Austin Bible Church
Tests are designed to reveal your true character to yourself. Tests are designed to reveal in overt activity your invisible capability. Tests when passed are designed to enhance relationships and rapport between individual believers. Tests are designed to bring doctrine into action that possibly has only been learned and never applied.
Tests of one person can bring a great deal of pressure on others and sooner or later they become involved in the tests. Tests often come in series and often in many different ways. Tests can be recognized by believers with doctrine who stay in fellowship and do not form conclusions until they get all the facts.
The higher the spiritual growth level of the believer, the more sophisticated and challenging the tests become. Tests can ride in on the tail of a seemingly neutral issue or problem. That which may be interpreted on the surface as expressing one thing will give a totally different picture when viewed from the standpoint of a specific test for a certain believer or set of believers.
In local churches, sometimes tests are congregation oriented, other times pastor oriented, other times staff oriented or deacon board oriented. In the face of a test, divine wisdom is shown in not being hasty in word or decision until all factors can be isolated.
Often it takes the ministry of several spiritual gifts over some time to isolate a certain type of sophisticated test. The passing of tests often and most always results in more stability than was present before the test was faced. Believers who pass tests come out on the other side of the pipe stronger not weaker than when they went into it.
The pattern of volition and its testing was established in the Garden of Eden. You may eat of everything with one exception. The fruit of this tree you may not eat. The composition of volition in choosing good or evil makes it possible to be tested. However, to test volition just for the sake of testing is no issue. Testing volition is in God’s plan because of the Angelic Conflict.
In eternity past, God created angels with volition. One angel chose to react to God’s plan and refuse it. He believed the way of good via God’s plan was not superior to his way of evil, Satan’s plan. Therefore, a conflict began to rage. Is God’s plan of divine good superior to Satan’s plan of angelic and human good? A period of time was given for the platform of God to be explained and the platform of Satan. Eph. 1; Isaiah 14.
Those angels who chose for Satan exercised negative volition. Those who chose for God exercised positive volition. The angels were confirmed in negative and positive volition. Heb. 2:2.
“For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty,” (Hebrews 2:2, NASB)
God and elect angels operate under a plan of positive volition. Satan and fallen angels operate under a program of negative volition. Two ways of life were offered to Adam and the woman in the Garden. They were tested in these two options while in innocence. God presented Bible doctrine to Adam and the woman (later called Eve after the Fall) in the cool of the day. Satan via the serpent presented his challenge to Bible doctrine in the cool of the day (before Bible class). The woman got the message to Adam immediately. He listened. Then, they did not show up for Bible class with God.
This challenge was a test because Adam was equipped to make a choice. Did he really believe what God had taught based on who God is or did he believe what Eve said because of who she was and who Satan is? A test is designed for confirmation of what you actually believe or disbelieve. Once a test is passed, there is a confirmation of belief in Bible doctrine resident in the right lobe of the soul. Heb. 2.
Greek Words For Testing
Adokimos
In Romans 1:28, “depraved” is ἀδόκιμος (adokimos) and refers to an unbeliever who has epignosis understanding of the Gospel and has rejected it.
“And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,” (Romans 1:28, NASB)
In 1 Corinthians 9:27, “disqualified” refers to a believer reaching spiritual maturity and failing to pass tests resulting in reversionism.
“but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” (1 Corinthians 9:27, NASB)
In 2 Corinthians 13:5-7, “do not fail the test” is not the normal life of the believer, but following the program of Satan with a Christian vocabulary.
“Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test? But I trust that you will realize that we ourselves do not fail the test. Now we pray to God that you do no wrong; not that we ourselves may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear unapproved.” (2 Corinthians 13:5-7, NASB)
In 2 Timothy 3:8, “rejected” is equated with subjectivity, signs, and hustle but most of all with no spiritual maturity. Therefore, this word best describes the believer leaving God’s plan in the Church Age.
“Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men of depraved mind, rejected in regard to the faith.” (2 Timothy 3:8, NASB)
In Titus 1:16, “worthless” is the title attached to pseudo-spiritual production, hustle, etc.
“They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed.” (Titus 1:16, NASB)
In Hebrews 6:8, “worthless” indicates God’s rejection of a believer’s production which is not based on God’s plan.
“but if it yields thorns and thistles, it is worthless and close to being cursed, and it ends up being burned.” (Hebrews 6:8, NASB)
Dokimos
In 2 Corinthians 10:18, “approved” is δόκιμος (dokimos) and refers to testing for the purpose of passing the test. It is God’s will for the believer to pass the test.
“For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends.” (2 Corinthians 10:18, NASB)
In 2 Timothy 2:15, “approved” refers to the studying of God’s plan as the greatest encouragement toward living the spiritual life.
“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15, NASB)
In James 1:12, “approved” refers to confirmation of the believer’s concept of passing tests on earth will be given at the Judgment Seat of Christ. This is also a confirmation of positive volition.
“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.” (James 1:12, NASB)
Dokimazō
In Romans 1:28, “did not see fit to acknowledge God” is οὐ (ou) plus δοκιμάζω (dokimazō) and refers to the unbeliever negative to the Gospel who will not approve of God’s plan in their thinking.
“And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper,” (Romans 1:28, NASB)
In Romans 2:18, “approved” is used in a sarcastic sense of apostates who use Christian vocabulary to prove they know God’s will.
“and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law,” (Romans 2:18, NASB)
In Romans 14:22, “approves” means that living is relaxed living.
“The faith which you have, have as your own conviction before God. Happy is he who does not condemn himself in what he approves.” (Romans 14:22, NASB)
In 1 Corinthians 16:3, “approval” refers to approval of men of integrity to carry an offering to Jerusalem.
“When I arrive, whomever you may approve, I will send them with letters to carry your gift to Jerusalem;” (1 Corinthians 16:3, NASB)
In 2 Corinthians 8:8, “proving” refers to overt expressions of the spiritual life, the passing of tests involving the mental attitude motivation of grace when giving.
“I am not speaking this as a command, but as proving through the earnestness of others the sincerity of your love also.” (2 Corinthians 8:8, NASB)
In 2 Corinthians 8:22, “tested” refers to Titus who passed many tests in his ministry as a communicator of Bible doctrine.
“We have sent with them our brother, whom we have often tested and found diligent in many things, but now even more diligent because of his great confidence in you.” (2 Corinthians 8:22, NASB)