13.8 Third kind of suffering – suffering for God (to go through)
We always hear Christians talking about suffering for God. Most of the time, it is one of the first two kinds of suffering we talked about earlier. We have to be clear. So then, what is suffering for God?
There is one kind of suffering that is experienced by a believer who walks in the perfect will of God. 2 Tim 3:12 says, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” This is the suffering that we enter into for the sake of the gospel.
The Bible uses the following phrases – “suffer for His sake” (Phil 1:29), “sufferings for the gospel” (2 Tim 1:8), “suffer for doing good” (1 Pet 3:17), “suffer for righteousness’ sake” (1 Pet 3:14), “suffer as a Christian” (1 Pet 4:16), “partake in Christ’s sufferings” (1 Pet 4:13), and “fellowship of His sufferings” (Phil 3:10).
Jesus did not suffer any sickness during His earthly walk (He only carried the sickness of the world on the cross). No, He did not suffer for His wrongdoing, but He suffered great persecution from the religious leaders. This is persecution from within.
As for David, he suffered persecution from King Saul, his own leader.
Persecutions can also be from the external. Believers in the underground churches in China were persecuted by the authorities for their faith in Jesus, just as the early believers suffered under the Roman Empire.
Persecution comes from Satan. God allows tribulations because they help us to develop character, to be dead to self and to manifest the Life of Christ. Rom 5:3-4 says, “Tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Paul speaks in 2 Cor 4:10 about his persecutions and tribulations, “Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”
We do not need to exercise our faith to believe for suffering through persecution. On the contrary, 1 Tim 2:1-2 says that we are to pray for those in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life. When there is no persecution, the gospel can be preached. For example, when Saul was converted, persecution ceased; the Church had peace and multiplied (Acts 9:31).
We should not invite persecution through our lack of wisdom in speech and behavior. If ever persecution comes as a result of our walking in His perfect will, we should believe God for the strength to come out stronger (1 Pet 5:10).
This is suffering for Christ. We will develop character as we walk closer with Jesus in the fellowship of His suffering. We will also manifest His Life in us.
There is one kind of suffering that is experienced by a believer who walks in the perfect will of God. 2 Tim 3:12 says, “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” This is the suffering that we enter into for the sake of the gospel.
The Bible uses the following phrases – “suffer for His sake” (Phil 1:29), “sufferings for the gospel” (2 Tim 1:8), “suffer for doing good” (1 Pet 3:17), “suffer for righteousness’ sake” (1 Pet 3:14), “suffer as a Christian” (1 Pet 4:16), “partake in Christ’s sufferings” (1 Pet 4:13), and “fellowship of His sufferings” (Phil 3:10).
Jesus did not suffer any sickness during His earthly walk (He only carried the sickness of the world on the cross). No, He did not suffer for His wrongdoing, but He suffered great persecution from the religious leaders. This is persecution from within.
As for David, he suffered persecution from King Saul, his own leader.
Persecutions can also be from the external. Believers in the underground churches in China were persecuted by the authorities for their faith in Jesus, just as the early believers suffered under the Roman Empire.
Persecution comes from Satan. God allows tribulations because they help us to develop character, to be dead to self and to manifest the Life of Christ. Rom 5:3-4 says, “Tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope.” Paul speaks in 2 Cor 4:10 about his persecutions and tribulations, “Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.”
We do not need to exercise our faith to believe for suffering through persecution. On the contrary, 1 Tim 2:1-2 says that we are to pray for those in authority that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life. When there is no persecution, the gospel can be preached. For example, when Saul was converted, persecution ceased; the Church had peace and multiplied (Acts 9:31).
We should not invite persecution through our lack of wisdom in speech and behavior. If ever persecution comes as a result of our walking in His perfect will, we should believe God for the strength to come out stronger (1 Pet 5:10).
This is suffering for Christ. We will develop character as we walk closer with Jesus in the fellowship of His suffering. We will also manifest His Life in us.
posted by Joshua Lye @ 10:20 PM
<< Home