Does God Test Man? http://www.wordofhope.org

James 1:13: Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man:

Without proper understanding of the ways and the Word of God, it would be easy to believe that God is testing us by putting us through trials, temptations and tribulation. When we read the Old Testament and consider Abraham, whose faith God tested by asking for his son (Hebrews 11:17) it's easy to believe that God will test our faith. We must understand that Abraham didn't have the tools we have in the New Testament, in the dispensation of the Holy Ghost. Abraham was alone in a land of pagans, raised in a pagan family. He didn't have other believers around him to exhort, encourage, and correct him. The Bible had not yet been written. Abraham didn't have the Word of God against which to measure himself. There was no church, no pastor, no preacher, to speak the Word of truth to him. The only way Abraham knew God's will was when God spoke personally to him. The only way he knew he was walking in faith was when it was tried. It would be the same as if we were to attend a school, go to class every day, and sit in the classroom without teacher or textbooks to teach us and without quizzes to test and prove our knowledge. Such is not the case for New Testament saints. If we say that God tests us as He tested Abraham, then it follows that God is likely to ask us to sacrifice the lives of our children as He asked Abraham to do. This is not only illogical, but it is also a contradiction to the Word which tells us that Christ was the ultimate and final sacrifice, and there is no more blood sacrifice to be made, human or otherwise (Hebrews 10:12-13).

Is God testing us to cleanse us from sin? No, because the Word tells us that our hearts are purified through obedience to the Word (I Peter 1:22). When God said He would purge Israel of its dross (that which is to be rejected) it was because of persistent and deliberate sinfulness (Isaiah 1:25). This was not testing but punishment. When Israel was carried away she was temporarily in a state of rejection. Be careful not to believe that God's rejection is temporary in the New Testament. Israel is the chosen people and will have a second chance to accept Christ when He comes to establish His millennial kingdom. We the Gentiles have been grafted into the tree. If we are rejected, there may be no more chance for us (Romans Chapter 11). For us, if we willfully sin, the sacrifice of Christ has no more effect for us (Hebrews 10:18-29). God calls us to a new way of life, for the old way (the sacrifice of bulls and goats) could not lead us to salvation. Never forget that the children of Israel were not saved, for they were not born again of the water and the blood. God had to control man's behavior until it was time to change man's nature. If we say that God has to control our behavior through tribulation we place ourselves back under the law. We are then no more under grace.

Is God testing us to teach us something? No, because the Word tells us that God uses His Word to teach, reprove, correct, and instruct in righteousness (II Timothy 3:16-17). And God has placed servants in the church to bring forth teaching and correction and instruction in righteousness (Ephesians 4:11-16). These people are gifted in the Word and in the Spirit and receive special revelations from the Lord to pass on to His people. Someone may have told you that you would go through the same test again and again until you passed it to God's satisfaction. God is capable of better! The truth is that the enemy has found a weak spot in your armor and is hitting it again and again in the hopes he can make you falter! God would not teach us to swim by throwing us in the water. He prefers to teach us the principles of water safety so that when we have to navigate the sea of life, we will not drown. If we listen God will teach us the principles of fire safety so that when we walk in the furnace we will not be burnt up. God does not teach by punishing. He can and will punish if he has to (Hebrews 12:6-11) but punishment comes because we are hard headed, hard hearted, and disobedient to His will. He doesn't like to punish but prefers to be a preventive God. He will keep our feet from the pit if we just heed His voice.

Is God testing us to prove our faith? No. The Word does tell us that our faith will be tried, (James 1:12, I Peter 1:6-7), but the Word does NOT tell us that it is God who will try us. In fact, James 1:13 is careful to remind us that God does not tempt (test) man. We could split hairs and play with words and say that the devil tempts and God tests, but if you go back to the original language of the Scriptures, you will find that the same word for temptation (peirazo) is used throughout the New Testament. What we need to understand is that we will be tempted just as our brethren in the world are tempted (I Peter 5:89) but if we are wise we will take advantage of the teaching that God can give us (through application of His Word and the prompting of His Spirit) to help us stand in times of temptation. God does not create situations that can cause us to fall, but He will work through those situations to help us see where our faith lies and to shed light on how the devil tries to work his devices.

The question: Does God test or tempt or try man? It is said that He did in the Old Testament, in the dispensation of the law. But consider this. When God told Abraham to sacrifice his son, Abraham had already been walking in faith. God wanted to display the level and strength of the faith that was already in place. Sometimes we can have faith, but it may not be as strong as we think. Be careful not to accuse God of bringing trials, temptations, and tribulation upon you. That's the devil's modus operandi (method of operation), because he wants you to fall from salvation. He wants you to blame God for all the terrible and stressful things that happen in your life to cause physical, emotional and spiritual trauma. God will not put you into a situation that jeopardizes your salvation. Be careful to remember that this world is under a curse, and those things will come. We are in this world and therefore are likely to encounter the same things as those who have not been born again, but we are not SUBJECT to sin (I Corinthians 10:13), for God can show us the way out if we seek Him (Ephesians 1:15-23). It is important to remember also that continual and deliberate sin will take us out of the protection of the Lord. In such a case trials and temptations will very like bring about our defeat. Be careful to get a true understanding of what it means to be tempted and who is tempting you. The source of temptation (or trials or tribulation) is always the same. The outcome depends on you.

The idea of being tested infers that there is a possibility of failure. God is not a God of failure but of victory. Make no mistake. The tests will come, and the devil will try to bring tests to you that he hopes you will fail. It is not logical to believe that God will put you through a test that you will fail, and have to take the test again and again. God does not set people up for failure. Why does God allow tests and trials and temptation and tribulation to occur in our lives? Because it should not be a big thing to us, not an astonishment. We get so focused on being tried that we lose sight of the Lord who can and will bring us through victorious. The Word continually warns us that we are living in a world where these things happen, but they should not amaze us, because there is no threat of defeat as long as we abide in the Lord. Instead of focusing on the situation that rises before us, we need to focus on the Lord and see what He can teach us through these situations, because each lesson we learn increases our wisdom (skill) in living a holy life before God.

So, if God does not test man to see his true nature, how does God know what is in the heart of man?

He observes man's behavior (II Chronicles 16:9). God is ever watchful of how we observe this Christian life.

God uses His Word as a plumbline to measure the quality of man's heart (Hebrews 4:12). When we are measured against the Word, we should want to have as narrow a gap as possible between how we are and how we should be before the Lord.

The spirit of man is a magnifying glass God uses like a microscope (Proverbs 20:27). God sees everything that is in us. Do not misunderstand the Scripture in Genesis where God asked Adam where he was (Genesis 3:8). He knew where Adam was, but He wanted Adam to see for himself where he was, just as God wants us to continually examine ourselves and assess the quality of our Christian lives.

God sees the heart for Himself (Acts 1:24, Acts 15:8, Romans 8:27). There is nothing hidden from the Lord. He knows our hearts. But we need to know our own hearts also; we need to listen when He shows us our hearts are lacking. When we fail His grace, we need to understand why, so that we can grow from the experience.

The tests, trails, temptations, and tribulations will come. Know where they come from and keep your focus. The sources of temptation are those things that dwell within man and threaten to beset him and turn him from God. The vehicles of temptation are the world, the flesh, and the devil. The outcome of temptation is up to you.