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Friday, July 24, 2009 @ 10:36 AM
Suffering for the Body
Suffering is a major doctrine in the body of Christ. Today, there are many people who say that Christians don’t have to suffer. But the Word of God is very clear that adversity is part of Christianity. Paul was chosen by God to manifest the longsuffering of Christ. This can be seen in 1 Timothy 1:16, “However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.” We must also have the virtue of longsuffering worked out in us and there is only one way for this to happen. We must be willing to suffer a very, very long time. Suffering can be broken down into the following main areas: Firstly, we suffer because of sin. We suffer the consequences for evil when we break God’s commandments (1 Pet. 3:17; 4:15). Secondly, we suffer to learn obedience. Hebrews 5:8 reminds us that although Jesus “was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.” As with Christ, so also must we suffer to learn obedience. In that same context, 1 Peter 4:1 says, “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the fl esh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the fl esh has ceased from sin.” Thirdly, we suffer for Christ. The enemies of Christ were never satisfi ed with what they had done to Jesus. They hated Jesus with an insatiable hatred. They wanted to add to His suffering. As soon as Jesus ascended back into heaven and wasn’t around anymore, who did the world attack? The Church! They began to persecute the Church—whipping believers, burning them at the stake and throwing them to the lions. Why? Was it because they hated them individually? No, it was because the Church stood in the place of Christ. And since Jesus wasn’t around to hate, they hated the people who stood in His place. In Galatians 6:17, Paul says, “For I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” In other words, “The blows that I’ve received have been taken because the world can’t hit Him directly.” Fourthly, we suffer for the Church. According to Colossians 1:24, Paul endured his suffering for the sake of the Church—to win people to Christ and then to mature them in Christ. And he certainly paid a hefty price. He was willing to build the church at any price, even at the cost of his own life. Paul always felt that if the Lord would shed His own blood for the Church, he could certainly shed a little of his blood for the Church too. -Pastor Kong |
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Friday, July 24, 2009 @ 10:36 AM
Suffering for the Body
Suffering is a major doctrine in the body of Christ. Today, there are many people who say that Christians don’t have to suffer. But the Word of God is very clear that adversity is part of Christianity. Paul was chosen by God to manifest the longsuffering of Christ. This can be seen in 1 Timothy 1:16, “However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.” We must also have the virtue of longsuffering worked out in us and there is only one way for this to happen. We must be willing to suffer a very, very long time. Suffering can be broken down into the following main areas: Firstly, we suffer because of sin. We suffer the consequences for evil when we break God’s commandments (1 Pet. 3:17; 4:15). Secondly, we suffer to learn obedience. Hebrews 5:8 reminds us that although Jesus “was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.” As with Christ, so also must we suffer to learn obedience. In that same context, 1 Peter 4:1 says, “Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the fl esh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the fl esh has ceased from sin.” Thirdly, we suffer for Christ. The enemies of Christ were never satisfi ed with what they had done to Jesus. They hated Jesus with an insatiable hatred. They wanted to add to His suffering. As soon as Jesus ascended back into heaven and wasn’t around anymore, who did the world attack? The Church! They began to persecute the Church—whipping believers, burning them at the stake and throwing them to the lions. Why? Was it because they hated them individually? No, it was because the Church stood in the place of Christ. And since Jesus wasn’t around to hate, they hated the people who stood in His place. In Galatians 6:17, Paul says, “For I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus.” In other words, “The blows that I’ve received have been taken because the world can’t hit Him directly.” Fourthly, we suffer for the Church. According to Colossians 1:24, Paul endured his suffering for the sake of the Church—to win people to Christ and then to mature them in Christ. And he certainly paid a hefty price. He was willing to build the church at any price, even at the cost of his own life. Paul always felt that if the Lord would shed His own blood for the Church, he could certainly shed a little of his blood for the Church too. -Pastor Kong |
