Ponder the correlation between suffering and glory, realizing one unique trait of Christianity--meaning in suffering (no cross, no crown):
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:28, ESV).
"I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation [suffering] and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus..." (Revelation 1:9, ESV).
"... [And] saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22, ESV).
"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance" (Romans 5:3, ESV).
"... [And] a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed" (1 Peter 5:1, ESV).
"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you" (1 Peter 5:10, ESV).
There will come a moment of truth for every believer before he is really seasoned and confirmed in the faith--when he makes his stand for Jesus. This is not just confessing Him as Lord, but sticking up for what He stands for and risking something in the process--becoming a "confessor." Jesus did say that we should consider the cost of discipleship and He didn't promise us a bed of roses. In fact, He did all He could to discourage halfhearted admirers, of which there were many; however, these are not those he sought--we are not sidekicks or buddies of Christ, but worshipers and followers (a rare commodity).
The Christian way goes against the grain and is counter-cultural since we claim to know the only way to eternal life. We would be egotistical if it was just us claiming this; however, Christ, Himself, made the claim of being the exclusive way to the Father--and He tolerates no rivals. This doesn't mean we are intolerant, which is the only vice modern man sees and they categorize believers as being.
We are called to bear a cross as believers and this doesn't mean as a fashion statement, but to be willing to suffer all and even give the ultimate sacrifice of our lives. To be willing to go to our cross for Christ's sake, we must be absolutely convinced in our own minds: "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced ..." (cf. 2 Tim. 1:12). However, don't have a martyr's complex, thinking that the more you suffer, the better believe you are--and do not seek persecution or even be offensive as a person, because the offense should be in the cross.
We don't have to take the loyalty oath that first-century believers did to Caesar confessing, "Caesar is lord," but in everyday life, we are always being tested as to our devotion to Christ, and Satan is tempting us not to make Him first place in our priorities. One reason we are to welcome suffering as friends is that it is all Father-filtered, which means God-approved, and it is guaranteed to work out for our best in the end (cf. Rom. 8:28). God turns curses into blessings (cf. Gen. 50:20). As they say, "Behind every cloud, there's a silver lining."
People don't turn their backs on Christ suddenly, but slowly, as they drift away and gradually lose their first love and devotion to Christ. Paul longed to participate in the "fellowship of His sufferings" (cf. Phil. 3:10). The early disciple was glad that they were "considered worthy" of suffering for Christ's sake, to glorify Him.
How does this happen? We run into everyday situations and conflicts that give us the opportunity to defend a Christian worldview or to preach the gospel, and we are not to be ashamed to own our Lord. Actually, the more you stick up for Christ, the stronger your faith becomes. As Paul said to the Philippians 1:29 (NKJV): "For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him but also to suffer for His sake."
There is a downside to letting people know you're a believer: They watch your every move and listen to what you say to look for hypocrisy. They seem to think that if you don't live up to your faith, that this nullifies it and God isn't real. It only proves your faith isn't real, not that God isn't real. They hate hypocrites and won't go to church because they think it's full of them, yet they go to the golf club and play with hypocrites all the time and don't give it a second thought. You will want to keep your reputation and the pressure is high as you live under a microscope of observation. But there is no alternative because there are no secret agent believers who refuse to stand up for Jesus.
The world will approve your faith and won't object to anything unless it is pushed on them--they call evangelizing a way of forcing your viewpoints. They don't object to anything as long as you "privatize" it! But we are called to preach the gospel and be salt and light in the world, not to stand by and let the devil have his way. We need a thick skin and to be certain of our faith (and assurance of salvation is not an automatic fruit), to be able to withstand the fiery darts of the evil one (with assured faith and the helmet of salvation). Tertullian of Carthage, second-century church father, said that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.
As Esther said, she was born "for such a time as this" (cf. Esther 4:14, NKJV). We are not to wear our religion on our sleeve, as it were, as an excuse, but to live righteous and holy lives that God can use as a witness to a dark world blinded by Satan. In other words, we don't go out of our way to "advertise" that we are Christians, like carrying banners but to let Christ open the door no one can close in His timing.
We must absolutely aim to give God the glory and not to seek fame or take the credit ourselves, because He is the Potter and we are the clay and He is using us as vessels of honor for His own plan and purpose But one thing I can tell you from experience, is that you shouldn't doubt the wisdom of God, that He can make the most unpleasant events turn out for the good and we will praise Him in the end. It is only because He is trusting us with this trial and it is an honor to be tested.
We need to anticipate being used by God, and be prepared to defend the faith, contend for the faith, according to our faith. We all have a shot at greatness and God only holds us responsible for what He gives us: "to much is given, much is required." As John Milton said in Paradise Regained, "Who best can suffer, best can do." Jesus suffered more than anyone and our crosses pale in comparison; He isn't asking us to do anything He didn't do.
We should live in light of eternity and the final declaration of Christ saying, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." God doesn't care about our bucket list, but in us completing His will before we check out, as it is written: "For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption" (Acts 13:36, ESV). Soli Deo Gloria!
"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us" (Romans 8:28, ESV).
"I, John, your brother and partner in the tribulation [suffering] and the kingdom and the patient endurance that are in Jesus..." (Revelation 1:9, ESV).
"... [And] saying that through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22, ESV).
"More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance" (Romans 5:3, ESV).
"... [And] a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed" (1 Peter 5:1, ESV).
"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you" (1 Peter 5:10, ESV).
There will come a moment of truth for every believer before he is really seasoned and confirmed in the faith--when he makes his stand for Jesus. This is not just confessing Him as Lord, but sticking up for what He stands for and risking something in the process--becoming a "confessor." Jesus did say that we should consider the cost of discipleship and He didn't promise us a bed of roses. In fact, He did all He could to discourage halfhearted admirers, of which there were many; however, these are not those he sought--we are not sidekicks or buddies of Christ, but worshipers and followers (a rare commodity).
The Christian way goes against the grain and is counter-cultural since we claim to know the only way to eternal life. We would be egotistical if it was just us claiming this; however, Christ, Himself, made the claim of being the exclusive way to the Father--and He tolerates no rivals. This doesn't mean we are intolerant, which is the only vice modern man sees and they categorize believers as being.
We are called to bear a cross as believers and this doesn't mean as a fashion statement, but to be willing to suffer all and even give the ultimate sacrifice of our lives. To be willing to go to our cross for Christ's sake, we must be absolutely convinced in our own minds: "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced ..." (cf. 2 Tim. 1:12). However, don't have a martyr's complex, thinking that the more you suffer, the better believe you are--and do not seek persecution or even be offensive as a person, because the offense should be in the cross.
We don't have to take the loyalty oath that first-century believers did to Caesar confessing, "Caesar is lord," but in everyday life, we are always being tested as to our devotion to Christ, and Satan is tempting us not to make Him first place in our priorities. One reason we are to welcome suffering as friends is that it is all Father-filtered, which means God-approved, and it is guaranteed to work out for our best in the end (cf. Rom. 8:28). God turns curses into blessings (cf. Gen. 50:20). As they say, "Behind every cloud, there's a silver lining."
People don't turn their backs on Christ suddenly, but slowly, as they drift away and gradually lose their first love and devotion to Christ. Paul longed to participate in the "fellowship of His sufferings" (cf. Phil. 3:10). The early disciple was glad that they were "considered worthy" of suffering for Christ's sake, to glorify Him.
How does this happen? We run into everyday situations and conflicts that give us the opportunity to defend a Christian worldview or to preach the gospel, and we are not to be ashamed to own our Lord. Actually, the more you stick up for Christ, the stronger your faith becomes. As Paul said to the Philippians 1:29 (NKJV): "For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him but also to suffer for His sake."
There is a downside to letting people know you're a believer: They watch your every move and listen to what you say to look for hypocrisy. They seem to think that if you don't live up to your faith, that this nullifies it and God isn't real. It only proves your faith isn't real, not that God isn't real. They hate hypocrites and won't go to church because they think it's full of them, yet they go to the golf club and play with hypocrites all the time and don't give it a second thought. You will want to keep your reputation and the pressure is high as you live under a microscope of observation. But there is no alternative because there are no secret agent believers who refuse to stand up for Jesus.
The world will approve your faith and won't object to anything unless it is pushed on them--they call evangelizing a way of forcing your viewpoints. They don't object to anything as long as you "privatize" it! But we are called to preach the gospel and be salt and light in the world, not to stand by and let the devil have his way. We need a thick skin and to be certain of our faith (and assurance of salvation is not an automatic fruit), to be able to withstand the fiery darts of the evil one (with assured faith and the helmet of salvation). Tertullian of Carthage, second-century church father, said that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.
As Esther said, she was born "for such a time as this" (cf. Esther 4:14, NKJV). We are not to wear our religion on our sleeve, as it were, as an excuse, but to live righteous and holy lives that God can use as a witness to a dark world blinded by Satan. In other words, we don't go out of our way to "advertise" that we are Christians, like carrying banners but to let Christ open the door no one can close in His timing.
We must absolutely aim to give God the glory and not to seek fame or take the credit ourselves, because He is the Potter and we are the clay and He is using us as vessels of honor for His own plan and purpose But one thing I can tell you from experience, is that you shouldn't doubt the wisdom of God, that He can make the most unpleasant events turn out for the good and we will praise Him in the end. It is only because He is trusting us with this trial and it is an honor to be tested.
We need to anticipate being used by God, and be prepared to defend the faith, contend for the faith, according to our faith. We all have a shot at greatness and God only holds us responsible for what He gives us: "to much is given, much is required." As John Milton said in Paradise Regained, "Who best can suffer, best can do." Jesus suffered more than anyone and our crosses pale in comparison; He isn't asking us to do anything He didn't do.
We should live in light of eternity and the final declaration of Christ saying, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." God doesn't care about our bucket list, but in us completing His will before we check out, as it is written: "For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption" (Acts 13:36, ESV). Soli Deo Gloria!
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