Why Jesus had to die and why He had to rise from the Dead

As parents we are responsible for cleaning up our kid’s messes when they are small. Why? Because they are unable to do it on their own. We love our children more than our own lives. We will do whatever it takes to ensure their safety.

In like manner, Jesus did whatever it took to secure the salvation of His children by dying in their place; becoming a substitutionary sacrifice for their sins. We can never cleanse our own sins. We must remember sin always requires death (Romans 6:23). In the Old Testament, countless animals were sacrificed on behalf of the people of Israel. The animal’s blood had to be shed because the life of the flesh is in the blood (Leviticus 17:11). The death of the innocent animal was substituted for the sinner. The daily sacrifices were a constant reminder of the nation’s sinfulness. These sacrifices were foreshadowing the once and for all sacrifice of Christ on the cross (Heb 9:28;1 Pet 3:18).

Only Jesus can eradicate the world’s sin dis-ease. Sin is a mess man can never clean up. Why? We are the ones that created the mess so we cannot be the solution, too can we? No. Someone else has to pay the price for our rebellion against a holy God. The Father decided in eternity past to send the Son to save us from His (the Father’s) just wrath and punish His only begotten sinless Son. Jesus’ death actually defies all human logic. Why? Because the innocent died for the guilty and the sinless died for the sinful. On a human level there is no way this is fair.

But wait a minute! We are not dealing with human fairness or our secular justice system. The events surrounding Jesus’ death are literally out of this world. We are dealing with heavenly things, celestial matters. We are witnessing a love so transcendent that it boggles the mind. God the Father had the “nerve” to allow His only Begotten Son to be humiliated, beaten, spit upon, flogged so severely that his back was split open and his flesh was ripped from His body. As a matter of fact, David a thousand years before Christ prophesied of this event in the twenty second Psalm. David said regarding Christ, “I can count all my bones” (Psalm 22:17).  Lastly, He was stripped naked, nailed to cross with His “crime” written above Him, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews” (John 19:19).  Jesus obviously did not do this for His own benefit for He had no sin (2 Cor 5:21).  He was forsaken by God for the sins we committed (Psa 22:1; Matt 27:46).

We put Jesus Christ on the cross. What an indescribable love! It would be blasphemous not to declare it always.

The crucifixion of Christ serves as a reflection of the punishment that every human being that will ever live deserves but is unable to pay. Jesus’ death was repugnant, inhumane and profane. It is naturally the most offensive event in human history because the God-Man switched places with us and gave up His life. But God the Father would only accept a sin sacrifice from a perfect and sinless human being so Christ’s death was absolutely necessary. That is why the second person of the trinity had to come, become a man, and shed his sinless blood to satisfy the wrath of God’s anger against sin. Jesus accomplished that task which provided forgiveness of sins to all who repent and believe in what Jesus did for them.

Why did Jesus have to raise from the dead?

Death cannot hold unto an innocent man. Jesus committed no sin so death could not ultimately prevail against Him. Secondly, His resurrection proves that the Father’s wrath against the Son because of our sins was satisfied. Had Christ remained in the grave, there would be no reason to believe that He was the sinless Son of God.  His mission would have been a failure. His death would be no different than that of any other criminal.

Listen to what Hebrews 9:13-14 says, “For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

This is what the writer of Hebrews is telling us, in the Old Covenant they had religious ceremony that would symbolically purify the flesh and declare one clean. Jesus’ sacrifice which was a once-for-all transaction entered into the heavenly Holy of Holies and offered His blood on the eternal mercy seat which cleansed the soul forever and made the recipient accepted by God and brought into His kingdom (Hebrews 9:23-26). The Old Covenant ritual was never designed to cleanse the soul. Only the life blood of Christ can do that.

In the final analysis, both the death and resurrection of Jesus had to occur.  Our sins made both events imperative. He died because of our sins, and He was raised for our justification (Romans 4:25).

Proverbs 28 Commentary (non exhaustive)

Verse 1 – The unrighteous because they are so accustomed to doing dirt are always watching their back as if someone is after them. Even if someone isn’t.  That is the definition of paranoia.

Verse 2: Land in Rebellion – I liken the U.S. like this with the current impeachment proceedings of Donald Trump.  It shows with all the partisan politics, no one can agree on anything. It also shows the rest of the world how divided our government is. I see this as very dangerous because it breeds distrust between our executive and legislative branches of government in particular. It also reveals to the rest of the nations of the world how unstable our “leaders” are.

Verse 4: Haters of the law - Our laws were providentially given by God through men to protect the righteous and punish the wicked.  Those who break the law show their hatred for civil order and ultimately are enemies of God who instituted human law.

Verse 5 - Wicked people do not understand or respect what is right. However, godly people understanding everything. Why? They look at life through the lens of scripture – divine truth. Biblical insight puts life in perspective. It allows a person to understanding WHY things are the way they are in this world. God’s word shines the light on darkness and reveals the wicked intentions of men’s hearts.

Verse 18: There is help for those who are honest - Today, honesty is rarely the best policy. A lie is more appealing. A person obviously lies to conceal the truth they are ashamed to reveal.  People tell lies to others because they believe the truth may hurt them so bad that it will damage or terminate the relationship. Let’s be honest, do you feel better living with a lie, or telling the truth? A lie keeps one in bondage, whereas the truth no matter how painful, liberates the soul of the deliverer and recipient of the message.

Verse 23: Rebuking one another – The writer believes proper rebuke is an art form. It should be done both privately and publicly. Rebuking someone is not publicly putting someone on blast to humiliate them. But rather pulling them to the side, and lovingly reasoning with them regarding what you see as currently wrong in their lives. You want to help them. Rebuking someone has to be direct so it most likely will hurt the recipient but is necessary if they are to repent and be restored by God. Public rebuke is mentioned in 1 Timothy 5:20 in the case of elders who are in sin. Paul instructs Timothy to rebuke publicly elders-pastors who are in sin so that all may fear.  No one is exempt from correction, not even leaders in the church. The key was that it had to be at least two or three witnesses that were aware of the sin in order to confront the offender publicly. Open rebuke is better than flattery which is usually disingenuous to a person – making them feel a false sense of confidence about themselves.

What is Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?

Therefore, I tell you every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven people, but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, not in this age nor in the age to come.

`- Matthew 12:31-32

Why the strong language by Jesus? Those that blaspheme the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; why? The word blasphemy means to speak evil, to revile, to hold in contempt. Now, let us put context to Jesus’ statement. Jesus healed a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. The people were amazed, but the Pharisees said that Jesus cast out demons by the power of Satan, and not by God’s power (Matthew 12:24). What a serious indictment to make! Why would someone be so foolish as to attribute the work of God to the devil? The reason has to be that the religious leaders hated Jesus and wanted Him dead. When one is led by the devil, they are not going to give praise to God when His power is working through one of His servants – in this case, the Lord Jesus Himself.

Jesus needed to warn all that if you speak against Him you can be forgiven. Perhaps the reason He made that statement is that many people were confused about who he was. Remember when Jesus was alone with His disciples, He asked them, “Who do men say that I am?” Some say you are John the Baptist, Elijah, and others say Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God!" (Matthew 16:14-16). 

So, there was obvious confusion among those in that day as well as there are many today who are confused about the true identity of Christ.

But, those in that day that witnessed Jesus’ healings, miracles, and power knew His power came from God. Remember what the teacher in Israel said, Nicodemus in John chapter 3, “Rabbi we know you are a teacher from God, for no one can do these signs unless God is with Him” (John 3:2b). Nicodemus was a Pharisee (John. 7:50). He was a member of the sect that hated Jesus. So, for some of the eyewitnesses of Jesus’ power to say that it was demonic, was an unforgivable act. It proved their utter disdain for the Holy Spirit who is God, the third person of the triune. An attack on one member of the Trinity is an attack on all members of the Trinity. The one’s calling Jesus demonic were the actual ones being influenced by Satan. Jesus called them brood of vipers and declared that the devil is their father (Matt 12:34; John 8:44).

Can someone blaspheme the Holy Spirit today? There are some that say no. And why? The reason they say that is because Jesus is not currently on earth so no one can eyewitness His miracles today and attribute His power to the devil. The writer would argue that people can do blaspheme the Holy Spirit every day. How? Not in the exact same way some did during the time of Christ, but through their willful unbelief in the power of the Spirit of God through the preaching of the gospel. Now understand, the gospel comes in various forms: audible which is the most common from a preacher or a podcast or radio. Written, through perhaps a blog, a book or transcript. And visual, television and video.  Jesus had this to say regarding His words, “The words I speak to you are spirit and they are life” (John 6:63b). Paul declared these words in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

Psalm 19:7 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.”  To my knowledge, there is no worse sin than blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. It is so heinous that it is unforgivable declared by our Lord Jesus.

For them, in that day it was attributing the power of God to Satan – declaring Jesus as demon-possessed and His works and mission as Satanic. Anyone that witnessed Jesus’ undeniable and verifiable miracles and healings and rejected Him deserves eternal damnation.  Jesus through the Holy Spirit is still healing many – the healing of the soul by granting eternal life to those who believe in His ultimate expression of love, the sacrifice of His own precious life. To treat the atonement as profane and common, or worst demonic would place a person in the same unforgivable and unpardonable sinful status as the Pharisees. That person’s doom is tragically irreversible.

Sin - The Worst Disease Of All time!

It would be safe to say that most people wonder why others are affected by someone else’s sins. The best way to answer that question I believe is to explain it parabolically. One can liken sin to a football game. When one player jumps offsides, is that one player penalized five yards, or is the whole team? We know it is the whole team. Why? Because although the team is made up of many players, they are still one unit. The team wins and loses together.  The point I am making is that sin not only affects the offender, but it also affects everyone around us.

When Adam and Eve sinned, God cursed the entire earth because of them. The tragic result of their disobedience is that all of their descendants would be born with the same sinful nature. God imputed the original sin of Adam to all of us (Romans 5:12). The Bible declares we all, that is mankind sinned in Adam. How? Because we were in the loins of Adam when he committed the sin. That makes us guilty by imputation. The sentence of that disobedience was death; death to all of mankind. That is how we know God’s word is true. Every time someone dies it should be a painful reminder of God’s promise to Adam and Eve that death was the penalty for disobedience. “In the day you eat of it, you shall surely die” (Genesis 2:16-17). At this juncture, someone would declare, “That’s not fair! Why should I be punished for something someone else did?” My reply to that is this, if we were in the garden and tempted by the serpent, we would have committed the same sin.  Here’s why. When Eve was tempted to eat the forbidden fruit, she was perfect. She had never committed any sin prior to that temptation. But, although Adam and Eve were perfect, they were temptable; and they fell into sin. We are sinful and imperfect. Every time we sin, we prove our rebellious nature and our solidarity to our first parents.

Why would God place the tree of knowledge of good and evil in the garden?

To this question, I will provide two answers. The first answer I will give is that God placing the tree in the garden is none of our business. God never has to provide answers for what He does.

The second answer is I heard one preacher say that God placed the tree in the garden to let Adam and Eve know that although God gave them dominion over the earth, they still had limits because they were human and could not do anything they wanted to do. Back to the writer’s commentary: They had to obey God. So right from the beginning, God was establishing law and order for mankind. Even before man fell into sin, God in His infinite wisdom deemed it prudent to put restrictions on man so that he would understand the need for submission and obedience to God. This was a healthy prohibition so that Adam and Eve could distinguish God’s word from an enemies’ word. They could determine truth from lies. God was testing their fidelity to Him.

Sadly though, they failed.

How can one get cured of this dreaded disease?

Jesus Christ is the only cure for this disease. Romans 6:23 tells us the wages of sin is death. But the gift of eternal life is in Jesus Christ our Lord. Just like a natural disease that spreads and can infect others, sin is a spiritual disease that infects and contaminates the soul of man. Without asking God to remove its deadly effects through genuine faith and repentance along with belief in Christ’s atonement on the cross, man will die not only physically, but spiritually forever separated from God (Matthew 25:46).

Here is the prescription for sin’s disease; Isaiah 53:5-6, “He was wounded for our transgressions. He was bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement that brought us peace was placed upon Him. By His wounds, we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray. We have turned, everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid upon Him (i.e. Christ) the iniquity of us all."

Notice the terms, transgressions, and iniquities. Many in the church look at Isaiah 53:5 and conclude that verse 5 is making reference to physical healing which cannot be true. If that were the case, then every believer would have been divinely healed physically at the moment of conversion. No. Verse 5 is making reference to a divine relationship healing. When Christ was punished, bruised and hung on a cross for us, He healed the broken relationship we had with the Triune Godhead due to our sins. This was a spiritual healing. Our sins separated us from God (Isaiah 59:2). We were prior to our conversion cut off from God – completely. The Bible says we had no hope and were without God in the world (Ephesians 2:11-13).

Out of all the marvelous healings wonders and signs that Jesus performed while on the earth to clearly prove He was from God, all of those combined pales in comparison to the healing of one’s soul when they are forgiven of their sins. Jesus is still healing although He is currently not on earth; he is curing believers of sin’s disease, eternal death and replacing it with eternal life (John 3:16).

Sin is an infectious cancer that has no earthly cure. Until man realizes this problem in his life, he will never enjoy true peace. All man is doing now is trying to fix a spiritual problem with human solutions which he can never do. The natural man is spiritually dead in his sins (Eph 2:1; Col 2:13). Yes, he is alive on the outside, but dead on the inside because he is devoid of God’s spirit. And unless he receives the only cure available in Jesus Christ, he will never see life. Rather, the wrath of God will remain upon him (John 3:36).

What is the sin unto death?

For years I thought the sin unto death in I John 5:16 was a specific solitary sin. What was most confusing, I did not know what that sin was. Others have regarded the sin unto death as the unpardonable sin. That is the sin that is discussed in Matthew 12:31-32. The blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. These are two separate matters.

So, back to the original question, what is the sin unto death? Well, before I answer that question, let us read the text. “If anyone sees a fellow believer committing a sin that does not lead to death, he should ask, and God will give him life – to those that commit a sin that does lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying one should pray for that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is a sin that does not lead to death” (1 John 5:16-17).

How do we make the distinction between a sin unto death and a sin not unto death since the writer John does not provide an example of each in his letter? That is why it is very important to be well versed in God’s word. A sin not leading to death is one whereby a believer is confronted about their sin, they repent, and they are restored into a right relationship with God and with the saints (Galatians 6:1).

As John said, fellow believers can intercede on behalf of the sinning believer and God will grant the offender life because it is not a sin that leads to death.

A sin unto death is when a believer has a premeditated, unbroken habitual pattern of sinful behavior – oftentimes against the Body of Christ. Ultimately, they are living as if they are unsaved. A very serious offense!

A few things can happen when believers are in sin. 1) the sinning believer will be severely chastised by the Lord which is a good thing (Hebrews 12:5-11). A Godly spanking does hurt but it will also bring about healing, deliverance, growth, and holiness. As children of God, sometimes we need to be punished for our sins so that we can feel ashamed and endeavor to do better. We all run-off-the-rails sometimes and tough loving discipline from our Heavenly Father puts us back in right relationship with Him.  2) the offender can be put out of the Church so that their current evil ways do not corrupt other believers. Bad company corrupts good morals (1 Corinthians 15:33). God must maintain the purity of His church (Matthew 18:15-17). This Godly discipline should make the offender ashamed of themselves which should bring about contrition and wholehearted repentance. We must continue to admonish them in love (2 Thessalonians 3:15). 3) God could allow Satan to take the life of the person. In their current state of sin, they are absolutely no good to anyone. They are a current embarrassment to the Lord, the Church, and themselves. They are a liability to the kingdom, and not an asset in their current state of rebellion (1 Corinthians 5, whole chapter).

The last matter, of course, is a case where one is not to pray for. Why? In the fifth chapter of 1 Corinthians a man is fornicating with his father’s wife – most likely his stepmother.  That is a gross sin against another believer! Paul said to give one over to Satan for the destruction of his flesh that his soul may be saved in the day of the Lord (vs 5).

The matter is bitter-sweet in these instances. Why? Because the believer decides not to repent of their sin(s), they could die early – never fulfilling their role in the Body of Christ. They also will suffer I believe great loss at the judgment (Bema) seat of Christ. They will lose in terms of rewards because they deprived themselves of the joy of serving the Lord and others while on earth (1 Corinthians 3:13-16). The sweet part is that since they are eternally secure, they will not lose their salvation – their soul has been saved.

Concluding, a sin unto death could be any sin that is pre-meditated, unconfessed, habitually repeated with no remorse. When we see someone in that state of mind and we know it because we have talked and pleaded with them to repent to no avail, prayer will not help them.  God will deal with them most severely – perhaps even to the point of ending their lives.       

Our Great Salvation

To describe our salvation in a million words would not be enough. So what I would like to do is cover some of the wonderful features of our salvation and why we MUST praise God for it always. One can view our salvation as trinitarian. Why? Because it has three tiers or components to it. They are justification, sanctification, and glorification. Permit me to spend a little time on each.

Justification - The act of pronouncing one righteous. To be acquitted. In salvific language, it means the sinner is absolved of all guilt of their sins forever when they believe in the substitutionary act of Jesus Christ who came to the world to take away our sins (Psalm 32:1-2; Matt 1:21; 9:2b; Luke 7:48; John 1:29; Eph 1:7; 1 John 2:2). God the Father punished His own Son for our sins which satisfied or propitiated God's wrath against sin. When one believes in what Christ did for them, they are given a declaration of righteousness. The sinner is not essentially righteous, they are still a sinner. The blessed difference is that they are now a sinner saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9). 

Romans 4:25, "Who was delivered up because of our offenses and was raised up for justification."

Sanctification - The Greek word is hagiasmos. It means to be separated to God, to be set apart. A synonym of sanctification is holiness. Sanctification is the believer's responsibility to conform into the image of Jesus Christ through holy righteous living. God through the Holy Spirit assists us in this effort. Philippians 2:12-13 says this, "Work out your salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure."This is the reason why we have been chosen or elected to be in the kingdom of God. Romans 8:29 says, "For whom He (God) foreknew, He predestined to be conformed into the image of His Son..." This is the primary reason for being chosen to be in God's family. We are to mirror the life of Christ on the earth. Sanctification is a life long process. As we grow in Christ-likeness, we should love to hate our sin. Sanctification is holiness in action. It is the visible enduring fruit of our justification in action.

Christians must live their lives out loud. Not just in words, but in righteous and holy deeds. We must be clearly distinct from the world around us. We can longer do what they do and say what they say. The apostle Peter described us like this: "But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who were once not a people but now are the people of God, who  had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy" (1 Peter 2:9-10).

Peter then continues his discourse urging us on how we are to behave in this world:

"Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works which they observe glorify God in the day of visitation."

The word Pilgrim comes the Greek parepidemos. It is an adjective meaning to sojourn in a strange place - that is this world, particularly this world's anti-God ideology.  Christians from God's point of view are aliens and strangers in a foreign land. We do not fit in here; at least we are not supposed to. The worst thing a believer can do is get comfortable here. We are on a mission to reach souls with the love and truth of Christ. We are not here to pitch our tent permanently. This current earth is disposable, it will burn up (2 Peter 3:10-13)!

Glorification -  The Greek word endoxazo is in the passive voice which would relate specifically to the verb form of the word glorified. In relation to the believer, it is the reality of when our salvation is complete; meaning we are immortal (1 Cor 15:51; Phil 3:21; Thess 4:13-18. We are perfect, no longer subject to pain, suffering, sin, and death. The former things have passed away forever (Revelation 21:4). This is the third and final tier in our great salvation.  This is presently our future hope.

In our present evil world, the above is very hard to imagine or believe. Thank God we have the revelation of His word which comforts our weary souls or we would have no hope. Paul the ultimate first-century adventurer for Christ talked about his affliction in serving the Lord. He provided these encouraging words, "Therefore we do not lose heart. Listen carefully to this man's penetrating words - Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. While we do not look at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen. For things that are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:16-18).

Only God Almighty could cause a sinful man to speak in such superlative language! Truly the Spirit of the living God dwelt in Paul (2 Tim 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21).

In Romans 8:30 we read, "Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified."

Every person that enters into the kingdom of God is guaranteed a future glorification. That is why it is such a great salvation. God promised to grant this blessing to all the elect before He created the universe It was a done deal in the mind of God from eternity past.

How does our salvation conquer sin?

When we were justified, we were made free from the penalty of sin instantly; that is eternal separation from God. In our current status of ongoing sanctification, we are battling the power of sin; so it will no longer have dominion over us. And finally, when we are glorified, we will forever be free from the presence of sin. In our glorification, we can never be tempted to sin any longer. Why? Because we will be just like Jesus; we will have our glorious resurrected body. Since we are in Him, and He conquered death, sin and the grave, we have inherited that same victory. Our race is over. We have successfully labored into God's eternal rest (Hebrews 4:11).

I can hardly wait!

Amen. Even so, come Lord Jesus (Revelation 22:20b)!

The Gift we would rather not claim

Yesterday I was watching a program where a girl found out she would not be able to have children because there was something wrong with part of her reproductive system. She was a teenage girl and was involved with the youth at her church. She became angry and blamed God saying He is not good. She told her mother that she was never going to attend church again. 

It was her way of getting back at God for not loving and being there for her - in her mind.

This young girl's resentment toward God is nothing new. People are yelling, screaming and cursing God every day when things go wrong in their lives. Once again the proverbial question is, "If God is so good and loving and He has all power, then why is this happening to me? I don't deserve it!" 

This is the time when a person should do a very careful inventory of their lives. Because I see two possible scenarios. 1) The person is in sin and has refused to repent and ask for forgiveness so they are being punished. 2) They are in a furious season of trial and tribulation and their faith has to be tested.

Admittedly when we are going through trials, we often do not understand or like what is happening to us. None of us want pain in our lives. We hate it. It frightens us. Even mature Christians forget that we are still in the hands of The Almighty during our darkest times. He seems so far away. What is most aggravating to us all is that when we call on God and He does not respond when we believe He should, we feel abandoned by Him. Listen to the cry of David in Psalm 10:1, "Why O Lord do you stand far away? Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?" 

David was stressed because He saw the wicked oppressing the poor and defying God. He wanted God to take vengeance on his enemies but to David God could not be found when he needed the Lord the most. 

When we are feeling and thinking like this - with fear, anger, and despair, that is the time we need reassurance. When we are emotionally and spiritually drained, we need the well of God's word to quench our thirst.  That's right. We need revival!

Now, back to the title question. What is the gift that we rather not claim? It is the gift of suffering. Wait a minute! Suffering is a gift from God? I know it sounds hard to believe but yes. I'll prove it. Philippians 1:29 says, "For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ (emphasis added) you should not only believe in Him but also suffer for His sake.” Jesus said to the disciples, "In this life, you shall have tribulation or trouble but be of good cheer I have overcome the world.”(John 16:33)

The apostle Peter writes in his first letter to the saints that they are rejoicing due to their living hope in Christ although at the present time they were being afflicted by various trials. Why? This reason is very key, so that the genuineness of your faith more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Now, these next words are absolutely powerful and beautiful, "Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls (1 Peter 1:6b-9).

This is what we must place in front of us at all times, God's word so we do not lose our way in this life. It is so very easy to forget the promises of the word when we are going through trials in our lives, but we must hang on to God's promises so that we do not lose heart and stop running the race and fighting the good fight of faith (2 Timothy 4:7).

Once we know that we are in a spiritual war, we understand that difficulties are necessary to test our faith which is our trust in God to see us through our fiery trials. Although it seems like hard times will never end when we are going through them, they will. And although it seems like we cannot endure them, we can if we do not give up (Galatians 6:9). Jesus is there. He loves and cares for us and feels what we feel (Hebrews 4:15). 

Its a win-win for the child of God in the overall. How? If God decides to bring us through the affliction, then we can rejoice in the Lord's faithfulness to us. If He providentially decides to allow our sickness and pain to end our natural lives, then it's far better because we have graduated to eternal glory where there is no more pain, sickness, and death- ever (Revelation 21:4).

Suffering under God's tender hands is a blessing although the temporary trials by which He administers them are painful. We must remember that we go through is not for nothing. Suffering for Christ's sake is the instrument by which God has decided His children will glorify Him. If we keep this perspective, then we do not have to be ashamed of what we are going through for there is a reward when we endure the trials God has set before us - the crown of life (James 1:12). 

So let us endeavor to endure the hard times with joy. We can only do it in the Lord.