Lesson for July 5, 2020
Suffering and Testing in the Christian Life
Lesson 5
Suffering and Testing
Thought Testing
Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.”
There are two viewpoints in life: divine and human. Your way of life right now is being influenced by what you think. Since you have freewill, you can think whatever you want to think and according to Proverbs 23:7, “For as he thinks within himself, so is he.”
Satan’s world system has a way of thinking that, generally speaking, does not line up with the thinking of God. We call this Human Viewpoint Thinking. Christians and non-Christians alike think human viewpoint on a regular basis. God’s thinking is found in the Bible. The Bible is more reliable than anything we see, hear, smell, taste, or feel. It is the Word of God the Father, the mind of Jesus Christ and the voice of the Holy Spirit. We call God’s thinking Divine Viewpoint Thinking. (I Corinthians 2:16; Hebrews 3:7, 4:12; II Peter 1:12-21)
In order to have Divine Viewpoint Thinking, we must know the doctrine taught in the Bible. The more Bible doctrine we know and apply, the more Divine Viewpoint Thinking we will be able to exhibit. The less Bible doctrine we know, the more Human Viewpoint Thinking we will exhibit. The more Human Viewpoint Thinking we exhibit, the more insecure and unstable we are going to be.
Daily study of God’s Word keeps Divine Viewpoint Thinking fresh in the mind and helps counteract Human Viewpoint Thinking. (Psalm 119:129-135) Thinking your way through life with divine viewpoint will bring victory, peace, power and stability. (Isaiah 26:3-4, 33:6) However, vacillating between Divine Viewpoint Thinking and Human Viewpoint Thinking makes a believer unstable according to James 1:8. An unstable believer is an unhappy believer.
The inner conflict of what to think is thought testing and must be dealt with in order for the believer to stabilize his thinking and his spiritual life. Mental stabilization comes by means of knowledge of Bible doctrine (I Timothy 2:15, 3:16), application of Bible doctrine (wisdom) (Colossians 4:5) and utilization of the Rebound Technique when necessary. (I John 1:9)
When Divine Viewpoint Thinking is developed through consistent study and application of Bible doctrine, it produces confidence based on the absolute truth of God’s Word. (Hebrews 4:9-16) This confidence in God’s Word leads to spiritual maturity. In Hebrews 4, a “rest’ is mentioned. This word in Greek does not mean inactivity, but rather the harmonious working of all the resources that God has given to us as believers. These resources include free-will, the Word of God, the filling of the Holy Spirit, Divine Viewpoint Thinking, the Ten Problem Solving Devices, the local church and the gift of pastor-teacher. The Christian Way of Life is all about what you think. You can glorify God by what you think. Once you’re thinking divine viewpoint, what you do will glorify God. Right thinking produces right actions.
The Christian Way of Life is a supernatural way of life, which cannot be lived apart from knowledge of Bible doctrine and the filling of God the Holy Spirit. (Romans 7:6, 8:2; Galatians 5:25; Ephesians 5:18) This way of life, of course, requires thinking. All changes in our lives must come from the inside. The true character of the believer is determined by his mental attitude.
The Christian Way of Life began with a change of mental attitude (thinking) towards Jesus Christ, which resulted in salvation. (Acts 3:19) At the moment of salvation, God did at least 40 things for each one of us. We call these Spiritual Assets, and part of these assets include the things necessary to execute the Christian Way of Life. Choosing to use these assets enables a believer to live in a manner that is acceptable to the Lord, and to think those things which bring honor to the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:23; Colossians 3:1-2)
After salvation, we make the choice of what our life is going to be like. God never forces a believer into any course of action. He has however provided the potential, but it is still our choice. The Christian Way of Life is designed by God so that we can think and think properly. Pressure situations require thinking. Thinking requires vocabulary. Divine vocabulary influences what we think and is capable of operating under pressure. In other words, the more of God’s Word we get in us, the more of God’s Word that will be available to us when needed.
God has provided each of us with a sound mind under the filling of the Holy Spirit. (II Timothy 1:7) This means that we have the potential for a relaxed mental attitude. The relaxed mental attitude can be developed by consistent intake, and application of Bible doctrine. This relaxed mental attitude (thinking) produces confidence in the soul. (II Corinthians 5:1-8)
All believers are capable of having Divine Viewpoint Thinking and passing thought testing. (II Timothy 1:7; II Corinthians 10:5)
System Testing
A system can be a variety of organizations including businesses, social organizations, church organizations, the military, families and associations. Within any organization there will be many personalities and management styles, some will be bad, and some will be good. The one thing they all normally have in common is that they will all test the believer’s level of spiritual maturity and dependence on God and His Word. When a believer is promoted above his or her peers, it can involve a test. Petty jealousy from others can result in a system test. How a believer handles the situation will be based on the amount of Bible doctrine in the soul and the proper application of that doctrine. When treated unfairly in an organization by being passed over, criticized, reprimanded or ignored it is a test of how a believer will act or react. Some organizations are just inherently bad, unorganized or poorly managed. The response of a believer within this organization is an indication of their spiritual status and relationship with God. The Word of God is clear that all that we do as believers is to be done as unto the Lord.
Spiritual autonomy prepares a believer for passing the system test. The key is self-motivation based on the Bible doctrine a believer has stored in his soul. If a believer in any organization is waiting on the organization to motivate them, they are relying on the wrong thing. Living inside the Divine Dynasphere under the filling of the Holy Spirit and with accurate Bible doctrine in the soul, a believer’s motivation cannot be destroyed by any failure on the part of the organization. Even if a believer is being treated unfairly or disagrees with the policies and direction of an organization, they can still do their best in the role they have been assigned.
We should never forget that we are operating in Satan’s world system and unless you are talking about an organization that operates based on Bible doctrine, there will be many flaws within that organization. However, the failure and flaws of the system or those within the system should not any way effect the performance of a believer. A believer who understands the doctrine of system testing will recognize the test when it comes and realize that passing the test contributes to his/her spiritual growth. Additionally, a believer who passes system testing will be a marvelous testimony to those workers around them.
Since God is always fair and human beings generally speaking are not, a believer’s attitude in the midst of system testing should always be one of gratitude, kindness, humility and impersonal love. We are to fulfill our responsibilities to the organization without complaining and grumbling and leave the result in the hands of the perfect Judge in the Supreme Court of Heaven. If God wants a believer to separate from an organization, He will make it crystal clear. (Colossians 3:17-25)
Disaster Testing
Disaster testing often comes without any warning, so a believer must be prepared. This testing may come in the form of personal disaster or national disaster. Personal disaster may be mental anxiety caused by the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, divorce, financial problems, etc. National disaster may come as result of a health epidemic, a war, the breakdown of societal morality, government-imposed rules and regulations, crime sprees or terrorism. Disaster testing can also be a result of weather-related occurrences, such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, fires, etc.
Spiritual autonomy prepares a believer for disaster testing by relying on the Bible doctrine in his soul, the power of the Holy Spirit and the Problem-Solving Devices of the Protocol Plan of God. By a thorough understanding of how these tests are administered and the fact that Jesus Christ controls history, a believer in spiritual autonomy can relax and apply the proper problem-solving device to any test. Sharing the happiness of God means that believers in spiritual autonomy can be content in whatever circumstance they find themselves. The proper attitude and response in disaster testing is described in I Peter 1:7-8 (personal disaster) and II Chronicles 20:9 (national disaster).
I Peter 1:7-8, “In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials (tests), so that the proof (application) of your faith (Bible doctrine), being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy (sharing the happiness of God) inexpressible and full of glory.”
II Chronicles 20:9, “Should evil come upon us, the sword, or judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we will stand before this house (where doctrine is taught) and before You (for Your name is in this house) and cry to You (pray) in our distress, and You will hear and deliver us.”