Dear Christian friends:

We worry much about security. So we buy various insurance; we join social security, and pension funds. We want protection against troubles and terrible things happening. That's okay. We should try to make our life secure against dangers. So also our faith needs protection and security. There are many dangers and terrible things which can happen to our faith to destroy our faith and hope in God. So we need security for our faith.

In our text St. Paul tells about:


Some Christians have a false security. In Israel the baptized belonged to God's people. They had God's Word. They met often to worship but they lost their faith. God was not pleased with them. They were destroyed by troubles and temptations. They had false security.

We may be the same as them. Paul says, "These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come." (1 Corinthians 10:11 NIV)

Don't just trust and depend on your baptism or Church membership or member of the Board of Directors. If you trust only in these formal things your faith is in danger.

Israel also had a misunderstanding about God. They thought God only leads through the easy way and good times. When they had to wander through the desert for many years and suffer hard times, hunger, thirst and pain they complained. They wanted another god and made a golden calf.

So we may also have the wrong or false idea about God. And when He tests us and leads us through hard times we may complain and become angry and give up our faith and hope in Him. Don't have false security for your faith.

Have true security and trust in the God of the Bible. Learn to know and understand God as He shows Himself to us in the Bible. There you will have true, good security for your faith. You will know before it happens that He tests and gives troubles and burdens to His people to improve their faith and strengthen it. Like people refine gold or silver in fire. So, God gives us trials to purify and strengthen our faith and improve us for His work and service.

Psalm 103:13 says, "As a father pities his children, so the Lord pities them that fear Him and hope in His mercy." And in Hebrews 12:6 it says, "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth."

Another time Jesus said to His disciples, "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:22) And another time Jesus said, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." (Luke 9:23)

Trust God's promises that He is with you always even the worst of troubles. Here Paul says He will let no new or unusual temptation or trouble happen to you, but only the same as has happened to all Christians only what He feels is good and necessary to improve your faith.

He will not let you get tempted beyond your strength. He will not give you more than you can stand. He knows when to stop the trouble and free you. He will make way for you to escape, so you can accept and endure it for a short time.

God loves you as a good Father loves his dear children. He does not have pleasure in your troubles. He will free you after a while. And through that your faith grows more strong and gives more praise to Him.

God has already proved His love to you, because He gave His Son to die for you. Remember that always, hear that Good News often in Church. Seek comfort and support daily from His Words and promises in the Bible and pray to Him to help you understand and believe. When He gives you His Holy Spirit that is true security. Your faith is strongly protected.

Amen.