Suffering Done Right
Last week we looked at Paul’s prayer for the Church in Philippi which serves as an example of how we can be praying for our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. This week we are taking a look at the last half of Philippians one in which we see what Paul was so joyful about with his currently unpleasant situation as well as what it means to suffer with Christ. Our foundational verses are Philippians 1:12-30.
When we began the discussion of Philippians we had learned that Paul was imprisoned and we see him continue to discuss that situation in verses 12-14 “12 Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, 13 so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, 14 and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear.”. We can see here that Paul was not worried about being imprisoned because it allowed for the advancement of the gospel. While Paul was imprisoned he was literally chained to a Roman guard, you can imagine then that Paul and the guard would talk about what Paul had done to be arrested. This allowed Paul to share the gospel to the guard who would then go and tell the other guards causing the gospel to be heard throughout the palace. Through Paul’s example, we can see that a bad situation can allow for the spread of the gospel. A more recent example of how a tough situation can lead to the spread of the gospel would be Joni Eareckson Tada, a woman who after a diving accident became a quadriplegic. While at first she struggled with her situation, she eventually used this to begin a ministry focusing on the disabled community, a community that is sadly overlooked by many.
The other aspect of Paul’s situation that allowed him to have joy was that it allowed for others to speak about Christ. People were encouraged by Paul’s dedication and that gave them the courage that they did not have before to speak of Christ. Paul used his opportunity to speak calmly to an audience that literally had no way to not listen. How we speak of our God will be seen by others, it is the first step for a non-believer to see who our God is. I have seen countless examples of this but the most recent one is when a friend of mine was discussing political policies on social media. One friend is a believer and the other is not, however they were able to have a calm discussion that allowed for the believer to share God’s love with the non-believer. Unknown at the time, there was another friend who was a believer going through a similar debate with another non-believer. This believer was able to mimic the first conversation to lovingly show how God cares.
Paul continues to find joy in his situation because he knows that either outcome available to him will be for good. Look at verses 19-26. “19 for I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.”
Here we can see that Paul knew he would either be put to death or would be released but he had no fear for either outcome. He knew that God would use his situation to complete His work in Paul and to spread the gospel. Paul knew that if the result meant his death he would be one of the ones to hear “well done” like is mentioned in Matthew 25:21, or if the result meant that he would remain on earth he knew that it would mean the continuation of him spreading the gospel. As you can see Paul had a slight preference, he knew that he would gain if he died because it would allow him to finally be at the feet of God. However, Paul knew that there was still work for him to do for Christ here on earth and so he knew that he would live simply because that is what was necessary for the progress of the faith. Paul saw both life and death as a joyous situation and this is how we as Christians should live. We should have no fear of death because Christ has already defeated death for our sake, when we die we will be united with Him. But while we continue here, we must do what needs to be done to spread the gospel.
Paul ends the first chapter of Philippians imploring the church to behave in a way that is worthy of the gospel. In verses 27-30 we see Paul stating that by striving with one mind for the faith of the gospel is a sign of destruction to their opponents. That the believers were granted salvation for Christ’s sake, but in doing so they will also suffer for His sake. So what does it mean to suffer for Christ? The Bible has several verses regarding suffering, however, in order to get a better understanding of what it means to suffer for Christ, I have five that I want to look at.
The first is 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 “3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. 6 If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. 7 And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.” In suffering for Christ we gain endurance in the faith. There will be many so-called believers out there who will turn away from the faith when things get hard or unpleasant. If you have read our prophecy updates, you would have seen that there was an article about the Christian musician who recently came out and said that he does not believe that there is a God. Throughout this life there will be many difficult moments and we always have a choice in them. We can chose to either run from God or toward Him, this is how we gain endurance in the faith, for an example I encourage you to again look at the story of Joni Eareckson Tada and look at how different things could have been for her if she chose to run from God instead of towards him. Our sufferings allows for the “wheat and chaff” to be separated, the true believer will run towards God and seek after Him more than anything else. Finally, according to these verses, we can see that throughout our sufferings, God is there to comfort us and it is through His comforting that we are able to comfort others. Our God is not one who is careless and heartless, in fact He cares for even the smallest. Matthew 6:26-30 “26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith?”
By seeing His guidance in our suffering, we can then be an encouragement for others when they are going through trials. This is what Paul was doing when he was writing to the church in Philippi. He knew that either release from prison or death would result in God’s will being done and was comforted with that idea. He sought to encourage the church to continue in what they were doing.
The next set of scripture that I want to look at is 1 Peter 4:12-19. “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.” When trials and tribulations come upon us, we should not be surprised. This world will continue to bring hard times on us and that is because we are separated from this world. We do not hold to the values of this world. “18 “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.” John 15:18-20. To suffer for Christ means to suffer as Christ did, and that includes being hated by this world because we have been chosen out of the world. However, while we will suffer now, we will rejoice in the end if we commit ourselves to our faithful God and continue to hold to Him above all else.
The third set of scripture that shows us what it means to suffer for Christ is 1 Peter 2:21-25. “21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example ,that you should follow in his steps. 22 “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” 23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 24 “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 25 For “you were like sheep going astray,”but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.” Christ suffered to leave us an example of how we should behave when we are in trials. When Christ was in front of Pilate, or had the Roman guards beating him, or the crowds throwing insults at him, or even when He was on the cross; Christ did not make threats, did not retaliate in any way, but instead He entrusted the situation to the One who judges justly. When we are going through similar situations we need to remember how Christ behaved and adjust our behavior and mindset to Him and not on those who are accusing us.
Next I want to look at Hebrews 2:14-18. “14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16 For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. 17 For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. 18 Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Through these verses we can see that Christ suffered so that He could understand us when we go through trials. How exciting is that! Knowing that our God is aware of the struggles that we go through because He Himself went through them! He is not a God who has no compassion, instead He is filled with compassion! The same can be said of us, when we see others going through situations that we have gone through, we can have compassion for them and offer our support. This is what Christ is doing for us even today! He is sitting at the right hand of God and is acting as a mediator for us.
Finally, I want to look at Romans 8:17. “17 Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.” This verse should be very comforting to the Christian. We share in the sufferings of Christ while on this earth so that we may share in His glory in Heaven. Our God will not leave us nor will He forsake us, He cares for those who belong to Him. And because He cares, He will one day end all suffering. When we are suffering for Christ, it is further proof to ourselves and to the world that we belong to the one true King.
I hope now when you take a look at the closing of Philippians one, you can see that our trials have a way of turning out greater progress of the gospel because we become an example to those around us on who Christ is. We should not be worried about what others are saying about us because in the end our glory comes from Christ. We have no need to fear death because it means that we will be with Christ which is better than what is on this earth, but until that time we need to continue the calling that God has for all of us and that is to share the gospel. While this may lead us into suffering, we can be assured that God is with us during those times and we should not be surprised when we are going through trials, but know that He understands our suffering, our suffering brings us closer to Him, and finally, our suffering now allows us to share in His glory.
Seek the Truth and encourage one another,
Alex