If We Suffer with Him
by Dr. Paul Chappell
“Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.”
2 Timothy 2:10–13
According to one of the stories told about the life of Patrick working to bring the Gospel to Ireland, he had led King Aengus to the Lord. The king wanted to be baptized as a symbol of his new faith. During the preparation for baptism, Patrick accidentally stabbed the king’s foot with the sharp pointed end of his staff without knowing it. It was not until after they came out of the water and Patrick saw the blood that he realized what had happened. When he apologized and asked the king why he hadn’t said anything, Aengus replied, “I thought it was part of the ceremony!”
In our day the idea that Christianity is easy, and that if we love God He will make sure nothing bad happens to us is common, but it is wrong. The Christian life described in Scripture includes struggle, suffering, and hardship. There is grace and strength available to us for every trial, but there is no promise that trials will not come. In fact, it is exactly the opposite. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).
Rather than trying to find the soft path that does not require struggle and sacrifice, we should take up our crosses and endure without griping and complaining whatever difficulties we face. The hardship we endure pales in comparison to what Christ suffered on the cross, and no sacrifice for Him is too great.
2 Timothy 2:10–13
According to one of the stories told about the life of Patrick working to bring the Gospel to Ireland, he had led King Aengus to the Lord. The king wanted to be baptized as a symbol of his new faith. During the preparation for baptism, Patrick accidentally stabbed the king’s foot with the sharp pointed end of his staff without knowing it. It was not until after they came out of the water and Patrick saw the blood that he realized what had happened. When he apologized and asked the king why he hadn’t said anything, Aengus replied, “I thought it was part of the ceremony!”
In our day the idea that Christianity is easy, and that if we love God He will make sure nothing bad happens to us is common, but it is wrong. The Christian life described in Scripture includes struggle, suffering, and hardship. There is grace and strength available to us for every trial, but there is no promise that trials will not come. In fact, it is exactly the opposite. “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Timothy 3:12).
Rather than trying to find the soft path that does not require struggle and sacrifice, we should take up our crosses and endure without griping and complaining whatever difficulties we face. The hardship we endure pales in comparison to what Christ suffered on the cross, and no sacrifice for Him is too great.
Today’s Growth Principle:
We cannot be like Jesus unless we are first willing to join in the fellowship of His suffering.
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