Proverbs 24:16 "a just man falleth seven times"
What is dross? According to the Webster’s unabridged dictionary (1828):
DROSS, n. [G.] Waste matter; refuse; any worthless matter separated from the better part; impure matter.
Dross in a silver is normally not obvious to the naked eye, except the silver is put through fire and then the impurities began to manifest.
Isaiah 1:25 "¶ And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin:"
What is “purge” in the Bible?
John 15:2 "... and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.
Notice the word is "purgeth" is present tense i.e. purging is an active and continuous process? Iniquity is present in a believer, even after he was born again by the Spirit of God. God the Father will purge the branches that beareth fruit, so that it may bring forth more fruit.
Psalms 12:6-7 "The words of the LORD are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. 7 Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever."
Proverbs 24:16 "For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief."
The words of the LORD are pure words, as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Even as God shall preserve his words, he shall also preserve his words sown in the earthen vessel of every born again believer, whosoever believeth in the words of the Lord. But fire is the instrument which God use to separate the dross from the silver. A just man must necessarily go through fiery trials in his lifetime.
Proverbs 25:4 "Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer."
The works of God the Father is to purify the faith that is in a born again believer. In purging him of the worthless things in this life, so that he will bring forth more fruit as a son of God.
1 Peter 1:7 "That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:"
Tribulation is the means by which our faith in the word of God is tried. In allowing us to go through tribulation, God the Father is in fact doing a work in us for the glory of the kingdom to come.
Acts 14:22 "Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God."
John 16:33 "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."
Born again believers are called to endure tribulation before they can enter into the kingdom of God. Every true believer will endure the tribulation that is come upon them with a believing heart because the words of the Lord is their peace.
Job 23:10 "But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold."
Job was tried for a purpose, and God the Father was the one who tried him. Every son of God will produce the fruit of the Spirit in their lifetimes.
Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."
"Temperance" is part of the fruit of the Spirit, and it comes from the trial of our faith, even as a piece of ordinary glass is put through fire and is toughened in the process to become tempered glass, or lime powder is put into a temperature kiln and becomes tempered mortar.
Luke 8:15 "But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience."
Those who are truly saved will bring forth fruit with patience. They will patiently endure the tribulation that is come upon them, just like Job, whose faith was tried by fire.
James 5:11 "Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy."
In allowing Job to go through much tribulation, God will likewise allow the church, the body of Christ, to go through much tribulation. If you are a born again child of God, expect to go through much tribulation in your life.
Proverbs 16:6 "By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil."
Below is a list of my personal testimonies written for all to read:
By mercy and truth iniquity is purged. The things that had happened to me was my Heavenly Father doing a good work in me. He purgeth me as he purgeth a branch so that I may bring forth more fruit as a child of God.