Passing the Test

"You will be hated by all people because of Me. But he who stays true to the end will be saved." (Matthew 10:22)

In a recent discussion with friends, the topic arose of one's faith being tested. All of us expressed similar thoughts on the matter - we hope that we would willingly profess our faith no matter what the circumstance or consequences of doing so, but there's a doubt in all of us if we could be that strong. We can all imagine the nightmare scenarios, can't we? "Do you believe in Jesus?" asks the robber as he holds a gun to our head, or to the head of our child. (It's hard for most of us in America to envision such a scenario outside of TV or movies, but similar scenarios are played out every day in parts of our world). Would I have the strength to answer that question truthfully, even if doing so meant certain death? My faith tells me yes, because I know that death is merely the beginning of eternal life, and to die because of faith in Christ is an honor. But faced with terrorizing circumstances, would I have the presence of mind to call upon the wisdom of my faith? Would my love for Christ outweigh my fear?

I am guilty of spending a great deal of my life being afraid of having my faith tested, perhaps because it has been tested and I have failed the test. When the going gets tough, I often turn to my faith for strength and comfort, but I admit that I haven't always reached for Jesus first. I've spent far too much time browsing Satan's storehouse of bitterness. How about you?

As time goes by, perhaps as a function of simple maturity, I realize that to have one's faith tested is not to be feared. Jesus promised that life would be hard, but that He would always be there for us. I hope that I will never have a gun pointed at my head, with my life or that of a loved one hanging on my response to a single question. But if I should be faced with that, or any other challenge (and I will), I hope I will calmly profess my love of Christ. If I'm unable to draw upon my own sense of strength, I can simply call upon the strength of the One who overcame the world. No robber, no illness, no circumstance in life can compete with that.

So friends, in order to pass the test, all we need to do is reach for our Bibles. God's Word is the ultimate study guide.