There are things that God promised us as Christians that we will never care to claim, such as tribulation (John 16:33). Under that title umbrella, we discover suffering as a promise and believe it or not a gift of God. Two reasons I will give why we suffer as believers are 1) we are children of God and 2) because we identify with Christ.
In John 15:18-21 Jesus says this, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet, because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word I said to you, a servant is not greater than his Master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they kept my word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for my name’s sake, because they do not know him who sent me.”
So, because we are children of the Most High, we automatically have a target on our backs from the world – they hate us. Since we are connected to the Father through Jesus, anyone who hates us hates the Father and the Son. That is a serious charge! How can I prove what I am saying? Let’s go to Acts 9.
When Saul (later name changed to Paul) was on the Damascus road to persecute Christians the Bible says that suddenly a light shone around Saul from heaven. Then he (Saul) fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting” (Acts 9:3-5a).
Jesus feels the afflictions of his people even from heaven!! The point I am making is this, when someone persecutes a child of God, Jesus sees that as an attack on him personally. Those whom he died for and ransomed are part of his body. The church is a living spiritual organism of which Christ is the head. To persecute any part of his body (i.e. Christians) is to persecute Jesus himself. As a matter of fact, the Bible says we are of his flesh and bones (Eph 5:30). We must realize although we hate persecution, it is a promise and gift God bestows upon every true believer. We cannot get the good promises of God without the bad. Once we understand this as part our Christian experience, we have to mature and realize we are at war against evil.
Secondly, we suffer as believers because of our identification with Jesus. In Acts 9:16 Jesus told his servant Ananias that Saul although persecuting Christians at that time was a chosen vessel of his, and that he (Jesus) would show Saul how many things he MUST suffer for his name’s sake.
We find this promise of God toward Paul regarding his suffering becoming true as Paul in several of his writings tells his readers.
II Corinthians 11:23b-28 – Paul recounting his suffering, “In stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils amongst false brethren. In weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and in nakedness. Besides the other things, what comes upon me daily; my deep concern for all the churches.”
Philippians 3:7-11 – “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish that I may gain Christ, and be found in him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings being conformed to his death, if by any means, I may attain to the resurrection of the dead.”
II Timothy 2:8-10 – “Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead, according to my gospel, for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained. Therefore, I endure all things for the sake of the elect they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”
We do not look at our Christianity today this way. Please understand that Paul was not a fatalist, but a realist. He viewed his walk with Christ as the ultimate honor despite the pain and suffering he had to endure. As Jesus declared in Acts 9:16 that he would show Paul what great things he must suffer for his name’s sake. Paul’s convictions for the truth of the gospel ran so deep into his soul that it was his whole life. Paul divested himself of every encumbrance so that he could fulfill his mission of reaching the Jews and Gentiles with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Nothing mattered more to him than sharing the gospel so that souls would be won to Christ.
Now mind you, this motivation is based on the negative promises of God, tribulation, pain and suffering, loss. If most knew beforehand what would be required to enter into the joy of the Lord, most would turn away. As a matter of fact, that is what happened to Jesus in John 6 (Read the entire chapter for a full understanding). When Jesus challenged those he knew were not committed to him, and told them they had to eat his flesh and drink his blood (obviously not literally), they followed him no more (John 6:66).
If all one is teaching that being saved means one is going to have all their problems solved, get healed in their body, obtain wealth, get whatever you want from God when you pray, then of course most people would buy into that system. It’s easy and attractive, and requires no commitment from the sinner. But, on the other hand if one is teaching hard core Biblical truth, that a true walk with Christ requires genuine sorrow and repentance from your sins, and turning to God for salvation, and that this life can be a painful lonely road sometimes, and could cost you friendships, family, jobs, betrayal, misunderstanding and much persecution. Who in their right mind would sign up for that that deal?
The Apostles did along with countless other saints throughout history. Why? Because the love of God drew them to himself, and revealed and convinced them through scripture that the promise of eternal life is real in this life and in the life to come.
When one has this blessed hope as their anchor, then we can endure life’s hardships. We press on because when this life is over, we will be in the presence of the one who came to this earth to die for us twenty centuries ago.
We must embrace all the promises of God, the positive and the negative. For those of us who name the name of Christ be prepared to endure persecution (2 Tim 3:12). Of course, we do not want it. No one enjoys affliction, but what better way to identify with Jesus if we suffer like he suffered. It proves our love and obedience to him. He suffered ultimate humiliation and shame for us – even death that he did not deserve, to die for our sakes. The least we can do is suffer persecution and shame for his sake.
Listen to the words of Peter, “But none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter (I Peter 4:15-16).
In Acts 5 we read of the Apostles preaching Christ in the temple. When they were beaten by the religious leaders for doing this, they rejoiced that they were counted worthy (italics mine) to suffer shame for his name (vs. 41).
The Apostles saw their suffering for Christ as a badge of honor, not reproach. Lest I be misunderstood, the Apostles were not sadistic nor craved persecution. However, they knew from Christ’s own words that they would suffer for his sake. This is what Christ taught on the sermon on the mount. He said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5:10-12).
We are in holy company when we suffer wrong for doing what is right in a world that is wrong. If their suffering was a guarantee and it was for those who uncompromisingly followed the Lord, so was their reward of future glory, and ours as well as long as we endure to the end. The word of God tells us that if we are not willing to suffer for Christ’s sake, then we are not worthy to reign with him.
Paul had the right perspective of the Christian walk when he penned these words:
“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs – heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him that we may also be glorified together” (Rom 8:16-17).
“For I consider the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Rom 9:18).
In Acts 14:22 it says, we must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God. This was the Christianity the first century believers lived. Unfortunately, in the twenty first century, in our plush western culture, this type of Christianity is foreign to us and that is a shame. Church for a lot of people today is nothing more than a social club, where one goes to feel good about themselves after they have lived like hell all week. The minister is weak on Biblical exposition because he is unqualified to teach. So, he substitutes his weak theology for a performance where he animates and screams but says nothing. It does not matter though. The congregation is screaming with him because it is an emotional feel good experience. For many, that is what they call “church”. That is nothing more than a gross aberration of a worship service. If God’s word is not exposited, then you have done nothing other more than go to a self-help-feel-good-about-yourself seminar. The emotion is displaced. Real joy and emotion derives from Biblical truth. It should not come from someone who has clever catch phrases and can “hoop” with upbeat organ music and stir up the crowds while he sweats out his suit with his “hype-men” and women who parrot everything he says.
To be honest, some of what I have seen, heard and read throughout the years that is supposed to be in the name of Christ is downright embarrassing and should be removed from television, radio and the internet.
We need to travel back in time, learn from our brothers and sisters in Christ who stood for righteousness no matter the persecution, even to the point of death. The writer is currently learning more about the early church fathers, the ecumenical counsels, the medieval, reformed, and post reformed eras of church history; to get better a connection to the past so I understand how we got to where we are.
Starting with Christ, the apostles, and up until the present lets learn our Christian history so that we appreciate those heroes and heroines who lived and gave their lives for Christ and the gospel’s.
I want to be able to echo the words of Paul at the end of my life and say, “For I am ready to be poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord the righteous Judge will give to me on that day, and not me only but also to all who have loved his appearing” (II Tim 4:6-8).
What persecution are we willing to endure to obtain that crown of righteousness? God commands us to be all in or nothing at all. Let’s be committed like Paul, Peter, and the apostles. And so many others like Augustine, Anselm, Wycliffe, Jerome, Luther, Calvin, Knox, Jonathan Edwards, Spurgeon, et al.
Let their legacies give us the resolve to focus on what is really important in these last days.