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Note: In the following lists I include Strong's numbers for those who would like to look up his definitions: Old Testament Gen 2:17 (The first example of a test of human hearts) 1Chron 28:9 (1875, darash); 1Chron 29:17 (974, bachan) Job 7:18 (974, bachan. See note below on the passages in Job) Job 10:5-6 (1245, baqash; 1875, darash) Job 13:9 (2713, chaqar) Job 23:10 (974, bachan) Ps 7:9 (974, bachan) Ps 11:4,5 (974, bachan) Ps 17:3 (974, bachan; 6884, tsaraph) Ps 26:2 (974, bachan; 5254, nacah; 6884, tsaraph) Ps 66:10 (974, bachan; 6884, tsaraph) Ps 139:1 (2713, chaqar), 23 (2713, chaqar; 974, bachan) Prov 17:3 (974, bachan) Isa 48:10 (6884, tsaraph; 977, bachar, NIV) Jer 11:20 (974, bachan) Jer 12:3 (974, bachan) Jer 17:10 ((2713, chaqar; 974, bachan) Jer 20:12 (974, bachan) Zech 13:9 (974, bachan; 6884, tsaraph) Dan 11:35 (6884, tsaraph) Dan 12:10 (6884, tsaraph) * Note on the passages from the book of Job: In Job 7:18 we see Job wondering why God would bother to test him. In Job 10:5-6 Job seems to have a hard time accepting the idea that God inquires (1245, baqash) as to his iniquity, searches (1875, darash) for his sin: "Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man's days, That thou inquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin?" Actually, Job is to a certain degree right in his skepticism. In the context of his present situation it is really Satan that is testing him every moment, inquiring after Job's iniquity, and searching for sin in him. Yet, the point remains that God does take advantage of, if He does not cause, our troubles to make sin obvious to us. Therefore, Job is distressed and wondering why, but not denying, that God tests man. Later, Job comes to accept the idea that he is being tested and examined; for, he says, "When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; when He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him. But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold. My foot has held fast to His steps; I have kept His way and not turned aside. I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food (Job 23:9-12 NKJ)." Job also indicates that others are examined in Job 13:9: "Will it be well when He searches you out?" |
New Testament Rom 8:27 (2045, ereunao) 1Cor 4:4,5 (350, anakrino) 2Cor 13:5, NIV (3985, peirazo; 1381, dokimazo; 96, adokimos) 1Thess 2:4 (1381, dokimazo) Heb 11:17 (3985, peirazo) Jas 1:3(1383, dokimion), 11-12 (3986, peirasmos, 1384, dokimos) 1Pet 1:6-7 (3986, peirasmos; 1383 dokimion) 1Pet 4:12-14, NKJ (3986, peirasmos) Rev 2:23b (2045, ereunao) |
An Expanded List of Foundational Passages: |
Examples of believer testing, examination, purging/purifying are found in the following passages: Gen 2:17 (The first test of human hearts) Exod 15:25 (5254, nacah) Exod 16:4 (5254, nacah) Exod 20:20 (5254, nacah) Deut 8:2, 16 (5254, nacah in both verses) Deut 13:3 (5254, nacah) Judg 2:22; (5254, nacah) 7:4 (6884, tsaraph) Judg 3:1, 4 (5254, nacah in both verses) 2Chron 32:31 (5254, nacah) Ps 105:19 (6884, tsaraph) Jere 6:27-30 ((tower, 969, is taken from 974) 974, bachan); 9:7 (6884, tsaraph; 974, bachan) John 6:6 (3985, peirazo) Heb 11:17 (3985, peirazo) |
No great truth of Scripture is proven with a single text. The great fundamental Bible doctrines (for example, as the mercy of God and the second coming) are proven by numerous clear biblical statements. It is found that each scriptural statement refines, clarifies, and defines what God seeks to reveal. It is as if each passage is as a fence post that falls in line with and supports a line of truth that threads its way over the landscape of biblical time. Thus the essential truths of God's Word are usually found to be repeated in different terms and contexts from the beginning to the end of the Bible. Such is the case with the foundational passages for the doctrine of believer investigation. The doctrines of believer probation and the investigative judgment are part of the Bible's doctrine of believer testing. The following passages make use of Hebrew and Greek terms that, in their context, convey the idea of God's investigation, searching, examining, and purifying of believers. Most of these passages are found in Chapters 1 and 6 of The Silencing of Satan, but since its writing I have given more time to looking for other words in the Old Testament that convey the idea of God searching or investigating believers. Since I found a few more passages, and since I would like to impress upon you the vast amount of support this doctrine has, I give you all that I have found (below). After a careful look, it should be obvious that this doctrine is truly one of the great doctrines of the Bible. |