Sufferin' for JESUS!

Good morning,

I'm smiling as I begin this blog post, thinking about a character I'm playing in an August production. While reading today's passage, 1 Peter 4:12-19, I realized the warning there pertains to the fictitious Viola James, whom I portray.

"Vi" is a meddler (and, even worse, a control-freak).  She butts in where she should not, and then when she gets blowback from her unwise actions bemoans her fate of "sufferin' for Jesus".  Do you know anyone like that?

12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And,

“If it is hard for the righteous to be saved,

    what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”

19 So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

This passage gives us some very important information for our resplendent walk:

1.  We WILL experience suffering in this world, simply because we bear the name of Christ and seek to follow Him ("to do good", vs. 19).  We should not be surprised at this.  There is a false teaching in Western World Christendom at present.  It goes like this:  "If you are truly holy, God will spare you misfortune."  What a lie from Satan!  We can see from this passage alone that this is unscriptural.

2.  When the judgment of God falls, it will fall first on the household of faith (the Church), to purify us (vs. 17).  Just as revival always begins within the walls of the church building and spreads out to the unsaved world, so does God's judgment.

3.  As in Vi's example, we must be very careful to distinguish between true sufferings according to God's will (vs. 19) and the logical consequences of our own ungodly behavior (vs. 15).   I love how Peter starts off with "the biggies", the "Oh, I would NEVER do that!" sins - - - murder, theft, etc. Then, he says (paraphrase) "even something seemingly as harmless as meddling"....  At that point, our eyes get big, we put our index finger on our lower lips and go, "ooooohhhh....."  God can redeem any of our past sins, but He will usually NOT exempt us from the consequences of them.

4.  If we pray "thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven" (Matthew 6:9-13), then we must recognize that His perfect will include times of "fiery trial" for His own, dear children.  We mustn't assume that we are suffering because God is "asleep at the wheel."  Our suffering is part of the purification, sanctification process referenced in Ephesians 5:25-27, which we looked at a few days ago in talking about God's model for family authority.

25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word,27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Does this mean that Christians must go through suffering in order to be right with God, to work their way into Heaven?  No.  We become positionally right with God, utterly forgiven, saved and secure, the moment we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior.  However, it is His desire that His Holy Spirit placed within our souls at that very moment continues to work in us, to change us into a people more and more like our Savior, in our Christian walk.  Somehow, allowing us to "participate in the sufferings of Christ" is part of that sanctification, that purification, that transformation.  Our response to suffering should be to keep on living for Christ, even when we want to "bail".

5.  God is faithful to us, even in the midst of our sufferings.  He is our "faithful Creator" , who will gather us up in His loving arms as a mother holds the crying child who has hurt himself.  We will rejoice once again, if not on this earth in this life, then most certainly in the next (vs. 13).  We will see His glory revealed and will be overjoyed in that day!

Dear Father, I am grateful that You have not left me as You found me.  When You saved me, Your Holy Spirit began a good work in me, which will not be perfected until I stand before You as part of Your glorious, spotless Bride.  During times of suffering, strengthen me by Your Spirit.  Hold on to me, when I am unable to hold on to You.  I thank You for Your faithfulness during the painful times. I praise You for Your great love.  In Jesus' name, amen.