Why does God test us?

Why did God test Abraham?

Why did God say to Abraham, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love,

and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering

on one of the mountains I will tell you about” (Gen. 22:1-2).

The reason was because God wanted to know Abraham’s heart.

More specifically, God was trying to find out if Abraham kept God's command or not.

The basis of this was that God made the Israelites walk in the wilderness in the Exodus.

The purpose that God made them to walk in the wilderness was to humble them

and to test them in order to know what was in their hearts,

whether or not they would keep His commands (Deut. 8:2).

Abraham passed the God’s test.  In other word, Abraham obeyed God’s command.

At God's command, he took Isaac to Mount Moriah and tried to offer him as a burnt offering.

At that time, the angel of the Lord caused Abraham to stop (Gen. 22:11-12a) and said to him,

“Now I know that you fear God,

because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son” (v. 12b).

God knew Abraham’s heart.  God knew that Abraham feared God.

Those who fear God obey God's commands.

Abraham obeyed God’s command in love for God

even though he didn’t understand His command because he feared God.

God tests us in order to know our hearts.  

But Satan tempts us.

The purpose of Satan’s temptation is to destroy us.

In other words, the purpose that Satan is tempting us is to make us to be cursed

by disobeying covenant God’s command (First Adam).

But God tests us.

The purpose is to make us to overcome temptation

and to obey His command so that we may be blessed (Last Adam Jesus).