Jehovah your God proves you, to know whether you love Jehovah your God with all your heart and with all your soul. -- Deuteronomy 13:3, RLIV.
The word prove in this verse carries a meaning of testing. The words are addressed to Israel, who were in covenant with Jehovah to obey all his requirements. Thus, it was proper that Jehovah should prove, which He did by allowing false prophets to come among them. God did not conduct such a proving among the nations except only his covenant people, Israel.
If we belong to Christ, we also are in a covenant relationship with the Heavenly Father. God has allowed Satan to oppose the Church as a trial of faith and of patient endurance. The Christian's test, however, is not only along the line of love and loyalty to God, but of love for truth and love for our brothers. The result is that there is a constant sifting work being performed although such work may not be openly seen by our physical eyes. God, through Jesus, is the final judge of who has and who has not been faithful in their love and devotion and what to do with those who are not fully faithful.
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