Paul: His Life and His Teachings The Hardship Catalogue
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No.26 Paul: His Life and Teachings - The Hardship Catalogue (Part 1)
No.27 Paul: His Life and Teachings - The Hardship Catalogue (Part 2)
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We will study today one of the favorite topics of those who believe they are suffering for or because of their faith in Jesus. Serving God involves attracting troubles from the oppositions of the ungodly. Paul himself wrote: Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Tim.3:12). What is obvious is Paul suffered much persecution or trouble during his life and ministry. What is ignored is that there were believers who did not just followed Paul’s teaching, but followed Paul even in suffering and persecutions. They don’t mind suffering together with Paul. This is a partnership. This is a team. This is a Christian family. Now, whenever we hear of a believer suffering, we immediately conclude that they are suffering for Jesus. Not all sufferings are for Jesus. There are some sufferings that we bring to ourselves. What Paul is referring to, and what we will be studying are the sufferings that we get “because” of our faith in the Gospel, because we are following Jesus! The way we will approach this is to look at the several hardship passages of Paul and make an immediate application in our lives.
Perhaps among the richest section of the scriptures about great promises, victory, and a kind of invincibility of a believer in Christ is found in Romans chapter 8. On suffering, Paul wrote that the suffering of the present time is not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed (v.18). The present suffering and the future glory is very difficult to compare. So, Paul’s statements are faith language! While Paul looks forward to the future, most people are just concerned about the now. Therefore, they keep on making bad decisions. In verse 28, Paul wrote that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose. The process of our calling in different stages is further discussed in verses 28-30. As we go through, we will discuss why our confidence in God should soar. As people of God, we should triumph over whatever it is that the enemy throws in our ways. Victory comes from the knowledge that “God is for me/you.” Several passages in Psalm provide vivid imageries of the confidence and security brought about by being with the Almighty God (Psa.23:4; 56:9; 118:6).
There is simply no hostility that we must fear if God is with us! “God is for me” however should not be taken to mean like we have God as a subservient ally whom we can mobilize to accomplish our purposes. There is faith and there is obedience requirement for such to be a reality. This also states a fact that we certainly have enemies. However, because God is with us, there is no need to fear. Even if they can cause us to suffer grievously. God’s acts bring faith and confidence. He is extremely generous and gracious that He did not even spare His Own Son just to save us. Not sparing His own son is alluding to the story of Abraham sacrificing Isaac. And because Abraham did not withhold his only son, God in the context of a covenant “cannot” likewise withhold His Own Son (Gen.22:16). So God delivered Him for us all. This speaks again of the faithfulness of God. This statement in Romans is reminding Israel of His faithfulness, and connecting the saved Gentiles to the faith community.
Literally, God did not spare His Son but gave Him over to die. This is another one of those “giving over” passages. God did not prevent His Son from suffering. Remember that Jesus willfully submitted to this plan (Jn.10:17). Now, this is the kind of sacrifice that Jesus did. This is how we must be making any sacrifice. How will He not also with Him freely give us all things? He freely gives us all things, that is, to complete our redemption. Therefore, going back to what we discussed above. The sufferings today are nothing in comparison to the glory of tomorrow. All things will work together for good. God will give it to us. He elected us, and no one could bring a charge against His elect. No one can accuse the people of God because He is the One who justifies. He declared us “not guilty!” Who is the one who condemns? Jesus will not condemn us either. Remember the woman caught in adultery. However, we learned from John that our hearts can condemn us (cf. John 3:19-21). When our hearts condemn us because we are guilty, we need to confess our sins and He is faithful and just to forgive us.
Jesus died for us. He was raised and is seated at the right hand of God. He is in the place of honor and authority. He intercedes for us at the right hand of God, Jesus is talking to God about us. This is intercession. He loves us and no one can separate us from His love – even tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, or sword! He sent us ministers who were like sheep to be slaughtered. The love of Jesus for us is what made Him give us the ministerial gifts and ask those ministerial gifts to endure all things for the sake of the Body of Christ. This is one of the reasons why Paul claimed that he dies daily or “I face death every day.” Yet, we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. We have complete victory. The overwhelming victory is ours. Nothing can separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus. Praise be to God!