Special Tests for Special Purposes – Part 2

Characteristically, satan’s response was to attribute selfish motives to Job. “He only serves You because of what he gets from You.” In response, God permitted satan to put Job to the test. First He allowed satan to destroy everything that belonged to Job, his possessions, servants and his children. Then God even permitted him to touch Job’s body to afflict him with boils from head to toe but He did not permit satan to take Job’s life. Job recognized that God was testing him and this gave him the strength to endure.

The New Testament clearly warns us that, as Christians we must expect to undergo testing and James tells us that we should respond to testing with joy. James 1:2-4 (NIV) “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

It is vitally important that we learn to distinguish between God’s testing and His chastening. Many people seem to assume that once they become Christian they are exempt from God’s chastening, especially if they have been believers for any length of time. This attitude however has no basis in Scripture and to such believers, Hebrews (Hebrews 12:5-8) gives a powerful warning.