Why does God test us?

[Donibm]

Alien,

 

See Deut 13:1-3

 

Also, Psa 34:8

 

 

 

 

EDIT: "proveth" means He is "testing" you.

Edited March 9, 2014 by Donibm

[saved34]

God doesn't test us he allows us to be tested. It will bring us closer to Him.

I have to agree with this. Many times my prayer life is at it's most active when I am going through trials and tribulations. Looking back I can see growth in my Spiritual life because of the many tests the Father has allowed me to go through. My faith is still pea sized but boy I'm nowhere near where I was when I first started this journey 22 years ago. 

[Donibm]

Deut 13:1-3 If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them; Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for THE LORD YOUR GOD PROVETH {testing} YOU, to know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

 

 

 

 

[ajchurney]

I think it helpful to understand something. God already knows all, so His testing nor the testing from the world and devil are in order that God may know something about us. He is not "experimenting" with us to see what we can handle, as if He does not already know! Testing merely proves and shows forth what is already there. If there are hidden doubts, they come forth so that we can deal with them. If there are unrealized fears, out they come, and we can deal with them. If there be bitterness, unforgiveness, wounds, and any number of things in our soul that hinder and bind us up unawares, testing brings these things to the surface so we can scrape them off (actually allow the Spirit to remove them by confessing and forsaking them) and have the victory in Christ over them. The process also shows us what good qualities we are lacking in our character, so that we rightly surrender ourselves anew to the Lord in order to know His perfect will and become renewed in our minds (Rom 12:1-2). Testing and trials are the means of self discovery and awareness so that we can truly know the state of our souls in being sanctified and maturing. Unfortunately, most of us struggle greatly and mistake the testing and trials as purely bad, purely negative, purely an attack against us. However, when we submit and allow God to work all things together for our good, then we can receive the benefit therein.

Many Blessings, Andy

[saved34]

I think it helpful to understand something. God already knows all, so His testing nor the testing from the world and devil are in order that God may know something about us. He is not "experimenting" with us to see what we can handle, as if He does not already know! Testing merely proves and shows forth what is already there. If there are hidden doubts, they come forth so that we can deal with them. If there are unrealized fears, out they come, and we can deal with them. If there be bitterness, unforgiveness, wounds, and any number of things in our soul that hinder and bind us up unawares, testing brings these things to the surface so we can scrape them off (actually allow the Spirit to remove them by confessing and forsaking them) and have the victory in Christ over them. The process also shows us what good qualities we are lacking in our character, so that we rightly surrender ourselves anew to the Lord in order to know His perfect will and become renewed in our minds (Rom 12:1-2). Testing and trials are the means of self discovery and awareness so that we can truly know the state of our souls in being sanctified and maturing. Unfortunately, most of us struggle greatly and mistake the testing and trials as purely bad, purely negative, purely an attack against us. However, when we submit and allow God to work all things together for our good, then we can receive the benefit therein.

Many Blessings, Andy

This post is such a blessing to my heart.  "surrendering ourselves anew to the Lord". Thank you brother. 

[Bible_Gazer]

Genesis 22:1-2

 

1  And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt(TEST) Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

 

2  And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah;

and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

 

 

Genesis 22:11-12

 

11  And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

 

12  And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him:

for now I know that thou fearest God,

seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

 

 testing is for God to know our true heart

[ajchurney]

Genesis 22:1-2

 

1  And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt(TEST) Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am.

 

2  And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah;

and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of.

 

 

Genesis 22:11-12

 

11  And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I.

 

12  And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him:

for now I know that thou fearest God,

seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me.

 

 testing is for God to know our true heart

I respectfully disagree. God is omniscient, He knows all things, including the future. Jesus stated that God knows what is in the heart of man. Nothing catches God by surprise because He is also eternal, outside of time. God created the space-time continuum and has demonstrated his power and control over time in many ways in the scripture. The greatest proof is the sweeping revelation given to John "in the spirit", where God takes him and shows him events thousands of years in the future. I understand that there are statements made in the Old Testament such as the one you just quoted, where God is speaking to a man of limited understanding, and speaks to him on his level, which can make God appear less than omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent, and eternal. The fact that God chooses to communicate thus (there are other examples, like when Abraham barters for Sodom and Gomorrah and "changes God's mind") does not negate His actual supremacy and Divine qualities. The rest of scripture interprets statements like this, not the other way around. God already knows what is in the heart or every man who ever lived or will live. The test is not for Him to know anything, but it does expose the truth so that man can know, and so that man can then properly interact with his God. I would alter your statement thus:

 

testing is for God to expose our true heart

[chloe_fantastic]

 

 God is omniscient, He knows all things, including the future.

Amen

[Bible_Gazer]

Is omniscient, in the bible ?

[Guest DRS81]

I think the greatest example ... is Job.

 

God always knows the end from the beginning.  He is not looking for an answer ... but giving you an OPPORTUNITY.

 

An opportunity to do what?  To glorify Him, liberate your soul, and to shame your accuser!

 

Also, it's not that we are forbidden to test God, for the Scriptures clearly say to test Him in Malachi 3:10.  Clearly, o "taste and see" the goodness of the Lord.  TRY God.  But do not TEMPT Him.  It's all about context and application ... and the desire of your heart.  I can test God through obedience.  Like, if He PROMISED something, I could put myself in discomfort so that I can LEARN His faithfulness, and SEE His power.  But, if I do something because I want to gain from it, well, He may hide His face from me. 

 

Be wise about it.

 

This is a good post, thank you for Malachi. Can you also give me a day to day example of how to try and test God. Also show me how trying and testing is different than tempting. BLessings, David.