This week’s lesson focuses on the crucible of purification. Purification requires a standard. In our case, the standard is the image of God in us and the image of Jesus Christ, who is the perfect reflection of the image of God (Heb. 1:3). Purification also requires an agent of purification, which the Bible often presents as fire (1 Pet. 1:7, Rev. 3:18). The result of purification is seen in our character, represented by the oil in the lamps of the ten virgins in the parable of Jesus (Matt. 25:1–13). The book of Daniel describes the character of those purified as “wise” in the things of God (Dan. 1:19, 20; Dan. 2:47, 48; Dan. 3:26–30).
Lesson Themes: This week’s lesson highlights four major themes.
Suffering plays an essential role in the process of character formation and purification.
We will see that character formation is the restoration of the image of God in humans, as they were created by God in the beginning, as well as the shaping of our characters according to the image of Christ.
This formation of character entails the theme of the cosmic conflict. It is in this conflict between good and evil, God and Satan, that we experience the crucible of maturity.
Purification and maturity are never achieved by individuals in isolation; rather, purification and maturity are achieved by individuals in communities.
Part II: Commentary
Ellen G. White on Suffering Trials
The subject of the relation between crucibles and purification is very important. Ellen G. White’s comments on this subject are revealing and relevant. In one of her major books, she quotes John Huss’s letter to a friend in which Huss relates the suffering of Jesus to our suffering. In that same letter, Huss also relates suffering to purification: “Jesus Christ suffered for His well-beloved; and therefore ought we to be astonished that He has left us His example, in order that we may ourselves endure with patience all things for our own salvation? He is God, and we are His creatures; He is the Lord, and we are His servants; He is Master of the world, and we are contemptible mortals—yet He suffered! Why, then, should we not suffer also, particularly when suffering is for us a purification? Therefore, beloved, if my death ought to contribute to His glory, pray that it may come quickly, and that He may enable me to support all my calamities with constancy.”—The Great Controversy, p. 105.
Elsewhere, Ellen G. White writes in a similar vein herself: “Complain not bitterly of the trial which comes upon you, but let your eyes be directed to Christ, who has clothed his divinity with humanity, in order that we may understand how great is his interest in us since he has identified himself with suffering humanity. He tasted the cup of human sorrow, he was afflicted in all our afflictions, he was made perfect through suffering, tempted in all points like as humanity is tempted, in order that he might succor those who are in temptation. He says, ‘I will make a man more precious than fine gold, even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.’ He will make a man precious by abiding with him, by giving unto him the Holy Spirit. He says, ‘If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?’ ”—The Signs of the Times, March 5, 1896.
To a church member controlled by appetite, she writes: “Now he should so estimate the eternal reward, the treasure in the heavens, the immortal inheritance, the crown of glory that is unfading, that he can cheerfully sacrifice the gratification of depraved appetite, let the consequence or suffering be ever so great, in order to accomplish the work of purification of the flesh and of the spirit.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 99.
To “Brother G,” Ellen G. White writes a letter explaining the relation between suffering and purification in the Advent people preparing for the second coming of Jesus: “The purification of the people of God cannot be accomplished without their suffering. God permits the fires of affliction to consume the dross, to separate the worthless from the valuable, that the pure metal may shine forth. He passes us from one fire to another, testing our true worth. If we cannot bear these trials, what will we do in the time of trouble? If prosperity or adversity discover falseness, pride, or selfishness in our hearts, what shall we do when God tries every man’s work as by fire, and lays bare the secrets of all hearts? True grace is willing to be tried; if we are loath to be searched by the Lord, our condition is serious indeed. God is the refiner and purifier of souls; in the heat of the furnace the dross is separated forever from the true silver and gold of the Christian character. Jesus watches the test. He knows what is needed to purify the precious metal that it may reflect the radiance of His divine love.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, pp. 85, 86.
She continues this topic in the same profound manner: “God brings His people near Him by close, testing trials, by showing them their own weakness and inability, and by teaching them to lean upon Him as their only help and safeguard. Then His object is accomplished. They are prepared to be used in every emergency, to fill important positions of trust, and to accomplish the grand purposes for which their powers were given them. God takes men upon trial; He proves them on the right hand and on the left, and thus they are educated, trained, disciplined. Jesus, our Redeemer, man’s representative and head, endured this testing process. He suffered more than we can be called upon to suffer. He bore our infirmities and was in all points tempted as we are. He did not suffer thus on His own account, but because of our sins; and now, relying on the merits of our Overcomer, we may become victors in His name.
“God’s work of refining and purifying must go on until His servants are so humbled, so dead to self, that, when called into active service, their eye will be single to His glory. He will then accept their efforts; they will not move rashly, from impulse; they will not rush on and imperil the Lord’s cause, being slaves to temptations and passions and followers of their own carnal minds set on fire by Satan. Oh, how fearfully is the cause of God marred by man’s perverse will and unsubdued temper! How much suffering he brings upon himself by following his own headstrong passions! God brings men over the ground again and again, increasing the pressure until perfect humility and a transformation of character bring them into harmony with Christ and the spirit of heaven, and they are victors over themselves.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 86.
Part III: Life Application
We have learned that we are purified from our sins by the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus. But we also have learned that we are purified by suffering. Is there a contradiction between these two ideas? Not at all. We are justified by God’s grace, and we receive His forgiveness of sins by faith; thus, we are set apart for God and live for God. Justification and forgiveness are both declarations and deep spiritual experiences. But then we continue in the experience of grace in the context of the great controversy, in which we are tried and in which we prove ourselves as faithful and loving to our Lord. In this experience, we discover that many times we may fail. We also discover hidden characteristics that must be abandoned. We purge them by God’s grace. Purification is a real experience that happens to real persons in a real history. How does this understanding help you in your experience of purification? In what ways have you personally noticed that the Holy Spirit is purifying your character?
How do you experience continually contemplating the image of Christ in your life? How have you experienced a transformation of your character and personality according to His image?
In what ways have you experienced growing more mature in your faith as an individual? How could you describe this growth?
How has your church congregation matured spiritually? In what ways have other people, within and without your faith community, noticed the same growth? Describe what you and other members of your community of faith have observed.
Notes
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Key Text: 2 Corinthians 3:18
Study Focus: Matt. 5:16, 1 Cor. 4:9, Eph. 3:10, Job 23:1–10, Matt. 25:1–12, Dan. 12:1–10, Eph. 4:11–16.
Part I: Overview
This week’s lesson focuses on the crucible of purification. Purification requires a standard. In our case, the standard is the image of God in us and the image of Jesus Christ, who is the perfect reflection of the image of God (Heb. 1:3). Purification also requires an agent of purification, which the Bible often presents as fire (1 Pet. 1:7, Rev. 3:18). The result of purification is seen in our character, represented by the oil in the lamps of the ten virgins in the parable of Jesus (Matt. 25:1–13). The book of Daniel describes the character of those purified as “wise” in the things of God (Dan. 1:19, 20; Dan. 2:47, 48; Dan. 3:26–30).
Lesson Themes: This week’s lesson highlights four major themes.
Suffering plays an essential role in the process of character formation and purification.
We will see that character formation is the restoration of the image of God in humans, as they were created by God in the beginning, as well as the shaping of our characters according to the image of Christ.
This formation of character entails the theme of the cosmic conflict. It is in this conflict between good and evil, God and Satan, that we experience the crucible of maturity.
Purification and maturity are never achieved by individuals in isolation; rather, purification and maturity are achieved by individuals in communities.
Part II: Commentary
Ellen G. White on Suffering Trials
The subject of the relation between crucibles and purification is very important. Ellen G. White’s comments on this subject are revealing and relevant. In one of her major books, she quotes John Huss’s letter to a friend in which Huss relates the suffering of Jesus to our suffering. In that same letter, Huss also relates suffering to purification: “Jesus Christ suffered for His well-beloved; and therefore ought we to be astonished that He has left us His example, in order that we may ourselves endure with patience all things for our own salvation? He is God, and we are His creatures; He is the Lord, and we are His servants; He is Master of the world, and we are contemptible mortals—yet He suffered! Why, then, should we not suffer also, particularly when suffering is for us a purification? Therefore, beloved, if my death ought to contribute to His glory, pray that it may come quickly, and that He may enable me to support all my calamities with constancy.”—The Great Controversy, p. 105.
Elsewhere, Ellen G. White writes in a similar vein herself: “Complain not bitterly of the trial which comes upon you, but let your eyes be directed to Christ, who has clothed his divinity with humanity, in order that we may understand how great is his interest in us since he has identified himself with suffering humanity. He tasted the cup of human sorrow, he was afflicted in all our afflictions, he was made perfect through suffering, tempted in all points like as humanity is tempted, in order that he might succor those who are in temptation. He says, ‘I will make a man more precious than fine gold, even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir.’ He will make a man precious by abiding with him, by giving unto him the Holy Spirit. He says, ‘If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?’ ”—The Signs of the Times, March 5, 1896.
To a church member controlled by appetite, she writes: “Now he should so estimate the eternal reward, the treasure in the heavens, the immortal inheritance, the crown of glory that is unfading, that he can cheerfully sacrifice the gratification of depraved appetite, let the consequence or suffering be ever so great, in order to accomplish the work of purification of the flesh and of the spirit.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, p. 99.
To “Brother G,” Ellen G. White writes a letter explaining the relation between suffering and purification in the Advent people preparing for the second coming of Jesus: “The purification of the people of God cannot be accomplished without their suffering. God permits the fires of affliction to consume the dross, to separate the worthless from the valuable, that the pure metal may shine forth. He passes us from one fire to another, testing our true worth. If we cannot bear these trials, what will we do in the time of trouble? If prosperity or adversity discover falseness, pride, or selfishness in our hearts, what shall we do when God tries every man’s work as by fire, and lays bare the secrets of all hearts? True grace is willing to be tried; if we are loath to be searched by the Lord, our condition is serious indeed. God is the refiner and purifier of souls; in the heat of the furnace the dross is separated forever from the true silver and gold of the Christian character. Jesus watches the test. He knows what is needed to purify the precious metal that it may reflect the radiance of His divine love.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, pp. 85, 86.
She continues this topic in the same profound manner: “God brings His people near Him by close, testing trials, by showing them their own weakness and inability, and by teaching them to lean upon Him as their only help and safeguard. Then His object is accomplished. They are prepared to be used in every emergency, to fill important positions of trust, and to accomplish the grand purposes for which their powers were given them. God takes men upon trial; He proves them on the right hand and on the left, and thus they are educated, trained, disciplined. Jesus, our Redeemer, man’s representative and head, endured this testing process. He suffered more than we can be called upon to suffer. He bore our infirmities and was in all points tempted as we are. He did not suffer thus on His own account, but because of our sins; and now, relying on the merits of our Overcomer, we may become victors in His name.
“God’s work of refining and purifying must go on until His servants are so humbled, so dead to self, that, when called into active service, their eye will be single to His glory. He will then accept their efforts; they will not move rashly, from impulse; they will not rush on and imperil the Lord’s cause, being slaves to temptations and passions and followers of their own carnal minds set on fire by Satan. Oh, how fearfully is the cause of God marred by man’s perverse will and unsubdued temper! How much suffering he brings upon himself by following his own headstrong passions! God brings men over the ground again and again, increasing the pressure until perfect humility and a transformation of character bring them into harmony with Christ and the spirit of heaven, and they are victors over themselves.”—Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 86.
Part III: Life Application
We have learned that we are purified from our sins by the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus. But we also have learned that we are purified by suffering. Is there a contradiction between these two ideas? Not at all. We are justified by God’s grace, and we receive His forgiveness of sins by faith; thus, we are set apart for God and live for God. Justification and forgiveness are both declarations and deep spiritual experiences. But then we continue in the experience of grace in the context of the great controversy, in which we are tried and in which we prove ourselves as faithful and loving to our Lord. In this experience, we discover that many times we may fail. We also discover hidden characteristics that must be abandoned. We purge them by God’s grace. Purification is a real experience that happens to real persons in a real history. How does this understanding help you in your experience of purification? In what ways have you personally noticed that the Holy Spirit is purifying your character?
How do you experience continually contemplating the image of Christ in your life? How have you experienced a transformation of your character and personality according to His image?
In what ways have you experienced growing more mature in your faith as an individual? How could you describe this growth?
How has your church congregation matured spiritually? In what ways have other people, within and without your faith community, noticed the same growth? Describe what you and other members of your community of faith have observed.
Notes