Trials and Tribulations

Trials and Tribulations

Besides discipline, there is yet another possible reason for those who are born again to have trials. Jesus told us that those who really follow Him and who are really living their lives for Him, will be persecuted.

Matthew 10:22 All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved.

John 15:19 If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.

Usually when we think of being persecuted for our faith, we think of people dying for Christ like they did back in the disciples times and are even now in third world countries. That is of course persecution, but it is not the only form it takes.

Being persecuted for our faith can and does often happen in families where some of the family members are not Christians. It causes division and great heartache in all the members of that family. It can cause problems when raising children when one spouse is not a believer and cause a struggle over how, when or if  the children are disciplined.

Persecution also happens frequently on the job when co-workers or the boss are not Christians. Persecution can take the form of the believer being ridiculed and made fun of, insulted, or even being given the worst sort of jobs, or even losing their job because the owner or boss didn’t like them because of their faith.

Even in our society which is one of the most free ones in the world, believers are constantly ridiculed, put down, and treated like they are some kind of imbecile or idiot at best, or treated as though we are prejudiced and bigoted, or some kind of terrorist fanatic at worse. We know too that because we are in the last days that this will only get worse and not better.

In the following passage, Peter tells us that we shouldn’t be surprised when we suffer because of our faith. In fact he tells us to rejoice instead:

1 Peter 4:12-16 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

Peter explains that we should be joyful when we are persecuted because it let’s us know for sure that we are living our lives the way we are supposed to be. It is a testimony that we are not living “in friendship with the world”, but instead that we are abiding in Christ. He even goes so far as to tell us that when the rapture happens, if we have suffered in any way for our faith that we will be glorified with Christ!

Romans 8:17Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.

Not only will we be glorified but as a result of our suffering for our faith, we will be rewarded by being allowed to reign with Christ:

2 Timothy 2:12if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us;

Therefore when we are going through trials that have happened because of our faith, when we are being persecuted because of it, we can rejoice because it is a sure sign that we are living our lives the way the Lord wants us to.

However, Peter also tells us that there is another reason that God allows persecution to happen in our lives, and it’s the opposite of the other one. When persecution happens because we are living right, then we are blessed by it, but it can also happen as a disciplinary action done by God to purify us.

1 Peter 4:15-19 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler.However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?And, “If it is hard for the righteous to be saved, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner?”So then, those who suffer according to God’s will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good.

This is not saying that we earn our salvation but rather that once we are saved, God expects us to live in obedience to Him. When we don’t live in obedience, then we will be disciplined by Him. This is another reason that it’s so important to know our bibles and to stay in constant contact with the Lord through prayer. It is through doing those two things that we can determine just how the Lord wants us to live. This is another reason that our Lord told people to “count the cost” of following Him. Being a Christian is not an easy life, although the Lord does help us. If not for His help, we couldn’t do it at all.

James puts it even more bluntly then Peter does. He tells us that when we choose to “be a friend of the world” rather then living as we should, that it makes us an enemy of God. He says that the Holy Spirit who indwells us is very jealous of us and wants us for His own. He has no intention of “sharing” us with the world!

James 4:4-5 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.Or do you think Scripture says without reason that the spirit he caused to live in us envies intensely?

Jesus Himself told us that we can’t have our cake and eat it too.

Matthew 6:24“No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

Finally let me leave you with this quote from Ephesians which also warns us of the consequences of being disobedient and not living as we should.

Ephesians 5:3-7 But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person—such a man is an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient.Therefore do not be partners with them.

From today’s passages we can see that trials can come on us due to the fact that we are living right, because the world hates God and hates those who belong to Him; and they can come on us because we are not living obediently. When that happens, the trials come on us as the consequences of our sin and are God’s discipline meant to purify us and strengthen our faith.

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