TESTING BY EXPERIENCE ROSS SMITH
(ALL REFERENCES ARE FROM THE AMPLIFIED VERSION UNLESS NOTED)
We all have ambitions to undertake certain “EXPERIENCES”, the world calls it their “bucket list”, a string of unlikely thrills and spills, whether climbing Everest, or meeting the Queen, everyone tends to dream.
Some people never learn by experience, they repeat the same mistake over and over and still expect a different result. The experience oftimes needs to be painful to penetrate, like putting your hand on a hot stove, we carry the reminder for several days of that experience.
The Apostle Paul in writing to the churches has some definite ideas on this matter and spells them out clearly in two scriptures in particular. I have included different versions for clarity sake. Importantly the object of Paul’s exhortations is not the self satisfaction of a “bucket list” but a far greater ambition, that ambition referred to in “SINCERITY,” an ambition fuelled by ambition and crowned with achievement”.
Ephesians 5:10 (AMP) And TRY TO LEARN [in your experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [let your lives be constant proofs of what is most acceptable to Him
Ephesians 5:10 (ISV) DETERMINE what pleases the Lord,
Ephesians 5:10 (BBE) TESTING BY EXPERIENCE what is well-pleasing to the Lord;
The BBE translation introduces a factor whereby when we are unsure of the path of progress, that as we proceed our sensitivity to the work of the Holy Spirit will align our progress to that which is pleasing to the Lord. The “experience“ of this realignment, or the “PROCESS” should then prove our ambition to please the Lord, we should however never need to have that same experience again because ISV version, SO THAT BY EXPERIENCE, or in other words, “ Find Out”
Rom 12:2 (ISV) And let not your behaviour be like that of this world, but be changed and made new in mind, SO THAT BY EXPERIENCE you may have knowledge of the good and pleasing and COMPLETE purpose of God.
Rom 12:2 (AMP) Do not be conformed to this world (this age), [fashioned after and adapted to its external, superficial customs], but be transformed (changed) by the [ENTIRE] renewal of your mind [by its new ideals and its new attitude], SO THAT YOU MAY PROVE [FOR YOURSELVES] what is the GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND PERFECT will of God, even the thing which is good and acceptable and perfect [in His sight for you]. (This is specifying that we have a unique function, and it is according to Fathers design … comments mine)
Note these three words, “GOOD, ACCEPTABLE, PERFECT”, because I see further down that there are similar intentions using different words, all with similar inference.
See Ephesians 5:9-10 For the FRUIT (the EFFECT, the PRODUCT) of the Light or the Spirit [consists] in every form of kindly GOODNESS, UPRIGHTNESS OF HEART, AND TRUENESS OF LIFE. And try to learn [IN YOUR EXPERIENCE] WHAT IS PLEASING TO THE LORD [let your lives be constant PROOFS OF WHAT IS MOST ACCEPTABLE TO HIM]. (in other words, “FRUITFUL EXPERIENCES”)
Hebrews 5:13 For everyone who continues to feed on milk is OBVIOUSLY INEXPERIENCED (This means that everyone can see that we have no fruit, how embarrassing is that? … comments mine)and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in PURPOSE, THOUGHT, AND ACTION), for he is a mere infant [not able to talk yet]
The expansion of Ephesians 5:9-10 through the benefit of Strong’s Concordance reads like this:-
GOOD (NESS) G18 A primary word; “good” (in any sense, often as noun): – benefit, good (-s, things), well
G19 goodness, that is, virtue or beneficence: – goodness.
RIGHTEOUSNESS/ACCEPTABLE/PLEASING
G1343 equity (of character or act); specifically (Christian) justification: – righteousness.
G2101 fully agreeable: – acceptable (-ted), well pleasing.
TRUTH/PERFECT
G225 truth: – true, X truly, truth, verity.
G 5046 complete (in various applications of labour, growth, mental and moral character, etc.); neuter (as noun, with G3588) completeness: – of full age, man, perfect.
Of consequence here is that by having these “EXPERIENCES” we achieve two things, firstly, we satisfy the Lord, and secondly we “prove these things for ourselves”.
Only by careful “TESTING”, and proving and experiencing, will Christians know whether a thing is pleasing to God or not, whether it belongs to darkness or light. The directions are clearly set out in God’s Word as to how we should approach our experiences.When David as a young man was called upon to defeat Goliath, he made a very salient point.
1 Samuel 17:39 (ASV) And David girded his sword upon his apparel, and he assayed to go; for he had not proved it. And David said unto Saul, I cannot go with these; FOR I HAVE NOT PROVED THEM. And David put them off him.
David found the armour would only encumber him, and would be a burden rather than a defence, and so he says to Saul “I have to get these things off, “I cannot go with these, for I have not proved them, that is, “I have never been accustomed to such accoutrements as these and so I do not know if they work or not, I HAVE NO EXPERIENCE IN THIS REGARD.
Although David was living in the Old Testament era, he was living proof and an example of the New Testament era, as Paul succinctly expresses in 2 Corinthians 10:4-5 (paraphrase).” Don’t go to war with your own ideas, get rid of the arguments and theories and reasonings, don’t depend on what you can see, and all those other things that would distract us from the matters that please the Lord, and lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ”.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5 For the weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood], but they are mighty before God for the overthrow and destruction of STRONGHOLDS, (some of the strongholds we have to destroy are our habits, traits, preferences, those things that we assert and have failed as yet to deal with … comments mine) [Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the [true] knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purpose away captive into the obedience of Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One),
1 Thessalonians 5:21 BUT TEST AND PROVE ALL THINGS [until you can RECOGNIZE] what is good; [TO THAT] (“experience”) HOLD FAST.
It is noteworthy that the more we practice this principle of “PLEASING THE LORD” that we will obviously become more adept at recognising the way to walk. And it applies to “ALL THINGS”, not just to those things we consider proper or advantageous, not things that we might like to put on a “bucket list”. It reinforces Proverbs 3:6 where we are encouraged to acknowledge Him in ALL our ways.
“Pleasing the Lord” will often be the very opposite to “pleasing ourselves”, thinks like, “I can’t fit study in, I’m too tired to go to church, I have things I want/need to do, I am happy with the way I am and I can’t change”. The test can often be referred back to that identification of self interest, “I, my, me, mine, want, wish, wallow”.
It is one thing to realise we have to “PROVE ALL THINGS” but another to know how to do it. Well the general rule is BY USE OR PRACTICE”. We need to apply every day those keys and principles we have learned so that they become part of us, and not just left on the shelf as a theory.
David had never used the armour, Peter had never walked on the water or fished from the wrong side of the boat, but by “EXPERIENCE”, the use of their faith, the fact that they were “LIGHT” (Ephesians 5:8) they were able to “PROVE AND PLEASE GOD”, by “EXPERIENCING” events/expectations/conventions which to the natural mind were too obscure.
“EXPERIENCE” is something that children lack, it is the accumulation of those “TRIALS AND VICTORIES” that constitute our reliance on the Lord that enable us to conform to His intention, to reflect His “image and likeness”, but we are identified by our “EXPERIENCE”, and become OBVIOUS as Hebrews 5:13 says, as either kids or disciples
Some people are averse to “EXPERIENCE”, that is, they are lazy or neglectful or averse to change in applying the principles they have either heard preached, or read themselves, or have been proffered the opportunity by Father to engage in His plan and purpose and so their stunted growth is as Hebrews says is OBVIOUS, their behaviour and their communications belie their profession.
Hebrews 5:13 For everyone who continues to feed on milk is OBVIOUSLY inexperienced and unskilled in the doctrine of righteousness (of conformity to the divine will in purpose, thought, and ACTION), for he is a mere infant [not able to talk yet]!
When we “conform” He will “transform”. By the way, people who have a lot to say do not always qualify as being adult!!!
I think it is important here to reinforce the principle of intense study and meditation on God’s Word, for Hebrews points up that just having a reading plan, or a casual relationship with the Lord, a hit and miss approach, an “insincerity” that lacks “AMBITION”, that does not explore the deep and consequential requirements of our Father, this constitutes a lack of “EXPERIENCE”, and therefore in light of Ephesians 5:10, an inability to “please the Lord”.
This is incredibly consequential, for we not only have at the present time, those with whom we are not popular or acceptable, but in days to come, when there is “A famine for the hearing of the Word” (Amos 8:11) we will be faced with opposition that cannot be coped with unless we have “EXPERIENCED AND PROVED” Gods faithfulness in every matter and circumstance.
But we do well to remind ourselves of Luke 6:26,
“Woe to (alas for) you when everyone speaks fairly and handsomely of you and praises you, for even so their forefathers did to the false prophets”.
Proverbs 16:7 WHEN A MAN’S WAYS PLEASE THE LORD, (or when we are “EXPERIENCED” .. comments mine) He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him.
But we need to embrace the context of this study, and that is found in EPHESIANS 5:8-9
Ephesians 5:8-9 For once you were darkness, BUT NOW YOU ARE LIGHT in the Lord; WALK as children of Light [lead the lives of those native-born to the Light]. FOR THE FRUIT (THE EFFECT, THE PRODUCT) OF THE LIGHT or the Spirit [consists] in every form (NOTICE THERE IS MORE THAN ONE FORM OF THESE ATTRIBUTES … comments mine) of kindly goodness, uprightness of heart, and trueness of life.
If we think we are able to evidence, say, the fruit of “goodness”, do not be lulled into complacency, because you may have only “one form”.
The word used in the above scripture, “CONSISTS” really means “IT’S FOR REAL”.
Fruit doesn’t grow in the dark, but mushrooms do, the “soil” mushrooms grow in is of questionable origin, not like the fruit of righteousness which is sown in the soil of “peace” (James 3:18).
So Ephesians spells out the intentions for “fruitfulness”. It is hard to do “dark” things when the flood lights are on, it is easier to see the way ahead when the lights are on, and it is easier to grow fruit when the light is on, and so we should be the “reflection” of God’s nature, the source of the “LIGHT”, and to “PROVE” that fruit grows in the light, that “goodness and righteousness and truth”.
Notice that we don’t get to decide on the fruit we produce, and even more interesting is that we are “hybrid” for there is more than one fruit growing on our “EXPERIENCE”.
How long have we been familiar with the verse in Ephesians 5:11, and longed for the results to be obvious, that the fruit of our “EXPERIENCE” would produce the results that we have pondered for so long, and so we have a benchmark of self determination to see if we are “SINCERE”, if there is “no light, no fruit, no thanks”, meaning we are participating in the enterprises of darkness.
Ephesians 5:11 Take NO PART in and have no FELLOWSHIP (not only don’t participate, DON’T EVEN FRATERNISE, .. comments mine) with the FRUITLESS deeds and enterprises of darkness, but instead [let your lives be so in contrast as to] expose (Proving by Experience) and reprove and convict them.
John 3:20-21 For every wrongdoer hates (loathes, detests) the Light, (or refuses to be obedient to the Word of the teaching they have been exposed to .. comments mine) and will not come out into the Light but shrinks from it, lest his works (his deeds, his activities, his conduct) be exposed and reproved. (This is really saying that he is embarrassed because he has no fruit and no sincerity … comments mine) But he who PRACTICES truth [who does what is right] comes out into the Light; so that his works (Or his “FRUIT”, not his mushrooms … comments mine) may be plainly shown to be what they are (FRUIT, not mushrooms .. comments mine) –wrought with God [divinely prompted, done with God’s help, in dependence upon Him]. (Or in other words, this man’s experience has been of Fathers directions being obeyed, demonstrated, and evidenced as his faith or “dependence”.)
“PROVING BY EXPERIENCE” will mean that WE WILL BE, OR ARE DIFFERENT, and this is a hard concept for some people to grasp or adopt, because they want to “fit in “not to “stand out”, and a tree that is in full fruit is difficult to ignore or appreciate, or want to taste, it is recognisable fruit, not just leaves.
1 Peter 4:3-4 FOR THE TIME THAT IS PAST already suffices for doing what the Gentiles like to do–living [as you have done] in shameless, insolent wantonness, in lustful desires, drunkenness, revelling, drinking bouts and abominable, lawless idolatries. They are astonished and think it very queer that you do not now run hand in hand with them in the same excesses of dissipation, AND THEY ABUSE [YOU].
Dare I suggest that this “EXPERIENCE” awaits us, so if you want to win the popularity poll with your peers or associates, if you want to be comfortable in your “EXPERIENCE”, if you do not want to be known as “SINCERE”, if you do not regard walking in the “LIGHT” as important, then you won’t have to endure Peter’s warning, but we should be “FUELLED WITH AMBITION AND CROWNED WITH ACHIEVEMENT”, bearing much fruit, expanding our experience, obtaining God’s favour.
But remember “THE TIME THAT IS ALREADY PAST”.
SELAH!!!!
1 John 4:16 And we know (understand, recognize, are conscious of, by observation and by experience) and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us. God is love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and continues in God, and God dwells and continues in him.
Ross Smith 