Genuineness

Good Morning!

Our Sunday morning Bible study for March is from Peter’s first letter to the “elect”. And even though Peter specifies the elect in what was then Asia Minor (now Turkey), I like to think that Peter is writing to you and to me. Otherwise there wouldn’t be any need to put the letter in the Scripture. At least that’s how I see it.

Here is a portion of the text for this coming Sunday:

1 Peter 1:3-12 (English Standard Version)
Born Again to a Living Hope
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
10Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

Somehow I believe Mrs. Grace Carr, my 8th grade English teacher would have scolded Peter for the run on sentence that comprises verses 3 through 5. I can almost hear her voice today telling us to break it up into shorter ideas. But anyway … there is a word that intrigues me in this passage. The word is “genuineness”. I don’t know that I have ever seen this word before. I note that this word is also used in the NIV version. Here it is used with the adjective “tested” – at least I think it is an adjective. Well that got the brain cells pumping … oh, no!

What does Peter mean by the genuineness of faith? Well, let’s take a look at the word “genuine”. Here is the definition:

gen•u•ine
  /ˈdʒɛn yu ɪn/ Spelled[jen-yoo-in]
–adjective
1. possessing the claimed or attributed character, quality, or origin; not counterfeit; authentic; real: genuine sympathy; a genuine antique.
2. properly so called: a genuine case of smallpox.
3. free from pretense, affectation, or hypocrisy; sincere: a genuine person.
4. descended from the original stock; pure in breed: a genuine Celtic people.

Well that’s the definition but somehow I think we have lost the definition in our vernacular. I mean we have “genuine imitation leather” and “genuine simulated _______” fill in the blank. And in the process we have lost the ability to distinguish between truly genuine and not genuine at all. And that is dangerous because it is important that our faith be genuine … not only for our own sake but for the testimony that we present to the world.

I believe people are seeking genuineness today. The world gives them so much that seems genuine but in the end is not. You and I are God’s appointed representatives … and our lives should reflect the true love and true faith that leads a person to desire to know Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior. As Peter says, “that the tested genuineness of our faith … may result in praise and honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ”. Tested by whom? Tested by God through trials? Well, yes … but also tested by those to whom we have been sent to share the simple Gospel message of faith in Jesus Christ. Passing that “test” is not a one-night miracle – no, passing the test of genuineness is a day by day by day journey for each of us.

I pray that my faith may be genuine and be reflected as such to all that I meet on this good day. Father, help me in my quest to be genuine not only in my faith but also in my love for others.

Agape’

Mr. Jim