Articles
Even If You Suffer
Suffering results from consequences of our bad choices and of our good choices. Many reap harvest from sin and smugly assume that all suffering is for righteousness’ sake, but it is only suffering for doing good that God says He will bless you (1 Peter 3:13-18).
I. Philippians 3:8-11. We endure righteous suffering because of our relationship with Christ. If God is truly our refuge where we abide and store our treasure (Matthew 6:20-21), then He will bless us when we suffer along with the prophets (Matthew 5:11-12). Christ put the relationship with His Father first and suffered to make the gospel possible, so we must die to sin and selfishness to live in Him as a new creation (Romans 6:3-5).
II. 1 Peter 1:14-15. We endure righteous suffering because of our relationship with ourselves in Christ. If we are fearful or anxious for what the world can do to us, then we have a very low faith and trust in God, the only One we should fear (Matthew 10:28). Rather, because He endured suffering and chose to be holy because His Father was holy, we too must choose, as we die to self and live for Him (Romans 6:6-8), to be holy for our own sakes.
III. 2 Corinthians 5:18-20. We endure righteous suffering because of our relationship with the lost. The sinless Christ died for us when we were unrighteous (Romans 5:6-8), so he has done for all while hoping for their repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Since He chose to suffer for the lost, shouldn’t we who have obeyed the gospel and are in Christ already be willing servants or ambassadors for Christ by being gentle and respectful towards them (Galatians 6:1) that we might win some?
Many avoid suffering at all costs, often compromising with and blending in with the world. But Christ suffered for righteousness’ sake for you who were lost. Shouldn’t you who are in Christ because of His suffering be willing to suffer to bring the lost to Christ?
