Should we suffer in Christ?

Most people think of the Christian life as a quiet life free from suffering, which leaves them confused when suffering is present. Because if we don't know that we have to suffer we are going to fall from on high, that is why the Word of God teaches us that the mere thought of having to suffer for the Name of Jesus is a weapon that we must have.

"So therefore, Christ having suffered for us in the flesh, you also arm yourselves with the same mind. For he that suffered in the flesh ceased to sin, in order to live, no longer according to human desires, but according to the will of God, during the time which remains to him to live in the flesh. It is already quite enough to have fulfilled the will of the nations, during the time of our past life, when we surrendered ourselves to unbridled lust, lusts, drunkenness, orgies, drinking binges and criminal idolatry. By the way, they find it strange that you no longer run with them in the same outpouring of debauchery, and they slander you. But they will account to that who is ready to judge the living and the dead. "(1 Peter 4: 1-5)

The purpose of this suffering is to make us totally pure in order to live according to the will of God, to become sanctified vessels of honor, useful to the Lord and prepared for every good work. All those who want to be saved must go through the baptism of fire, a baptism of suffering:

"And Jesus answered and said," You do not know what you are asking. Can you drink the cup that I am to drink and be baptized with the baptism that I am to be baptized with? "They say to him," We can. "And he said to them, “For you will drink my cup and be baptized with the baptism with which I will be baptized.” ”(Matthew 20: 22-23)

So we've got to go through this baptism of fire, and we've got to know where we're going to be armed with the thought of suffering for Jesus' Name. What is important to understand is that the moment we are truly converted from heart to Christ we enter into his sufferings, and sometimes they can seem like sufferings that have nothing to do with Christ but believe me when you walk with Christ genuinely all your suffering will be for his Name, even if your suffering is due to your sin, you suffer for the Name of Jesus, because it is because of your faith and your commitment to God that you suffer for your sins while the people of the world take pleasure in theirs.

God teaches us in His Word that he loves us and chastises the one he loves in order to bring him to repentance, and we need to know that the more we grow in Christ, the more God will demand of us what means that he will chastise us for things for which he would not have chastised us before. And he will be ready to avenge any disobedience when our obedience is complete (2 Corinthians 10: 6).

Life in Christ is therefore not a quiet life where each one after having received a deliverance continues to live like the people of this world, but it is a step against the grain. We must not only go against the world but also against ourselves, against our ego, against the will of our flesh, against our own desires, and it is not easy but suffering is useful so that we can questioning and turning to God in order to be saved.

"Now as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3: 14-15)

"And Yahweh said to Moses," Make yourself a fiery serpent and put it on a pole. Whoever is bitten and looks at him will be alive. "Moses made a copper serpent and put it on a pole. Whoever had been there will be alive. bitten by a snake and looked at the copper snake conserving life. " (Numbers 21: 8-9)

God strikes us so that we look to him and he can save us. He doesn't want us to stay asleep in this world only to perish in eternal suffering, so he catches our attention by hitting us. Suffering in Christ, whatever its reason, is always useful, such as purifying us or chastising us to attract our attention ... We need to suffer so as not to please ourselves in this world, in this life on earth. It is through many tribulations that we must enter the Kingdom of God, and we must be armed with this thought so that we can rejoice in suffering and keep the Peace of Christ within us.

Our suffering as a Christian is due to several things, one of these things is the fact of wanting to please God, whoever wants to do the will of God will find many trials on his way since satan claimed them. believers in Christ to screen them:

"The Lord also said: Simon, Simon, behold, satan urged to sift you like wheat; But I prayed for you that your faith not fail; you therefore, when you are one day converted, strengthen your brethren . " (Luke 22: 31-32)

The word sift means: "to shake in a sieve" this image represents the fact of being agitated inwardly. (According to the meaning of this word the purpose of screening is to overthrow the faith of the one who undergoes it.)

Which brings us back to the agony of the Lord before the Cross:

Then having walked away from them about a stone's throw away, and knelt down, he prayed, saying, 'Father, if you would take this cup away from me! my will be not done, but yours. "And an angel appeared to him from heaven, to strengthen him. Being in agony, he prayed more attentively, and his sweat became like lumps of blood falling to the ground." (Luke 22: 41-44)

The word agony means: "Struggle for victory" or "emotions and severe mental struggles, anguish, agony".

We see that the suffering of the Christian is above all an interior suffering, a struggle for victory in anguish.

Suffering in Christ ultimately has only one purpose after bringing us to repentance and that is to make us obedient in all things:

"It is he who, during the days of his flesh, offered with loud cries and with tears, prayers and supplications to him who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his piety. Although a Son, he nevertheless learned obedience through the things he suffered. After being consecrated, he became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him, "(Hebrews 5: 7- 9)

Jesus, who as a man is the perfect Example that we must follow, himself learned obedience through suffering, even though he was without sin. God does not necessarily strike us because we do evil, but also so that we learn to discern his voice. When God speaks to us to give us his ordinance, his will, if we do not know how to discern his voice God risks making us go through suffering so that we can question ourselves and examine the situation, so that we end up understanding where we have made mistakes and understanding this we will understand where we have not discerned the voice of God, so that the next time we can discern and obey him.

The purpose of our sanctification is to lead us to obedience:

"... elected according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctification of the Spirit to obey Jesus Christ, and who participate in the sprinkling of his blood: Grace to you and peace! " (1 Peter 1: 1-2)

The world cannot understand the suffering of the true Christian, it far exceeds anything that people can believe to the point where the Word of God tells us that if we had hope that in this life only we would be the most miserable of ALL humans:

"If we have hope in Christ for this life only, we are the most miserable of all humans." (1 Corinthians 15-19)

The Bible teaches us that the sufferings of the present times are not comparable to future glory, which proves that our fight is not for this life but for our eternity.

"And, if we are children, we are also heirs: heirs of God indeed and joint heirs with Christ, if however we suffer with him; that we may also be glorified with him. For all things counted, I esteem that the sufferings of the present times are not worthy of being compared to the glory to come which is to be revealed in us. " (Romans 8: 17-18)

This is what allows us to rejoice, the fact of suffering is a grace for us who are Christians, quite simply because the purpose of this suffering is to make us obedient and obedience guarantees us eternal salvation. Suffering is not proof that God is abandoning us, on the contrary, it is sure proof that God wants our salvation. The goal is to make us perfect as Jacques also says:

“My brethren, regard it as a subject of perfect joy when you are exposed to various temptations, knowing that the trial of your faith produces perseverance. But perseverance must do its work perfectly, so that you may be perfect and done, so that you don't miss a thing. " (James 1: 2-4)

So that we may be saved as Peter also says:

"In this you rejoice, though you are now afflicted for a little while with various trials, seeing that it is proper, that the trial of your faith, much more precious than perishable gold, and which nevertheless is tried by fire, result in praise, honor, and glory, at the revelation of Jesus Christ; whom you love without having seen him; in whom, without seeing him now, but believing, you rejoice in 'unspeakable and glorious joy, obtaining the salvation of your souls which is the goal of your faith. " (1 Peter 1: 6-9)

It is therefore by the fire of testing that we are made worthy of the Kingdom of God. Let us look fully at the Lord and his servants who wrote the writings that are in the Bible in order to understand what awaits us and what we must do.

Do not think that the Christian life is an easy life, because if you believe that you will never be able to endure the tests which will come your way. You will think that God has forsaken you and the enemy will bring you doubt. Paul, who also suffered greatly by participating in the sufferings of Christ, tells us that he glorifies himself in suffering so that Christ may dwell in him:

"But lest I be exalted because of the excellence of these revelations, there was a thorn in my flesh, an angel of Satan to strike me, that I might not exalt myself. C therefore, three times I prayed to the Lord to take him away from me. But the Lord said to me: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is fulfilled in weakness." I will therefore gladly boast rather in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. And because of this I delight in weaknesses, in abuses, in calamities, in persecutions, and in anguish for Christ, for when I am weak, that's when I'm strong. " (2 Corinthians 12: 7-10)

God strikes his children to keep them in humility, in his will and the goal is to make us obedient as I like to repeat:

"And yet you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as to his sons, saying:" My son, do not despise the chastisement of the Lord, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you. For the Lord chastises him whom 'he loves, and he chastises with a whip all those whom he recognizes for his sons. "If you endure the chastisement, God behaves towards you as towards his sons. Who is the son whom the father does not chastise? But if you are without punishment in which all participate, then you are illegitimate children, and not sons. " (Hebrews 12: 5-8)

"This is why there are many infirm and sick among you, and quite a number are sleeping. 31 For if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, so that we are not condemned with the world. " (1 Corinthians 11: 31-32)

We spoke of the suffering due to the chastisement in order to draw our attention to God, of the suffering for our perfection, our sanctification, of this baptism of fire, of this interior struggle that we must face, but the suffering of the Christian does not end. don't stop there. As Jesus says we are hated because of his Name, we must endure the apostasy of this perverse and corrupt generation, face the antichrist system of this world, face the unbelief of our loved ones, rejection, outer persecution and knowing it enables us to face it.

"" If the world hates you, know that it hated me before you. If you were of the world, the world would love what belongs to it. But because you are not of the world and I have chosen you out of the world. of the world, because of this the world hates you.Remember the word that I said to you: "The slave is not greater than his master." If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my word, they will keep yours also. 'has sent." (John 15: 18-21)

"And you will be hated by all for my Name's sake, but he who endures to the end, that one will be saved. When they persecute you in one city, flee to another." (Matthew 10: 22-23)

Christians are destined for suffering here below:

"And we have sent Timothy, our brother, the servant of God, and our fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to establish you and to exhort you concerning your faith, that no one be troubled in these afflictions, since you yourselves know that we are destined for this. For when we were with you, we predicted to you that we would have to suffer afflictions, as also happened, and you know it. Therefore, as I could not No longer endure this expectation, I sent Timothy to find out the state of your faith, lest the tempter somehow tempt you, and our work be made in vain. " (1 Thessalonians 3: 2-5)

The fire of ordeal in us sometimes even gives us the impression of experiencing something extraordinary:

"My beloved, do not find it strange when you are as in a furnace for your trial, as if something extraordinary is happening to you. But in that you share in the sufferings of Christ, rejoice; that also at the revelation of his glory you rejoiced with gladness. If you are cursed for the Name of Christ, you are blessed: for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you, who is blasphemed by those who you blacken but for you glorify yourself May none of you suffer as a murderer, or thief, or criminal, or curious about the affairs of others. But if anyone suffers like a Christian, let him not be ashamed. , but let him glorify God in this: for it is time for judgment to begin with the house of God; and if it begins first with us, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? ? And if the righteous is hardly saved, where will the wicked and the sinner appear? they therefore also who suffer by the will of God, since they do what is good, recommend their souls to him, as to the faithful Creator. " (1 Peter 4: 12-19)

There is nothing new, the children of God have always been persecuted:

"And what shall I say again? For I will not have enough time to speak of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah, and of David, and of Samuel, and of the prophets, who by faith fought against kingdoms , exercised justice, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, extinguished the force of fire, escaped the edge of swords, regained strength after illness, showed themselves strong in battle, and put foreign armies to flight. recovered their dead by means of the resurrection, and others were given to torments and did not accept redemption in order to obtain a better resurrection, and others suffered mockery and the whipping, chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, sawn off, were subjected to severe trials, they were put to death by the edge of the sword. They wandered here and there, clothed in the skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, tormented, they whose the world was not worthy, lost in the deserts and in the mountains, and in the caves, and in the holes of the earth. And though they were all commendable by their faith, yet they did not obtain the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they would not come to perfection without us. "(Hebrews 11: 32-40)

Today we have a choice to make between suffering in order to gain eternal deliverance or suffering eternally after this short stay on earth:

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the excellence of this power may be that of God and not ours. We are in a hurry in everything, but not entirely cramped; we are perplexed, but not ours. in despair; we are persecuted, but not abandoned; cast down, but not lost; we always carry the death of the Lord Jesus everywhere in our bodies, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body. let us ceaselessly give up to death for the love of Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our mortal flesh; so that death indeed operates in us, but life in you. But having the same spirit of faith, as it is written: “I believed, therefore I spoke!” We believe and this is why we speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us up through Jesus , and cause us to appear in his presence with you. use you, that grace, being multiplied, may abound to the glory of God through the thanksgiving of many. That is why we do not slack off, even if our outer man is destroying himself, however the inner one is renewed day by day. For our slight tribulations of the present moment produce in us an eternal weight of a supremely excellent glory, since we do not look to the visible things, but to the invisible ones, for the visible things are only for a time, but the invisible ones are eternal. "(2 Corinthians 4: 7-18)

“Remember that Jesus Christ, who is of the seed of David, rose from the dead, according to my gospel, for which I suffer many evils, until I was put in chains like a thief. However, the word God is not bound. Therefore I suffer all for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with everlasting glory. This word is sure: indeed, if we let us die with him, we will also live with him. If we suffer with him, we will also reign with him. If we deny him, he will also deny us. "(2 Timothy 2: 8-12)

God always delivers from trial those who keep faith in suffering and who obey him:

“Yahweh is near to those who are heartbroken with pain, and he delivers those who are downcast. The righteous goes through much suffering, but Yahweh delivers him from all. He keeps all his bones, none of them. they are not broken. Evil kills the wicked, and those who hate the righteous are destroyed. Yahweh redeems the souls of his servants, and none who trust in him shall be destroyed. " (Psalm 34: 19-23)
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