Young Couple
This is a true story. A young couple are very much in love. A lot of men are attracted to her. The man does all he can to warn her about these distractions. One day he needs to see if she really loves him. He lets her be tested since he loves her and wants to trust her. She fails miserably in all the possible ways. They part ways.
As you can see God is like a bridgegroom and we are His bride. He knows that if he is next to us at all times and provides for us we will love him and serve only him sincerely. But he wants us to be put in the real world and overcome hurdles and experience what the world has to provide. He wants to see how we love him after trials. The man wanted to let her be tested. In the end it looks like they both lost, but in real he has not lost.