Somewhere along the line, someone decided that Jesus suffered so that we would not have to. This idea, that is a comfort to some, is actually deceitful to all. The New Testament teaches us clearly that Christ died to free us from the bondage of sin, but never that He suffered to free us from suffering in our lives. In fact, the New Testament is filled with encouragements and challenges to endure, fellowship with and even to rejoice in suffering. In this week’s passage, I Peter 4:1-6, Peter calls his readers to “arm” ourselves with the same mind that was in Jesus, so that we can suffer, not only for Him, but with Him. Why did Jesus suffer? His suffering was to obey the will of His Father and to win us to redemption. Our call to suffering is the same. We don’t suffer to receive salvation but to bring salvation to others. Suffering is not just something that happens to us, it is something that Jesus leads us into, for His glory, for the revelation of the character of God and for the salvation of those not yet found in Him. Our suffering is not to prove ourselves to Christ, but to reveal Christ to those that are in desperate need of Him. The question is not simply whether or not we are willing to suffer, but will we, who have been redeemed, join the work of redemption, knowing fully well that redemption cannot be won without someone being willing to suffer?
Join us tomorrow night, July 25th, as we look at Jesus, ask some difficult questions and hopefully, through focusing on the character of God yield our hearts and our lives to a suffering that is neither punishment nor proof of our own righteousness, but a suffering that is in fellowship with Jesus, for the glory of Jesus and brings about the redemption of men. Bible study is at 7:00 PM at the Kulynych’s home, 945 Bordentown Rd. in Burlington. We apologize but there is no child care provided for this gathering.