"Endure hardship as discipline..." (Hebrews 12:7, NIV).
"But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship..." (2 Timothy 4:5, NIV).
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Tim. 4:7, NIV).
Some believers seem to be deluded about the cost of discipleship and the suffering that comes with the package. God doesn't promise to make us all rich, famous, influential, or powerful: We are not worshiping at the altar of Almighty Chance trying to cash in our spiritual lottery ticket and live a balanced, successful life; we're here to do God's will: to know Him and make Him known (cf. Jer. 9:24). We are just vessels of honor used by God, which should be seen as a privilege of grace, and are just servants to whom we hope God will say at that day: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
It is by discipline, suffering, trials, tribulation, and adversity that we build character and these are our crosses to bear, but they pale in comparison to Christ's. Philippians 1:29 says that it has been granted unto us "to suffer for his sake." Christ was honest enough to warn us of this and didn't exempt himself from any humiliation, persecution, shame, suffering, nor temptation. Paul also expresses the desire to rejoice in the fellowship of His sufferings in Phil. 3:10. Contrary to what Joel Osteen writes about in Your Best Life Now, our reward is in heaven and we are only spiritual pilgrims on green cards with citizenship in heaven only passing through!
Some of us have more hardship than others, but none of us gets a free ride or a bed of roses; it's an affliction that shapes our character and makes us Christlike. Sure, God blesses us and makes our work in the Lord a success if we keep the faith and endure, but success in the eyes of the world is not what's meant--they have their reward in this life (cf. Psalm 17:14), but ours is in heaven. We are, therefore, to endure with patience the race set before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus (cf. Heb. 12:1).
The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints guarantees that we won't lose our salvation, but it doesn't ensure we won't lose our full reward or be disqualified (cf. 1 Cor. 9:27; 1 Cor. 3:15). "We must never, never give up" (in the words of Winston Churchill) and never quit but endure the hardship we are faced with, though it be a bucket of tears--it's always too soon to quit!
We may be tempted to compromise our integrity or to break faith, but we must go on from faith to faith (cf. Rom. 1:16). That means faith is the essence and we believe that God is working on our behalf and we cannot lose or are in a win-win situation. We may be tempted to deny Christ, or not to take a stand on His behalf, but we must keep the faith regardless. No matter what the world dishes out we must be able to roll with the punches; we're not called to grin and bear it like a Stoic, but to see the reward hopefully, and to endure joyfully.
Jesus never encouraged people to follow Him; in fact, He did all He could to discourage them and to count the cost of signing up for life. It wasn't something you give a whirl or make a short-term contract with, but a permanent transaction of becoming a child of God with all the consequences as well as blessings (divine discipline or chastisement and reward). You don't just "try Jesus" but you must be willing to commit your life to Him much like a marriage where you commit to a lifelong contract. You don't experiment with Him or accept Him on a trial basis! Jesus wasn't looking for admirers or sidekicks, but followers and worshipers who love Him and prove it by obedience.
The final goal is the smile of God, and He does so when we joyfully walk in His will and are obedient. "True holiness is doing the will of God with a smile," (Mother Teresa). The "joy of the Lord is [our] strength," according to Nehemiah 8:10; it's something the world cannot take away, as we are commanded to rejoice always.
The choice is clear: We are either for Christ or against Him; there's no middle ground of neutrality. Persecution is part of the deal or the package that we signed up for and the deal is for a lifetime: All who are godly shall suffer persecution. It's like a feather in your cap or crown on your head when you've been mocked or ridiculed for your faith and you know you've spoken out for Christ as His witness to a dark world.
The goal is to please God; "The LORD takes pleasure in his people..." (Psalm 149:4, ESV). We ought to rejoice in tribulation: Cf. Rom. 5:3! The caveat in tribulations: Keep your eyes on Jesus, not yourself, the world, nor others--no matter how tempting. Soli Deo Gloria!
"But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship..." (2 Timothy 4:5, NIV).
"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith" (2 Tim. 4:7, NIV).
Some believers seem to be deluded about the cost of discipleship and the suffering that comes with the package. God doesn't promise to make us all rich, famous, influential, or powerful: We are not worshiping at the altar of Almighty Chance trying to cash in our spiritual lottery ticket and live a balanced, successful life; we're here to do God's will: to know Him and make Him known (cf. Jer. 9:24). We are just vessels of honor used by God, which should be seen as a privilege of grace, and are just servants to whom we hope God will say at that day: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
It is by discipline, suffering, trials, tribulation, and adversity that we build character and these are our crosses to bear, but they pale in comparison to Christ's. Philippians 1:29 says that it has been granted unto us "to suffer for his sake." Christ was honest enough to warn us of this and didn't exempt himself from any humiliation, persecution, shame, suffering, nor temptation. Paul also expresses the desire to rejoice in the fellowship of His sufferings in Phil. 3:10. Contrary to what Joel Osteen writes about in Your Best Life Now, our reward is in heaven and we are only spiritual pilgrims on green cards with citizenship in heaven only passing through!
Some of us have more hardship than others, but none of us gets a free ride or a bed of roses; it's an affliction that shapes our character and makes us Christlike. Sure, God blesses us and makes our work in the Lord a success if we keep the faith and endure, but success in the eyes of the world is not what's meant--they have their reward in this life (cf. Psalm 17:14), but ours is in heaven. We are, therefore, to endure with patience the race set before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus (cf. Heb. 12:1).
The doctrine of the perseverance of the saints guarantees that we won't lose our salvation, but it doesn't ensure we won't lose our full reward or be disqualified (cf. 1 Cor. 9:27; 1 Cor. 3:15). "We must never, never give up" (in the words of Winston Churchill) and never quit but endure the hardship we are faced with, though it be a bucket of tears--it's always too soon to quit!
We may be tempted to compromise our integrity or to break faith, but we must go on from faith to faith (cf. Rom. 1:16). That means faith is the essence and we believe that God is working on our behalf and we cannot lose or are in a win-win situation. We may be tempted to deny Christ, or not to take a stand on His behalf, but we must keep the faith regardless. No matter what the world dishes out we must be able to roll with the punches; we're not called to grin and bear it like a Stoic, but to see the reward hopefully, and to endure joyfully.
Jesus never encouraged people to follow Him; in fact, He did all He could to discourage them and to count the cost of signing up for life. It wasn't something you give a whirl or make a short-term contract with, but a permanent transaction of becoming a child of God with all the consequences as well as blessings (divine discipline or chastisement and reward). You don't just "try Jesus" but you must be willing to commit your life to Him much like a marriage where you commit to a lifelong contract. You don't experiment with Him or accept Him on a trial basis! Jesus wasn't looking for admirers or sidekicks, but followers and worshipers who love Him and prove it by obedience.
The final goal is the smile of God, and He does so when we joyfully walk in His will and are obedient. "True holiness is doing the will of God with a smile," (Mother Teresa). The "joy of the Lord is [our] strength," according to Nehemiah 8:10; it's something the world cannot take away, as we are commanded to rejoice always.
The choice is clear: We are either for Christ or against Him; there's no middle ground of neutrality. Persecution is part of the deal or the package that we signed up for and the deal is for a lifetime: All who are godly shall suffer persecution. It's like a feather in your cap or crown on your head when you've been mocked or ridiculed for your faith and you know you've spoken out for Christ as His witness to a dark world.
The goal is to please God; "The LORD takes pleasure in his people..." (Psalm 149:4, ESV). We ought to rejoice in tribulation: Cf. Rom. 5:3! The caveat in tribulations: Keep your eyes on Jesus, not yourself, the world, nor others--no matter how tempting. Soli Deo Gloria!
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