Two and a half weeks ago (Friday, September 29th to be exact) I finished reading the New Testament. I started in June. Not a record setting pace, but I took my time so that I could catch a glimpse of the “big picture”. While I’m sure it would be beneficial to point out some of the themes that are present throughout the NT…things like Jesus as the fulfillment of OT prophecy, or grace, or God’s plan of redemption through His Son; there’s one theme I find throughout the whole of the NT that I can’t get out of my head. Jesus himself speaks of it, Paul writes volumes on it, James and Peter mention it, and John alludes to it in Revelation.
What is it? Suffering…To suffer. The life of the NT follower of Christ was/is synonymous with suffering. The life of Christ himself was synonymous with suffering. If we follow Christ we will suffer. It’s not a matter of “if”, but a matter of “when”. Paul would have it no other way, because when he suffered he knew he was in the will of God for his life. In fact, Paul considered everything apart from knowing Christ rubbish. To know Christ is to know suffering. That means that Paul would rather suffer for Christ’s sake than for anything else. James reminds us to consider it pure joy when we suffer. Why? Because he knew the benefit, the outcome. Suffering puts us squarely at the feet of Jesus. It puts our focus where it should be.
If we know that suffering is part and parcel of following Christ, we have found for ourselves a litmus test of sorts. In other words, if I’m not currently suffering for my faith, or if I’ve not recently found myself suffering for my faith then I need to re-evaluate my walk with Christ. Because the NT makes it clear that if I’m in the will of God for my life I will suffer.
Don’t know why, but just something I thought worth mentioning.
Cheers.
Good word! For those in the early church, suffering was everywhere. The tribulation that they went through was something that caused many to fall away and it also produced perseverance in others. So too, when/if we are persecuted for our faith our true metal is tested. We will become apostate or prove that we truly are holy ones. No matter what our life looks like, glory to God that we don’t have to worry. John 16:33 tells us “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” Praise the Lord that we are not citizens of this world, and that this world is passing away (1 Cor 7:31) and that the kingdom is coming, as Jesus taught in the “model prayer.” Through His church, the kingdom is in this world and the whole world will be changed (Matt.16:18;13:33;Luke 13:21), hallelujah!!! May Jesus soon put His final enemies under His feet (1 Cor 15:25) and finally end the suffering of this world as we all live in the Kingdom coming into the world…
That is definitely a theme through both the Old and New Testaments. I have been studying the life of Joseph, and over and over in my mind, the more I study him, James 1 (particularly vs. 2-4) is a passage I can’t help but think about. Thanks for the note.