Keep Your Integrity! - Trained by Endurance

 The apostle Peter wrote:   "In tgus fact you are greatly rejoicing,  though for a little while at present, if it must be, you have been grieved by various trials, in order that the tested quality of your faith, of much greater value than gold that perishes despite its being proved by fire,may be found a cause for praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:6, 7)  Because we are imperfect and living in the midst of Satan's world, we will constantly be faced with tests and temptations.  As Peter shows, these can serve a good purpose.  They test our faith, show whether it is weak or strong.

They also serve to train us. Jesus "learned obedience from the things he suffered."  (Hebrews 5:8)  We too can learn obedience, as well as reliance on Jehovah, if we endure under test. And this learning process will continue until complete, as Peter said:  "God . . . will himself finish your training, he will make you firm, he will make you strong." - 1 PETER 5:10.

If though, we compromise under test, we show ourselves cowardly or weak, lacking a strong love of Jehovah and of righteousness or lacking in self-control.  Any such weakness gravely endangers our relationship with God.  Indeed, Paul's warning may come true in our case:  "If we practice sin willfully after having received the accurate knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice for sins left." (Hebrews 10:26)  How much better  not to sin in the first place than to give in to weakness and run the risk of losing all prospect of life! 

Next time: Keep Your Integrity! - Unconditional Integrity

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