Faith More Precious than Gold - 1 Peter 1:7-9

That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.

I love Peter's poetic language. But upon closer inspection, he's not merely attempting poetic allusion. He's speaking literally. The trial of faith, is literally more precious than gold or any earthly possession. Why? Because faith, first and  foremost, is required for salvation. And secondly, is one of few things that we can take with us when we pass on. Gold is actually an inert element and will never rust nor fade, however, when Peter says "gold that perisheth", he's not talking about the specific properties of gold, but material possessions in general. We literally have nothing useful to do with Gold in the next life - even if we could take it with us.

There is an funny story of a man who made a deal with God that he could take one thing with him to heaven when he died. He fretted about what to take and after long last decided to buy as big a suitcase as he could manage, and using his life savings, filled it with gold bars. Finally, as is inevitable, he died, and as promised God allowed him to take one possession. So he lugged his suitcase up to the pearly gates, and Peter, being informed that the man was indeed allowed one single possession, asked to inspect the contents of the suitcase. So the man opens the suitcase to show Peter. Peter, with a quizzical look, finally meets the man's gaze and asks: "You brought pavement?"

Needless to say, pursuit of wealth is a misdirected cause. Jesus, knowing the Pharisees attention to such matters says:

Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. (Matthew 23:23)

When our faith is tried, it is like a refiner's fire - the harsher and sorer the trial, the stronger faith it can produce. But we have to be careful not to lose faith in the midst of trials. Job, when he was tried, was judged of his friends and told to "curse God and die." Instead, he said:

Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord. (Job 1:21)

He also showed great faith amid his trials when he said:

For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another... (Job 19:25-27)

The above quotation is one of my favorites, not only because it is inspiring, but because it is among a unique set of Old Testament scriptures that testifies of the Messiah. What's also interesting, is that Job is not of the house of Israel. He is a man of the east. And yet has the same beliefs as the Israelites. Note that there are others, not of Israel who shared in the knowledge and anticipation of the Messiah. The prophet Baalam prophesied of the messiah, and of course the magi knew of him.