Suffering of believers

Believers must expect suffering

Jesus Christ foretold it

Matthew 10:22 KJV 1900

And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

See also Mt 10:17; Mt 23:34; Mt 24:9; Lk 21:16–17

The apostles foretold it

Ac 14:22; 2 Ti 3:12

See also Php 1:29; 1 Jn 3:13; Re 2:10

The experience of the OT shows it

Ro 8:36; Heb 11:25–26; Heb 11:32–38

The experience of the NT shows it

Ac 4:3; Ac 5:40; Ac 9:29; Ac 12:1–3; 2 Co 11:23–29; Ga 3:4; 1 Th 2:2; 1 Th 2:14; 1 Pe 4:4; Heb 10:32–34

Suffering for Jesus Christ is commendable

Matthew 5:10–12 KJV 1900

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

See also Ac 5:41; 2 Ti 1:8; 1 Pe 2:19; 1 Pe 3:17; 1 Pe 4:12–16

Suffering is profitable

It affirms believers’ adoption

Hebrews 12:7 KJV 1900

If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?

See also Jn 15:19; Jn 17:14; Ro 8:17; Ga 6:17; 2 Th 1:4–5

It is the price of godliness

Hebrews 12:11 KJV 1900

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

See also Ps 119:67; Ps 119:71; Is 38:17; Jn 15:2; 1 Pe 1:6–7

It is a condition of service

2 Co 4:10; Col 1:24

See also Ps 126:5–6; Ac 9:16; Ac 20:23–24; 1 Co 4:9–13; 2 Co 1:3–5; Ga 4:19; Php 3:18; Col 2:1; 2 Ti 1:11–12; 2 Ti 2:3; 2 Ti 2:10

It develops trust

2 Corinthians 1:9 KJV 1900

But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

See also 1 Pe 4:19

It develops character

Romans 5:3–4 KJV 1900

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope:

See also Heb 5:8; Jas 1:3

It deepens fellowship

1 Corinthians 12:26 KJV 1900

And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.

See also Ro 12:15; 2 Co 1:7; 2 Co 8:2; Ga 4:14–15; Ga 6:2

It draws believers to the Lord

Php 3:8; Php 3:10

See also Job 42:5; 2 Co 4:8–10; 2 Co 12:9–10; 1 Pe 4:13

It prepares believers for heaven

2 Corinthians 4:16–5:4 KJV 1900

For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life.