The link to my book - Destroy and Deliver (Autobiography)

Thursday 28 April 2016

The suffering Christian

(1Peter 4:16)  “Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.”

If a man is found blameless and righteous in his own standings what profit would calamity bring to his life? Job was such a man.

Lawbreakers when caught face the penalty for their crimes with time spent in jail as their sentence or worse, death by execution. Therefore when we view hardships in people’s lives around us, when we become privy to them we often conclude whether the sentence is deserved or not. We demand justice! It is a default switch that cannot be avoided, at least in some measure.

Very few of us like to accept injustice as we understand it. But the view of calamity in the paths of Christians has a far greater purpose than that type of understanding. It serves a far greater resolve, and that is to silence the arch-enemy, the devil. I suppose if I was to be truthful, there are not many accounts where this is in plain view. However the story of Job depicts such a wonderful illustration when viewed correctly, when witnessed with the mind of Christ.

We must understand God’s role in these events in our lives to reap the required prize. If not we will continue to grumble and show that in fact we prove only one truth, that we lack faith towards our God. Wherever He leads will we follow? I understand that growth in Christ happens over time no differently to the growth of a child into adulthood. Maturity in Christ is never instantaneous; it is the trial of life that brings it about.

People (Christians) have concluded that God brings no evil upon a person as they use these verses to justify their thoughts; “Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am being tempted by God," for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers.” (James 1:12-16) – Note, look at the context in which this verse is unpacked; it begins with a believer remaining steadfast under trial. God can never be blame for us falling into sin for he is not privy to such temptations; they have no bearing on His existence. It is impossible for God to be tempted, it is beyond Him. The Lord Jesus felt the pressure of this when he was a man, finding himself in a body of flesh we see the way temptation played out in his life; “And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will."(Matthew 26:39) – Although the Lord Jesus’ directive was very clear, the pressure he faced in the Garden of Gethsemane brought about a request to avoid the cup that he was required to drink, but only up to a point.

God did not bring the temptation upon Job or His Son but He most certainly allowed it. Why? Well we know the end of Jobs life; he was doubly blessed once he came through the trial on the other side; “And the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning. And he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 yoke of oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. He had also seven sons and three daughters.” (Job 42:12-13) – As for the Lord Jesus what he endured for our sake entitled Him to not only be our Saviour but also our high priest; And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, "You are my Son, today I have begotten you"; as he says also in another place, "You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek." In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.” (Hebrews 5:4-10)

Therefore it cannot be any different for the believer; every struggle we face throughout our life times serves a purpose and the sooner we accept our realities the sooner I believe God will allow us to go onto perfection.

In conclusion, Job’s examples eventually silenced the devil and revealed God’s brilliance in showing up the Satan as inferior; God is not subject to anything evil but allows calamity to cross a believer’s life so that His name would be glorified through it all.

The Bible is clear on the subject and even the trials that befell Job are penned in this way; “Then came to him all his brothers and sisters and all who had known him before, and ate bread with him in his house. And they showed him sympathy and comforted him for all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him. And each of them gave him a piece of money and a ring of gold.” (Job 42:11) – Note; we see that the evil that Job had to face was accounted to the Lord and yet we know the way in which this played out, Satan requesting the hardships to befall Jobs life and only once permission was given by God did that actually materialise. – See Job chapter 2…

We must not be so focus on this life and the trial of it all to cloud our judgments but rather look to eternity where we will receive our reward if and when we have been found faithful to the call God has placed upon our lives, for that epoch for the Christian will engulf infinity.

Signing off

Tyrone
   


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