The Value of Suffering
Steven R. Cook
Romans 5:1-5 Therefore having been justified by
faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we
have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and
we exult in hope of the glory of God. And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that
tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character,
hope; and
hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within
our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Adversity
helps the obedient-believer grow spiritually, when he responds properly
in faith (Rom. 5:3-5; Jas. 1:2-4).
Suffering by itself does not advance growth, but rather, the believer’s
faith-response to it. The
obedient-believer knows God is in control of every aspect of his life and that
He produces the events that help the believer reach maturity (Rom. 8:28). There are no chance events in the believers’
life.
Adversity
serves to bring the rebellious-believer back to fellowship with God (Ps.
32:1-5; Heb. 12:5-11; 1 Jo. 1:9).
However, if the rebellious believer rejects warning and intensive
discipline, God will remove him from earth to heaven through the “sin unto
death” (1 Jo. 5:16). The three stages of
discipline for the rebellious-believer are:
1.
Warning (Dan.
4:4-27; 1 Cor. 11:30).
2.
Intensive (Dan.
4:28-37; 1 Cor. 11:30).
3.
Death (Acts
5:1-11; 1 Cor. 5:5; 11:30; 1 Jo. 5:16).
For
the growing believer, divine pressure produces humility by helping him realize
his weaknesses and overall inability to cope with life (2 Cor. 12:7-10). As a result, the growing believer looks to
God to sustain him, and lives by faith in His word (Isa. 26:3; 2 Cor.
12:7-10). The pressures of life help the
believer grow in dependence on the Lord.
God is glorified, and the believer is benefitted, when God’s resources
are utilized in pursuit of spiritual maturity.
The
process of growing into spiritual maturity never ends so long as the believer
is alive. There’s never a time when the
believer can say “I don’t need to grow anymore.
You can stop now God; I’ve arrived!”
The
power of God is available to the growing obedient-believer. Once the believer turns away from God, he
grieves/quenches the Holy Spirit and cuts off the source of divine
strength. Relying on others and/or self
will bring disaster when the pressures of life become too great. Francis Schaeffer illustrates this truth as
follows:
“A
culture or an individual with a weak base can stand only when the pressure on
it is not too great. As an illustration,
let us think of a Roman bridge. The
Romans built little humpbacked bridges over many of the streams of Europe. People and wagons went over these structures
safely for centuries, for two millennia.
But if people today drove heavily loaded trucks over these bridges, they
would break. It is this way with the
lives and value systems of individuals and cultures when they have nothing
stronger to build on than their own limitedness, their own finiteness. They can stand when the pressures are not too
great, but when the pressures mount, if then they do not have a sufficient
base, they crash—just as a Roman bridge would cave in under the weight of a
modern six-wheeled truck. Culture and
the freedoms of people are fragile. Without a sufficient base, when such pressures come only time is
needed—and often not a great deal of time—before they collapse.” (Francis Schaeffer, How Should we then Live? page 23)
Adversity
comes to everyone, but only the believer – armed with Scripture – has a
sufficient base with which to handle to pressures of life. Mental and emotional stability comes from
learning and living God’s word on a regular basis. This means the believer must submit every
area of his life to God, and be willing to do His will no matter the cost. Many Christians compartmentalize, giving God
some areas of their life, while holding on to other areas. Those areas of life that are kept from God
are used by Satan to defeat the believer.
There is no middle ground. The
believer who compartmentalizes wants to keep control of his life, and comes to
God only as he feels safe. In such an
immature life, Christianity becomes a self-serving religion in which God is
allowed control so long as He blesses and does not cause discomfort. Blessing and safety becomes the all consuming
concern in the life of the baby Christian.
The growing believer “exult[s] in tribulation” (Rom. 5:3) because he
knows God is working in Him to form the character of Christ, and that’s what he
wants more than anything. The growing
believer accepts suffering as means of becoming more like Christ. It is important to stress that there is no
real value inherent in suffering, but rather in how the believer handles the
suffering by living by faith in God’s word.
Divine
suffering tests the believer’s faith, exposing those areas where he is weak and
in which he needs to trust more in God; obeying His word. The believer who loves God wants to mature
and become more like Christ, and praises God for the fire of suffering that
burns away that which is worthless.
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