RPG Adults
A CHRISTIAN’S VIEW OF SUFFERING
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 24
1 Peter 3:17-18
Psalm 46
“Thy statutes have been my songs…”
A CHRISTIAN’S VIEW OF SUFFERING
Many of the world’s religions have made suffering a major part of their worship. It is common to find people refusing various comforts of life or undergoing self-inflicted suffering in an effort to somehow solve the universally recognised problem of sin. Sometimes these religious penitents are admired, other times they are called fools. But generally, it is agreed that they are sincere in their desire to solve the problem of sin which they know exists between man and God.
The sad thing about all this self-imposed religious suffering is that it is totally unnecessary. Jesus Christ has already suffered in order to solve this problem of sin and bring wayward mankind back to God. It was necessary for Christ to die only once to accomplish this task (1 Pet 3:18). This sacrifice of His own sinless body was such a perfect and complete payment for sin that no further sacrifice is necessary to bring sinful man to God. Through this one sacrifice, man can be presented holy before the righteous Creator (Heb 10:10). This great “once for all” sacrifice was made when Christ died on the cross and His body was placed in the grave. On the third day, He rose from the dead in order that all who accept Him as their Saviour may have new life and serve Him. To be saved from the penalty of sin then, man needs only to repent and accept Christ and the sacrifice He has made for him. This is the message of the Gospel that must be preached by all who believe (Luke 24:24-47).
God may call upon Christians to suffer for the faith. This is not penance for sin. It comes from opposition to the Gospel message and the righteousness it proclaims. At times, suffering comes into the life of believers because they belong to the Lord whom the world hated and crucified (John 15:18). The believer is asked to bear this suffering in a gentle Christ-like manner so that the unsaved might listen to the Gospel and come to a saving knowledge of Christ.
THOUGHT: Am I willing to suffer for the Lord?
PRAYER: Father, I believe that the present sufferings cannot be compared to the coming glory (Rom 8:18).