Hebrews 10:32-35 “But recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings: (33) partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated; (34) for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and an enduring possession for yourselves in heaven. (35) Therefore, do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.”
You will recall that when Stephen was martyred that the church in Jerusalem endured great persecution at the hands of the Jews (Acts 8:1). Although that persecution was driven mainly by Saul, it only eased slightly after he was converted. Nevertheless the persecution against that church continued unabated, and many years later the apostle Paul had to remind them of their earlier persecution that they had endured. For many in that church were being tempted to go back into Judaism, for they had started to become weary from all the persecution that they were incurring from their fellow countrymen. And so we see that in the above quoted passage of scripture the Holy Spirit warned them not to give up, but rather to continue in the faith. For again the Holy Spirit reminded them of their eternal rewards that awaited them for their suffering incurred in this life, thus reinforcing the truth to us that the saints are called to suffer persecution in this life.
1 Peter 2:18-21 “Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. (19) For this is commendable, if because of conscience toward God one endures grief, suffering wrongfully. (20) For what credit is it if, when you are beaten for your faults, you take it patiently? But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. (21) For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.”
In the above quoted passage of scripture the apostle Peter mentions a particular type of suffering that can be incurred by believers, i.e. suffering wrongfully in the workplace. But the main point that I wanted to highlight from this passage at this time, is the fact that the Holy Spirit tells the church that we have been called to suffer. And so again we see that the call to suffer is not only for a select few in the body of Christ, but rather for all. And the Holy Spirit goes on to teach us in this passage that our Lord Jesus is given to us as the example that we are to follow in the area of suffering.
1 Peter 4:12-19 “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; (13) but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. (14) If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part, He is glorified. (15) But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people's matters. (16) Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter. (17) For the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? (18) Now "If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" (19) Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.”
In the above quoted passage of scripture the apostle Peter clearly explains to us the type of suffering that believers are called to experience in this life. Firstly, he tells us that we are not to think it strange when we incur tribulations in this life. The reason he says that is because that is exactly what the believer has been called to. But I want you to notice just what sufferings Peter is referring to, for he speaks of the extent that we partake of Christ's sufferings. And so we see that believers can expect to partake of the same sufferings that our Lord Jesus partook of. We saw earlier that our Lord Jesus taught us that men would exclude and revile His disciples, and this is exactly what the apostle Peter is saying, for he speaks of being reproached for the name of Christ and suffering as a Christian. Again just as our Lord Jesus did, the apostle Peter teaches us to rejoice when we are subjected to this type of persecution, because of the eternal rewards that await the saints who incur such tribulation.
Psalms 44:15-22 “My dishonour is continually before me, and the shame of my face has covered me, (16) Because of the voice of him who reproaches and reviles, Because of the enemy and the avenger. (17) All this has come upon us; But we have not forgotten You, nor have we dealt falsely with Your covenant. (18) Our heart has not turned back, nor have our steps departed from Your way; (19) But You have severely broken us in the place of jackals and covered us with the shadow of death. (20) If we had forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a foreign god, (21) would not God search this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart. (22) Yet for Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”
Romans 8:35-37 “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (36) As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." (37) Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”
The first passage of scripture quoted above is a prophetic account of what the Jewish nation will go through under the reign of the Anti-Christ. But I want you to notice that during that time that even though the Jews will be serving God faithfully under the new covenant, that nevertheless they will experience severe persecution. In the second passage of scripture quoted above the apostle Paul, in teaching the church about the tribulations that we are appointed to, quotes verse twenty-two of that Psalm to show us that as the gentile church, we too are killed all day long for His sake and we too are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Just prior to his quote of the passage from the Psalms, Paul lists the kind of suffering that the church can expect in this life, i.e. tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril and sword. And when he says that in all these things we are more than conquerors he is referring to our eternal rewards, for the suffering incurred in this life.
Revelation 7:9-17 “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands, (10) and crying out with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!" (11) All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, (12) saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honour and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen." (13) Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?" (14) And I said to him, "Sir, you know." So, he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (15) Therefore, they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple. And He who sits on the throne will dwell among them. (16) They shall neither hunger anymore nor thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any heat; (17) for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
The above quoted passage of scripture is an account of a conversation that the apostle John had with one of the twenty-four elders. The context of the elder’s question to John as to, “who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?” is that John was seeing a vision of the church worshiping before the throne of God. The vision given to John is of the whole church worshipping before the throne of God and not just a part of the church. But the point that I wanted to highlight from this passage is what heaven’s view is of the believers’ life here on earth. They view it as being one of tribulation, for the elder says that “These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation”, referring to the whole body of Christ, not just a select few. And so we can see, based on the scriptures that we have looked at in this section, there can be no doubt that the Lord’s apostles taught us that part of the Christian walk is that we are called to suffer tribulation and persecution in this life.
Michael E.B. Maher
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