Fire reveals what is gold and what is not, what is only a thin layer of gold on the surface and that which is golden all the way through. That which is merely painted gold will be burnt up. That which is gold, but impure within is burned off. Fire refines and purifies. It destroys that which merely appeared to be gold. Posers are cremated and impurities are separated out.
Malachi 3:2-3
But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.
Gold has no reason to fear fire. Fire does not threaten it. It only reveals it. It removes anything not gold by sifting it out or by sorting it out. Fakers and foreign fragments both end in flames until all that is left is fire and pure gold.
1 Corinthians 3:12-13
Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw- each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
Faith has no fear of flame. Faith cannot be extinguished by fire. It is purified by it. And all false professions become ashes. Fire does not burn up faith, it fuels it.
2 Timothy 1:6 (HCSB)
Therefore, I remind you to keep ablaze the gift of God that is in you.
No comments:
Post a Comment