The Doctrine of Suffering
Introduction
Why me? Why now? What is God doing? Suffering is a tool God uses to get our attention and to
accomplish His purposes in our lives. It is designed to build our trust in the Almighty, but suffering
requires the right response if it is to be successful in accomplishing God’s purposes. Suffering forces
us to turn from trust in our own resources to living by faith in God’s resources.
Suffering is not in itself virtuous, nor is it a sign of holiness. It is also not a means of gaining points
with God, nor of subduing the flesh (as in asceticism). When possible, suffering is to be avoided.
Christ avoided suffering unless it meant acting in disobedience to the Father’s will.
Ecclesiastes 7:14 In the day of prosperity be happy, But in the day of adversity
consider--God has made the one as well as the other so that man may not discover
anything that will be after him.
The following questions are designed to help us “consider” in the day of adversity:
(1) How am I responding to it?
(2) How should I respond to it?
(3) Am I learning from it?
(4) Does my response demonstrate faith, love for God and for others, Christ-like character, values,
commitment, priorities, etc.?
(5) How can God use it in my life?
Suffering Defined
What is suffering? What are these bends in the road that God puts in the path of life that we are to
carefully consider? Simply stated, suffering is anything which hurts or irritates. In the design of God, it
is also something to make us think. It is a tool God uses to get our attention and to accomplish His
purposes in our lives in a way that would never occur without the trial or irritation.
Illustrations of Suffering
“It may be cancer or a sore throat. It may be the illness or loss of someone close to you. It may be a
personal failure or disappointment in your job or school work. It may be a rumor that is circulating in
your office or your church, damaging your reputation, bringing you grief and anxiety.”40 It can be
anything that ranges from something as small and irritating as the bite of a mosquito or the nagging of
a gnat to the charge of an elephant or having to face a lion in the lions’ den as with Daniel (Dan. 6).
General Causes of Suffering
(1) We suffer because we live in a fallen world where sin reigns in the hearts of men.
(2) We suffer because of our own foolishness. We reap what we sow (Gal. 6:7-9).
(3) We sometimes suffer because it is God’s discipline. “For those whom the Lord loves He
disciplines, and He scourges every son He receives.” (Heb. 12:6).
(4) We may suffer persecution because of our faith--especially when we take a stand on biblical
issues, i.e., suffering for righteousness sake (2 Tim. 3:12).
Of course, all of these do not apply at the same time. All suffering is not, for instance, a product of
our own foolishness, self-induced misery, or sin. It is true, however, that rarely does suffering not
reveal areas of need, weaknesses, and wrong attitudes that need to be removed like dross in the
gold refining process (cf. 1 Pet. 1:6-7).
The Nature of Suffering
Suffering is Painful
Suffering is hard. It is never easy. Regardless of what we know and how hard we apply the
principles, it is going to hurt (cf. 1 Pet. 1:6--“distressed” is lupeo meaning “to cause pain, sorrow,
grief”).
Suffering is Perplexing
Suffering is somewhat mysterious. We may know some of the theological reasons for suffering from
Scripture, yet when it hits, there is still a certain mystery. Why now? What is God doing? In this, it is
designed to build our trust in the Almighty.
Suffering is Purposeful
Suffering is not without meaning in spite of its mystery. It has as its chief purpose the formation of
Christ-like character (Rom. 8:28-29).
Suffering Proves, Tests Us
“Trials” in James 1:2 is the Greek peirasmos and refers to that which examines, tests, and proves
the character or integrity of something. “Testing” in this same verse is dokimion which has a similar
idea. It refers to a test designed to prove or approve. Suffering is that which proves one’s character
and integrity along with both the object and quality of one’s faith. Compare 1 Pet. 1:6-7 where the
same Greek words are used along with the verb dokimazo which means, “put to the test,” “prove
by testing as with gold.”
Suffering is a Process
“We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, proven character; and . . .” (Rom.
5:3-4). “Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its
perfect result, that you may be perfect (mature) and complete, lacking in nothing” (Jam. 1:3-4). As a
process, it takes time. The results God seeks to accomplish with the trials of life requires time and
thus also, endurance.
Suffering is a Purifier
No matter the reason, even if it is not God’s discipline for blatant carnality, it is a purifier for none of
us will ever be perfect in this life (Phil. 3:12-14).
Suffering Provides Opportunity
Suffering provides opportunity for God’s glory, our transformation, testimony, and ministry, etc. (See
reasons for suffering given below.)
Suffering Requires Our Cooperation
Suffering requires the right response if it is to be successful in accomplishing God’s purposes. “We
all want the product, character; but we don’t want the process, suffering.”41 Because of our make
up as human beings, we can’t have one without the other.
Suffering is Predetermined and Inevitable
1 Thessalonians 3:3 so that no man may be disturbed by these afflictions; for you
yourselves know that we have been destined for this.
1 Peter 4:19 Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust
their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.
The question we must each face is not, “if” we are going to have trials in life, but how will we
respond to them.
Suffering is a Struggle
It’s going to be a battle all the way. That’s why they are called “trials” and “testings.” Even when we
understand the purposes and principles of suffering, and we know the promises of God’s love and
concern given in the Word of God for handling suffering, dealing with the trials of life is never easy
because suffering hurts. Trials simply give us the capacity to cooperate with the process (Jam. 1:4).
They allow the process to work and allow us to experience inner peace and joy in the midst of the
trials.
In order to handle suffering with inner joy and tranquillity, we must be able to look ahead to God’s
purposes and reasons for suffering. This requires faith in the eternal verities of God.
Compare the blessings of affliction as seen in the testimony of the Psalmist in Ps. 119:
Before affliction:
Straying and ignoring (vs. 67a)
During and in affliction:
Learning and turning (vs. 71, cf. vs. 59)
When under affliction we need
to:
Determine Causes if we can (Is it because of something I have
done?)
Determine Objectives (What is God wanting to do in my life or in
others?)
Determine Solutions (How does God want me to handle this?)
After affliction:
Knowing and changing (vss. 67b, 97-102)
Resting and valuing (vss. 65,72)
We must understand God’s chief purpose for our lives is to be conformed to the image of Christ and
He has determined in His plan to use suffering for our spiritual development. If we are going to
endure suffering and the trials of life, however, we must also understand and believe in the other
purposes and reasons for suffering as they are related to the chief purpose.
Purposes and Reasons for Suffering
(1) We suffer as a testimony, as a witness (2 Tim 2:8-10; 2 Cor. 4:12-13; 1 Pet. 3:13-17).
When believers handle suffering joyfully and with stability, it becomes a marvelous testimony to the
power and life of Christ that we claim and name. Suffering provides key opportunities to manifest
and magnify the power of God through His servants in order to verify and confirm the messenger and
his message. It provides opportunities to reveal our credentials as ambassadors of Christ (1 Kings.
17:17-24; John 11:1-45). This includes the following areas:
To glorify God before the angelic world (Job 1-2; 1 Pet. 4:16).
To manifest the power of God to others (2 Cor. 12:9, 10; John 9:3).
To manifest the character of Christ in the midst of suffering as a testimony to win others to
Christ (2 Cor. 4:8-12; 1 Pet. 3:14-17).
(2) We suffer to develop our capacity and sympathy in comforting others (2 Cor. 1:3-5)
(3) We suffer to keep down pride (2 Cor. 12:7). The Apostle Paul saw his thorn in the flesh as an
instrument allowed by God to help him maintain a spirit of humility and dependence on the Lord
because of the special revelations he had seen as one who had been caught up to the third heaven.
(4) We suffer because it is a training tool. God lovingly and faithfully uses suffering to develop
personal righteousness, maturity, and our walk with Him (Heb. 12:5f; 1 Pet. 1:6; Jam. 1:2-4). In this
sense, suffering is designed:
As discipline for sin to bring us back to fellowship through genuine confession (Ps. 32:3-5;
119:67).
As a pruning tool to remove dead wood from our lives (weaknesses, sins of ignorance,
immature attitudes and values, etc.). The desired goal is increased fruitfulness (John 15:1-7).
Trials may become mirrors of reproof to reveal hidden areas of sin and weakness (Ps. 16:7;
119:67, 71).
As a tool for growth designed to cause us to rely on the Lord and His Word. Trials test our
faith and cause us to use the promises and principles of the Word (Ps. 119:71, 92; 1 Pet. 1:6;
Jam. 1:2-4; Ps. 4:1 [The Hebrew of this passage can mean, “You have enlarged, made me
grow wide by my distress]). Suffering or trials teach us the truth of Psalm 62:1-8, the truth of
learning to “wait on the Lord only.”
As a means of learning what obedience really means. It becomes a test of our loyalty
(Heb. 5:8). Illustration: If a father tells his son to do something he likes to do (i.e., eat a bowl
of ice cream) and he does it, the child has obeyed, but he hasn’t really learned anything about
obedience. If his dad, however, asks him to mow the lawn, that becomes a test and teaches
something about the meaning of obedience. The point is, obedience often costs us something
and is hard. It can require sacrifice, courage, discipline, and faith in the belief that God is good
and has our best interests at heart regardless of how things might appear to us. Regardless of
the reason God allows suffering into our lives, rarely does it not reveal areas of need,
weaknesses, wrong attitudes, etc., as it did in Job.
Suffering itself is not the thing that produces faith or maturity. It is only a tool that God uses to
bring us to Himself so we will respond to Him and His Word. It forces us to turn from trust in
our own resources to living by faith in God’s resources. It causes us to put first things first.
Ultimately, it is the Word and the Spirit of God that produces faith and mature Christ-like
character (Ps. 119:67, 71).
In James 1:2-4 and 1 Peter 1:6-7 the key word is “proof.” “Proof” is the word dokimion
which looks at both the concept of testing which purifies, and the results, the proof that is left
after the test. The Lord uses trials to test our faith in the sense of purifying it, to bring it to the
surface, so we are forced to put our faith to work.
(5) We suffer to bring about continued dependence on the grace and power of God. Suffering
is designed to cause us to walk by God’s ability, power and provision rather than by our own (2
Cor. 11:24-32; 12:7-10; Eph. 6:10f; Ex. 17:8f). It causes us to turn from our resources to His
resources.
(6) We suffer to manifest the life and character of Christ (The Fruit of the Spirit) (2
Cor.4:8-11; Phil. 1:19f). This is similar to point (4) above with more emphasis on the process and
defining the objective, the production of the character of Christ. This has both a negative and a
positive aspect:
Negative: Suffering helps to remove impurities from our lives such as indifference, self trust,
false motives, self-centeredness, wrong values and priorities, and human defense and escape
mechanisms by which we seek to handle our problems (man-made solutions). Suffering in
itself does not remove the impurities, but is a tool God uses to cause us to exercise faith in the
provisions of God’s grace. It is God’s grace in Christ (our new identity in Christ, the Word
and the Holy Spirit) that changes us. This negative aspect is accomplished in two ways:
(a) When out of fellowship with the Lord: Suffering becomes discipline from our heavenly
Father (Heb. 5:5-11; 1 Cor. 11:28-32; 5:1-5). This involves known sin, rebellion and
indifference to God.
(b) When in fellowship with the Lord: Suffering becomes the loving and skillful handy work
of the Vine Dresser to make us more productive. It involves unknown sin, areas we may not
be aware of, but that are nevertheless hindering our growth and fruitfulness. In this case,
suffering often constitutes mirrors of reproof (John 15:1-7).
Positive: When believers live under suffering joyfully (i.e., they endure and keep on applying
the promises and principles of the faith), Christ’s life or character will be more and more
manifested as they grow through the suffering (2 Cor. 4:9-10; 3:18). This means trust, peace,
joy, stability, biblical values, faithfulness and obedience in contrast to sinful mental attitudes,
blaming, running, complaining, and reactions against God and people.
(7) We suffer to manifest the evil nature of evil men and the righteousness of the justice of
God when it falls in judgment (1 Thess. 2:14-16). Suffering at the hands of people (persecution,
violent treatments) is used of God to “fill up the measure of their sins.” It shows the evil character of
those who persecute others and the justice of God’s judgment when it falls.
(8) We suffer to broaden our ministries (cf. Philippians 1:12-14 with 4:5-9). In the process of
producing Christian character and enhancing our testimony to others, suffering often opens up doors
for ministry we could never have imagined. Paul’s imprisonment (chained daily to Roman soldiers in
his own house) resulted in the spread of the gospel within the elite imperial praetorian guard. The
Apostle was undoubtedly continuing to rejoice in the Lord, but if he had been complaining, sulking,
and bitter, his witness would have been zero.
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Peter #4
Suffering: Peter wrote his two letters to believers living in Asia Minor during the first century A.D.
At the time, these early Christians were undergoing severe hardships, and the suffering they were
experiencing was beginning to impede their spiritual growth. In his first letter, Peter is primarily
concerned with this problem of suffering. In fact, he uses the Greek word pascho (the verb meaning
"to suffer") more in this one short letter than the apostle Paul does in all of his epistles put together.
Hardships, setbacks, disappointments, illnesses, and all the various and sundry forms of suffering
can, quite understandably, be a stumbling block to faith.
We believers say that we have been delivered from God's wrath, that we have been forgiven all our
sins by the blood of Jesus Christ, and that we are now God's children. Why then is life so difficult?
Why is there so much pain? Without biblical answers to such questions, intense suffering will
inevitably put tremendous pressure on a believer's faith, tempting him to doubt God. But God has
provided us with truth to combat this doubt, the truth of His Word. With the truth contained in the
Bible, God has given us the means to protect our faith, understand the suffering that comes our way,
and endure it with the result that God is glorified, and we grow spiritually. Peter's objective in writing
1st Peter is to give these hard-pressed early believers the critical information and encouragement
they need to pass the suffering test, information that is just as crucial for us to master today as it was
for them nearly two thousand years ago.
Categories of Suffering: It will be helpful for our purposes to categorize the causes of suffering
from the biblical point of view. The most ubiquitous form of suffering we may term general human
suffering. By God's design, the physical universe operates in certain predictable patterns which are
commonly called natural laws. Similarly, in the human realm, God has ordained a system of normal
human behavior, implanted in the conscience of all people (Rm.2:14-15). We may label as human
law the attempts of mankind to codify these principles.
If we should decide to ignore the consequences of either category of law (natural or human),
suffering would result. For example, we might chose to ignore the law of gravity and jump out of a
second-story window, or we might decide to take home a television set without paying for it first.
While we might possibly avoid negative consequences in both examples, it is clear that repeated
flouting of natural and human law will inevitably bring suffering. Often times, of course, it is
impossible not to run afoul of natural and human law. For example, on the natural side, all of us will
encounter some sort of disease in our lives, while on the human side, even compliance with the law
can often be painful (e.g. paying income tax). In extreme situations, such suffering can be intense
(consider the victims of natural disasters, or political persecutions undertaken in the name of law and
order). The point is that the normal operation of the physical universe and human history produce
suffering in the natural course of things, and we all understand that this is so and can easily discern
the specific natural or political causes for individual cases of suffering.
The Origin of General Human Suffering: As believers in God, and in the perfection and
goodness of God, we may well ask why there is pain and suffering at all, why political persecution
and natural disaster? The short answer to this question is that suffering originated from evil, and evil
originated from God's creatures, not from God. While we shall have cause to study the pertinent
doctrines (such as Creation, Angels, Satan and the Angelic Conflict, and the Fall of Man) at a later
date, a few words about the origin of suffering are in order here.
God's original creation of the universe included a category of exceptional creatures called angels.
Superior to mankind in ability, they were also endowed with free will. One particularly gifted angel
whom God had placed in a position of great authority took it into his heart to rebel against God and
attempted to replace Him as ruler of the universe (Is.14:12ff.; Ezk.28:12-19). The Bible is silent on
the precise course which this revolt took, but we know that God's ultimate triumph over Satan and
the angels who chose to follow him is certain (Lk.10:18; Rm.16:20; Rv.20:10).
Obviously, as an omnipotent being, infinite God would have had no trouble subduing one of his own,
finite creatures. Instead of doing so immediately, however, God apparently decided to demonstrate
to Satan and all the angels that Satan and his followers had truly been free to choose, and that,
therefore, the fact that God had created Satan did not make God responsible for the evil which
Satan chose to do. To prove this, God created man, a creature far inferior to the angels in ability, but
possessed of the same free will. Faced with the ultimate contest which would decide his fate, Satan
realized that his only hope of avoiding condemnation lay in thwarting this divine demonstration of
creature free will. Otherwise, a human choice for God would prove beyond all doubt that Satan had
indeed also been responsible for his own actions. Satan therefore sought to alienate man from God
by corrupting our original parents (Gen.3), but God provided a solution for man: though man had
used his free will to disobey God and had thus fallen into sin, God gave man another opportunity.
God gave man the chance to use his free will in obedience to God by submitting to God through faith
in the coming Savior (foreshadowed by the "coats of skin" of Gen.3:21 which represent, by the
animal sacrifice through which they were provided, Christ's death on the cross).
What does all this have to do with general human suffering? When God created man, He created
them male and female (Gen.1:27), He created them perfect, and He placed them in a perfect place:
the Garden of Eden (from the Hebrew gan-'aden, meaning "garden of pleasure [or delight]",
Gen.2:8). In this perfect place, and in this condition of perfection, man knew no suffering, just as in
the new paradise to come, suffering will once again be absent (Rev.21.4). As a result of the fall of
man in Genesis chapter 3, however, all mankind is subject to general human suffering in this life. God
had warned Adam and Eve that eating from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
would produce their death (immediate spiritual death, or alienation from God, and eventual physical
deterioration, death, and eternal condemnation: Gen.2:17). In addition, they were thrown out of the
perfect paradise of Eden (Gen.3:22-24), and a new element was introduced into their lives: suffering.
"Pain" is prophesied for Eve (Gen.3:16) and "toil" for Adam, but both words come from the same
Hebrew root: 'atsab, which means to feel hurt, pain, and grief. Thus Adam and Eve left all of us,
their descendants, a legacy of general human suffering. But while our relationship to our first
parents has brought us suffering and death, the new relationship which God offers us with Himself
through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ brings us joy and eternal life, for while "in Adam all die, in
Christ shall all be made alive" (1Cor.15:22).
In the midst of pronouncing judgment upon Adam and Eve, God also provided them with His
promise of hope, telling them (Gen.3:15) that the Seed of the Woman (i.e. Christ) would one day
crush the serpent's head (i.e. Satan). This victory came at the cross, so that all we who have put our
faith in Christ now look forward with certainty to the future day when these bodies of pain will be
resurrected as bodies of perfection (2Cor.5). Then we shall live forever with God the Father and His
Son Jesus Christ in the new paradise, the new Jerusalem (Rev.21-22).
The Suffering of Believers: As believers, we live in phase II of God's plan (time; see lesson #3).
Phase I (salvation) ended when we accepted Jesus Christ as our savior, and phase III (eternity)
has yet to begin for those of us still present on the earth. Though our hearts have changed in
obedience to Christ, our bodies are exactly the same as they were before salvation, and we still
inhabit the same imperfect world as we did before we believed. Consequently, we are still subject to
the general human suffering that has plagued mankind since the fall of Adam and Eve. There are
some very important differences in the suffering of believers, however.
First of all, our suffering will come to an end. We have certain knowledge through faith that we shall
eventually be liberated from the pain and tears of this life, and, like the creation itself, we eagerly
anticipate this liberation, knowing that the hardships of this present time are not worthy to be
compared to the wondrous glories of heaven to come (Rom.8:18-23).
Secondly, we know that whatever suffering we are called upon to endure, it is all part of God's plan
for our lives, and that the end result, even of painful suffering, will be for our good according to the
wisdom and mercy of our heavenly Father (Rom.8:28).
It is critical, however, to distinguish between the two types of specific suffering which are unique to
believers in order to avoid the shipwreck of our faith. The believers to whom Peter wrote were
having trouble making this distinction between the two types of the suffering of believers:
(1) undeserved suffering and
(2) divine discipline.
Undeserved suffering: This term simply means hardship that God allows to come the believer's
way to test, temper, and train the believer. All too often, believers assume that suffering means that
either God isn't concerned about them, or else God is punishing them. Hardship does not necessarily
mean that God is displeased. As we shall see next week, spiritual growth is impossible without some
opposition in life whereby God can demonstrate His faithfulness to us in hard times, and whereby we
in turn can demonstrate our trust in Him in spite of adverse circumstances.
As Christians, it is absolutely essential that we be objective when difficulties come our way and
remember that our heavenly Father loves us so much that He gave His only Son to die for us,
therefore He will surely help us through our problems as well (Rm.5:8-9). If we have done nothing
wrong, it is imperative that we not open up our mental "closets" to see what long-past sins may be
responsible for our current suffering. God deals with us in forgiveness and grace. Sins committed
long ago, confessed long ago, forgiven long ago, and dealt with long ago are not the cause of our
current problems. We must avoid misplaced and superfluous feelings of guilt, or else they have the
potential to wreak havoc on our spiritual lives. Part of Peter's purpose in writing 1st Peter was to
dispel confusion on this point which was threatening the spiritual growth of the believer in Asia
Minor.
Divine Discipline: True, we are not perfect beings. That is why we needed a perfect savior, Jesus
Christ, to die in our place. By His blood we have been redeemed (1Pet.1:18), bought out of the
power of sin. But since we still inhabit imperfect bodies (Rm.7), and still live in an imperfect world
(Jn.17:15), regrettably, it is beyond our ability to be completely sinless after becoming believers
(1Jn.1:10).
Because of His righteous character, God must address the sin which believers commit, but he deals
with us as a loving Father. When our children do wrong, if we truly love them, we discipline them not
to sate our anger, but to correct their behavior for their own good. The way God deals with us when
we sin very similar. In Hebrews chapter twelve, we are told that God disciplines "those He loves"
(v.6), and that all who are truly son's of God are disciplined by Him (v.8). God's purpose in
disciplining us is not to crush us, to destroy us, or to pour out His wrath upon us, but to correct us,
to train us, and to make us the kind of Christians He wants us to be (vv.10-11).
How then should we face the problem of personal sin and the divine discipline it brings on? First of
all, as we continue to grow spiritually and learn the doctrinal truths of God's Word, we develop a
clearer sense of just what is sinful and what is not sinful. If we do sin, 1 John chapter one gives us the
crucial mechanics by which we must correct the situation and get back into fellowship with God. In
verse 8, John tells us that we all "have sin" (i.e., we have a sinful nature, and are thus predisposed to
sin; cf. Eccles. 7:20), but in verse 9 we find that "if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to
forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness". Now the Greek word for "confess" is
homologeo, and it simply means to "admit". Therefore if, when we do sin, and we then admit our sin
to God (in a simple prayer), then the Bible tells us here that God forgives us that sin, and that,
furthermore, He cleanses us not only from that sin, but from "all unrighteousness" into which we may
have fallen.
Should we then feel guilty about our sins? While it is certainly understandable that we might well feel
sorry about sinning, and are surely sorry about the pain which divine discipline has brought us, we
must never forget that Christ is the issue here, for it is He who bore our true guilt on the cross
(1Pet.2:24). God does expect a contrite spirit on a part (i.e., an honest and legitimate confession
which recognizes as sinful the sin we confess; cf. Ps.51:17; Is.57:15-16; 66:2). However, it is
imperative that we understand that the issue to God is not our emotions, but Christ's work on the
cross.
In fact, if we undertake to make ourselves suffer emotionally for our sins, or in any other way
afflict ourselves as some sort of penance for our sins, we will not be forgiven for all our troubles
(cf. Esau and Judas). The only person who was good enough to suffer for our sins was Jesus Christ,
and it is only the work of Jesus Christ which God the Father finds acceptable. Our feeling sorry or
guilty therefore not only will not clear our case before God, but we also run the risk of insulting Him.
For when we manufacture excessive, self-imposed guilt and emotional self-torment it is as if we are
saying "what Christ did wasn't good enough; I have to help God by contributing my penance too".
The Proper Attitude to Sin: David's attitude in Psalm 51 the correct approach for the believer
who has sinned. David is hurting badly under the pain of divine discipline, so he acknowledges
(admits, confesses) his sin to God (not to another person) and asks God for restoration. David is
quite properly sorry for sinning, but he recognizes that the issue is God's character (v.4), and God's
mercy (v.9), not his own feelings. God's attitude toward the believer who admits his sins in this
[correct] fashion is found in the parable of the prodigal son (Lk.15). First, the son confesses his
transgression against his father (v.21). Then, although the son was willing to accept some menial
position on the family estate (vv.18-19), his father forgives him, welcoming him back with joy and
thanksgiving (in spite of his transgression), and receives him back into all the benefits and privileges
of a son (vv.22-24). In like manner, God, on the basis of Christ's death for our sins, will graciously
forgive us and restore us no matter what we have done, no matter how terrible we feel, if we only
we are willing to return to Him and simply admit our sins to Him.
Review:
General Human Suffering: This is the common legacy of the entire human race because of
Adam and Eve's original disobedience to God, but through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, a way
has been provided for all mankind to reenter the Father's loving embrace by accepting His
Son as their savior. After believing in Christ, the Christian is not removed from this world, but
left here to grow spiritually and glorify God.
Undeserved Suffering and Divine Discipline: Our tenure in the devil's world inevitably
entails some undeserved suffering for growth and blessing, but also some suffering which
results from sin and the divine discipline which follows sin. It is essential that the believer keep
these two categories of suffering separate. Confession of sin (simple acknowledgment of
disobedience given to God in private through prayer according to 1Jn.1:9) brings immediate
forgiveness, cleansing, and restoration. Undeserved suffering, on the other hand, is a challenge
to faith, and an opportunity to trust in God that He will deliver us from hardship, no matter
how bleak the situation may be.
The solution to undeserved suffering, as we shall consider next week, is to rest in the
power and grace of God.
The solution to the suffering brought by divine discipline is immediate confession of sin.
As soon as a sin is confessed, it is forgiven, and the believer is completely cleansed. By
confessing our sins to God, we admit our disobedience. And while it is only natural and
proper that we should wish to avoid making the same mistakes again, the emotions of guilt
and "feeling sorry" do not influence God. His policy is one of grace. That means that He
forgives freely from His own goodness and for His own glory on the basis of what Christ did
for us on the cross, not on the basis of any works which we might attempt to do as penance.
Confession of sin is a sine qua non in the Christian way of life. All believers sin, therefore all
must confess their sins as they commit them, for this is the only way to be forgiven and
cleansed so that we can once again press forward with our primary mission in phase II of
God's plan for us: SPIRITUAL GROWTH!
Let us therefore not allow unconfessed sin or inordinate guilt about past sin to stand in our way.
Why me? Why now? What is God doing? Suffering is a tool God uses to get our attention and to
accomplish His purposes in our lives. It is designed to build our trust in the Almighty, but suffering
requires the right response if it is to be successful in accomplishing God’s purposes. Suffering forces
us to turn from trust in our own resources to living by faith in God’s resources.
Suffering is not in itself virtuous, nor is it a sign of holiness. It is also not a means of gaining points
with God, nor of subduing the flesh (as in asceticism). When possible, suffering is to be avoided.
Christ avoided suffering unless it meant acting in disobedience to the Father’s will.
Ecclesiastes 7:14 In the day of prosperity be happy, But in the day of adversity
consider--God has made the one as well as the other so that man may not discover
anything that will be after him.
The following questions are designed to help us “consider” in the day of adversity:
(1) How am I responding to it?
(2) How should I respond to it?
(3) Am I learning from it?
(4) Does my response demonstrate faith, love for God and for others, Christ-like character, values,
commitment, priorities, etc.?
(5) How can God use it in my life?
Suffering Defined
What is suffering? What are these bends in the road that God puts in the path of life that we are to
carefully consider? Simply stated, suffering is anything which hurts or irritates. In the design of God, it
is also something to make us think. It is a tool God uses to get our attention and to accomplish His
purposes in our lives in a way that would never occur without the trial or irritation.
Illustrations of Suffering
“It may be cancer or a sore throat. It may be the illness or loss of someone close to you. It may be a
personal failure or disappointment in your job or school work. It may be a rumor that is circulating in
your office or your church, damaging your reputation, bringing you grief and anxiety.”40 It can be
anything that ranges from something as small and irritating as the bite of a mosquito or the nagging of
a gnat to the charge of an elephant or having to face a lion in the lions’ den as with Daniel (Dan. 6).
General Causes of Suffering
(1) We suffer because we live in a fallen world where sin reigns in the hearts of men.
(2) We suffer because of our own foolishness. We reap what we sow (Gal. 6:7-9).
(3) We sometimes suffer because it is God’s discipline. “For those whom the Lord loves He
disciplines, and He scourges every son He receives.” (Heb. 12:6).
(4) We may suffer persecution because of our faith--especially when we take a stand on biblical
issues, i.e., suffering for righteousness sake (2 Tim. 3:12).
Of course, all of these do not apply at the same time. All suffering is not, for instance, a product of
our own foolishness, self-induced misery, or sin. It is true, however, that rarely does suffering not
reveal areas of need, weaknesses, and wrong attitudes that need to be removed like dross in the
gold refining process (cf. 1 Pet. 1:6-7).
The Nature of Suffering
Suffering is Painful
Suffering is hard. It is never easy. Regardless of what we know and how hard we apply the
principles, it is going to hurt (cf. 1 Pet. 1:6--“distressed” is lupeo meaning “to cause pain, sorrow,
grief”).
Suffering is Perplexing
Suffering is somewhat mysterious. We may know some of the theological reasons for suffering from
Scripture, yet when it hits, there is still a certain mystery. Why now? What is God doing? In this, it is
designed to build our trust in the Almighty.
Suffering is Purposeful
Suffering is not without meaning in spite of its mystery. It has as its chief purpose the formation of
Christ-like character (Rom. 8:28-29).
Suffering Proves, Tests Us
“Trials” in James 1:2 is the Greek peirasmos and refers to that which examines, tests, and proves
the character or integrity of something. “Testing” in this same verse is dokimion which has a similar
idea. It refers to a test designed to prove or approve. Suffering is that which proves one’s character
and integrity along with both the object and quality of one’s faith. Compare 1 Pet. 1:6-7 where the
same Greek words are used along with the verb dokimazo which means, “put to the test,” “prove
by testing as with gold.”
Suffering is a Process
“We know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, proven character; and . . .” (Rom.
5:3-4). “Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its
perfect result, that you may be perfect (mature) and complete, lacking in nothing” (Jam. 1:3-4). As a
process, it takes time. The results God seeks to accomplish with the trials of life requires time and
thus also, endurance.
Suffering is a Purifier
No matter the reason, even if it is not God’s discipline for blatant carnality, it is a purifier for none of
us will ever be perfect in this life (Phil. 3:12-14).
Suffering Provides Opportunity
Suffering provides opportunity for God’s glory, our transformation, testimony, and ministry, etc. (See
reasons for suffering given below.)
Suffering Requires Our Cooperation
Suffering requires the right response if it is to be successful in accomplishing God’s purposes. “We
all want the product, character; but we don’t want the process, suffering.”41 Because of our make
up as human beings, we can’t have one without the other.
Suffering is Predetermined and Inevitable
1 Thessalonians 3:3 so that no man may be disturbed by these afflictions; for you
yourselves know that we have been destined for this.
1 Peter 4:19 Therefore, let those also who suffer according to the will of God entrust
their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.
The question we must each face is not, “if” we are going to have trials in life, but how will we
respond to them.
Suffering is a Struggle
It’s going to be a battle all the way. That’s why they are called “trials” and “testings.” Even when we
understand the purposes and principles of suffering, and we know the promises of God’s love and
concern given in the Word of God for handling suffering, dealing with the trials of life is never easy
because suffering hurts. Trials simply give us the capacity to cooperate with the process (Jam. 1:4).
They allow the process to work and allow us to experience inner peace and joy in the midst of the
trials.
In order to handle suffering with inner joy and tranquillity, we must be able to look ahead to God’s
purposes and reasons for suffering. This requires faith in the eternal verities of God.
Compare the blessings of affliction as seen in the testimony of the Psalmist in Ps. 119:
Before affliction:
Straying and ignoring (vs. 67a)
During and in affliction:
Learning and turning (vs. 71, cf. vs. 59)
When under affliction we need
to:
Determine Causes if we can (Is it because of something I have
done?)
Determine Objectives (What is God wanting to do in my life or in
others?)
Determine Solutions (How does God want me to handle this?)
After affliction:
Knowing and changing (vss. 67b, 97-102)
Resting and valuing (vss. 65,72)
We must understand God’s chief purpose for our lives is to be conformed to the image of Christ and
He has determined in His plan to use suffering for our spiritual development. If we are going to
endure suffering and the trials of life, however, we must also understand and believe in the other
purposes and reasons for suffering as they are related to the chief purpose.
Purposes and Reasons for Suffering
(1) We suffer as a testimony, as a witness (2 Tim 2:8-10; 2 Cor. 4:12-13; 1 Pet. 3:13-17).
When believers handle suffering joyfully and with stability, it becomes a marvelous testimony to the
power and life of Christ that we claim and name. Suffering provides key opportunities to manifest
and magnify the power of God through His servants in order to verify and confirm the messenger and
his message. It provides opportunities to reveal our credentials as ambassadors of Christ (1 Kings.
17:17-24; John 11:1-45). This includes the following areas:
To glorify God before the angelic world (Job 1-2; 1 Pet. 4:16).
To manifest the power of God to others (2 Cor. 12:9, 10; John 9:3).
To manifest the character of Christ in the midst of suffering as a testimony to win others to
Christ (2 Cor. 4:8-12; 1 Pet. 3:14-17).
(2) We suffer to develop our capacity and sympathy in comforting others (2 Cor. 1:3-5)
(3) We suffer to keep down pride (2 Cor. 12:7). The Apostle Paul saw his thorn in the flesh as an
instrument allowed by God to help him maintain a spirit of humility and dependence on the Lord
because of the special revelations he had seen as one who had been caught up to the third heaven.
(4) We suffer because it is a training tool. God lovingly and faithfully uses suffering to develop
personal righteousness, maturity, and our walk with Him (Heb. 12:5f; 1 Pet. 1:6; Jam. 1:2-4). In this
sense, suffering is designed:
As discipline for sin to bring us back to fellowship through genuine confession (Ps. 32:3-5;
119:67).
As a pruning tool to remove dead wood from our lives (weaknesses, sins of ignorance,
immature attitudes and values, etc.). The desired goal is increased fruitfulness (John 15:1-7).
Trials may become mirrors of reproof to reveal hidden areas of sin and weakness (Ps. 16:7;
119:67, 71).
As a tool for growth designed to cause us to rely on the Lord and His Word. Trials test our
faith and cause us to use the promises and principles of the Word (Ps. 119:71, 92; 1 Pet. 1:6;
Jam. 1:2-4; Ps. 4:1 [The Hebrew of this passage can mean, “You have enlarged, made me
grow wide by my distress]). Suffering or trials teach us the truth of Psalm 62:1-8, the truth of
learning to “wait on the Lord only.”
As a means of learning what obedience really means. It becomes a test of our loyalty
(Heb. 5:8). Illustration: If a father tells his son to do something he likes to do (i.e., eat a bowl
of ice cream) and he does it, the child has obeyed, but he hasn’t really learned anything about
obedience. If his dad, however, asks him to mow the lawn, that becomes a test and teaches
something about the meaning of obedience. The point is, obedience often costs us something
and is hard. It can require sacrifice, courage, discipline, and faith in the belief that God is good
and has our best interests at heart regardless of how things might appear to us. Regardless of
the reason God allows suffering into our lives, rarely does it not reveal areas of need,
weaknesses, wrong attitudes, etc., as it did in Job.
Suffering itself is not the thing that produces faith or maturity. It is only a tool that God uses to
bring us to Himself so we will respond to Him and His Word. It forces us to turn from trust in
our own resources to living by faith in God’s resources. It causes us to put first things first.
Ultimately, it is the Word and the Spirit of God that produces faith and mature Christ-like
character (Ps. 119:67, 71).
In James 1:2-4 and 1 Peter 1:6-7 the key word is “proof.” “Proof” is the word dokimion
which looks at both the concept of testing which purifies, and the results, the proof that is left
after the test. The Lord uses trials to test our faith in the sense of purifying it, to bring it to the
surface, so we are forced to put our faith to work.
(5) We suffer to bring about continued dependence on the grace and power of God. Suffering
is designed to cause us to walk by God’s ability, power and provision rather than by our own (2
Cor. 11:24-32; 12:7-10; Eph. 6:10f; Ex. 17:8f). It causes us to turn from our resources to His
resources.
(6) We suffer to manifest the life and character of Christ (The Fruit of the Spirit) (2
Cor.4:8-11; Phil. 1:19f). This is similar to point (4) above with more emphasis on the process and
defining the objective, the production of the character of Christ. This has both a negative and a
positive aspect:
Negative: Suffering helps to remove impurities from our lives such as indifference, self trust,
false motives, self-centeredness, wrong values and priorities, and human defense and escape
mechanisms by which we seek to handle our problems (man-made solutions). Suffering in
itself does not remove the impurities, but is a tool God uses to cause us to exercise faith in the
provisions of God’s grace. It is God’s grace in Christ (our new identity in Christ, the Word
and the Holy Spirit) that changes us. This negative aspect is accomplished in two ways:
(a) When out of fellowship with the Lord: Suffering becomes discipline from our heavenly
Father (Heb. 5:5-11; 1 Cor. 11:28-32; 5:1-5). This involves known sin, rebellion and
indifference to God.
(b) When in fellowship with the Lord: Suffering becomes the loving and skillful handy work
of the Vine Dresser to make us more productive. It involves unknown sin, areas we may not
be aware of, but that are nevertheless hindering our growth and fruitfulness. In this case,
suffering often constitutes mirrors of reproof (John 15:1-7).
Positive: When believers live under suffering joyfully (i.e., they endure and keep on applying
the promises and principles of the faith), Christ’s life or character will be more and more
manifested as they grow through the suffering (2 Cor. 4:9-10; 3:18). This means trust, peace,
joy, stability, biblical values, faithfulness and obedience in contrast to sinful mental attitudes,
blaming, running, complaining, and reactions against God and people.
(7) We suffer to manifest the evil nature of evil men and the righteousness of the justice of
God when it falls in judgment (1 Thess. 2:14-16). Suffering at the hands of people (persecution,
violent treatments) is used of God to “fill up the measure of their sins.” It shows the evil character of
those who persecute others and the justice of God’s judgment when it falls.
(8) We suffer to broaden our ministries (cf. Philippians 1:12-14 with 4:5-9). In the process of
producing Christian character and enhancing our testimony to others, suffering often opens up doors
for ministry we could never have imagined. Paul’s imprisonment (chained daily to Roman soldiers in
his own house) resulted in the spread of the gospel within the elite imperial praetorian guard. The
Apostle was undoubtedly continuing to rejoice in the Lord, but if he had been complaining, sulking,
and bitter, his witness would have been zero.
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Peter #4
Suffering: Peter wrote his two letters to believers living in Asia Minor during the first century A.D.
At the time, these early Christians were undergoing severe hardships, and the suffering they were
experiencing was beginning to impede their spiritual growth. In his first letter, Peter is primarily
concerned with this problem of suffering. In fact, he uses the Greek word pascho (the verb meaning
"to suffer") more in this one short letter than the apostle Paul does in all of his epistles put together.
Hardships, setbacks, disappointments, illnesses, and all the various and sundry forms of suffering
can, quite understandably, be a stumbling block to faith.
We believers say that we have been delivered from God's wrath, that we have been forgiven all our
sins by the blood of Jesus Christ, and that we are now God's children. Why then is life so difficult?
Why is there so much pain? Without biblical answers to such questions, intense suffering will
inevitably put tremendous pressure on a believer's faith, tempting him to doubt God. But God has
provided us with truth to combat this doubt, the truth of His Word. With the truth contained in the
Bible, God has given us the means to protect our faith, understand the suffering that comes our way,
and endure it with the result that God is glorified, and we grow spiritually. Peter's objective in writing
1st Peter is to give these hard-pressed early believers the critical information and encouragement
they need to pass the suffering test, information that is just as crucial for us to master today as it was
for them nearly two thousand years ago.
Categories of Suffering: It will be helpful for our purposes to categorize the causes of suffering
from the biblical point of view. The most ubiquitous form of suffering we may term general human
suffering. By God's design, the physical universe operates in certain predictable patterns which are
commonly called natural laws. Similarly, in the human realm, God has ordained a system of normal
human behavior, implanted in the conscience of all people (Rm.2:14-15). We may label as human
law the attempts of mankind to codify these principles.
If we should decide to ignore the consequences of either category of law (natural or human),
suffering would result. For example, we might chose to ignore the law of gravity and jump out of a
second-story window, or we might decide to take home a television set without paying for it first.
While we might possibly avoid negative consequences in both examples, it is clear that repeated
flouting of natural and human law will inevitably bring suffering. Often times, of course, it is
impossible not to run afoul of natural and human law. For example, on the natural side, all of us will
encounter some sort of disease in our lives, while on the human side, even compliance with the law
can often be painful (e.g. paying income tax). In extreme situations, such suffering can be intense
(consider the victims of natural disasters, or political persecutions undertaken in the name of law and
order). The point is that the normal operation of the physical universe and human history produce
suffering in the natural course of things, and we all understand that this is so and can easily discern
the specific natural or political causes for individual cases of suffering.
The Origin of General Human Suffering: As believers in God, and in the perfection and
goodness of God, we may well ask why there is pain and suffering at all, why political persecution
and natural disaster? The short answer to this question is that suffering originated from evil, and evil
originated from God's creatures, not from God. While we shall have cause to study the pertinent
doctrines (such as Creation, Angels, Satan and the Angelic Conflict, and the Fall of Man) at a later
date, a few words about the origin of suffering are in order here.
God's original creation of the universe included a category of exceptional creatures called angels.
Superior to mankind in ability, they were also endowed with free will. One particularly gifted angel
whom God had placed in a position of great authority took it into his heart to rebel against God and
attempted to replace Him as ruler of the universe (Is.14:12ff.; Ezk.28:12-19). The Bible is silent on
the precise course which this revolt took, but we know that God's ultimate triumph over Satan and
the angels who chose to follow him is certain (Lk.10:18; Rm.16:20; Rv.20:10).
Obviously, as an omnipotent being, infinite God would have had no trouble subduing one of his own,
finite creatures. Instead of doing so immediately, however, God apparently decided to demonstrate
to Satan and all the angels that Satan and his followers had truly been free to choose, and that,
therefore, the fact that God had created Satan did not make God responsible for the evil which
Satan chose to do. To prove this, God created man, a creature far inferior to the angels in ability, but
possessed of the same free will. Faced with the ultimate contest which would decide his fate, Satan
realized that his only hope of avoiding condemnation lay in thwarting this divine demonstration of
creature free will. Otherwise, a human choice for God would prove beyond all doubt that Satan had
indeed also been responsible for his own actions. Satan therefore sought to alienate man from God
by corrupting our original parents (Gen.3), but God provided a solution for man: though man had
used his free will to disobey God and had thus fallen into sin, God gave man another opportunity.
God gave man the chance to use his free will in obedience to God by submitting to God through faith
in the coming Savior (foreshadowed by the "coats of skin" of Gen.3:21 which represent, by the
animal sacrifice through which they were provided, Christ's death on the cross).
What does all this have to do with general human suffering? When God created man, He created
them male and female (Gen.1:27), He created them perfect, and He placed them in a perfect place:
the Garden of Eden (from the Hebrew gan-'aden, meaning "garden of pleasure [or delight]",
Gen.2:8). In this perfect place, and in this condition of perfection, man knew no suffering, just as in
the new paradise to come, suffering will once again be absent (Rev.21.4). As a result of the fall of
man in Genesis chapter 3, however, all mankind is subject to general human suffering in this life. God
had warned Adam and Eve that eating from the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
would produce their death (immediate spiritual death, or alienation from God, and eventual physical
deterioration, death, and eternal condemnation: Gen.2:17). In addition, they were thrown out of the
perfect paradise of Eden (Gen.3:22-24), and a new element was introduced into their lives: suffering.
"Pain" is prophesied for Eve (Gen.3:16) and "toil" for Adam, but both words come from the same
Hebrew root: 'atsab, which means to feel hurt, pain, and grief. Thus Adam and Eve left all of us,
their descendants, a legacy of general human suffering. But while our relationship to our first
parents has brought us suffering and death, the new relationship which God offers us with Himself
through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ brings us joy and eternal life, for while "in Adam all die, in
Christ shall all be made alive" (1Cor.15:22).
In the midst of pronouncing judgment upon Adam and Eve, God also provided them with His
promise of hope, telling them (Gen.3:15) that the Seed of the Woman (i.e. Christ) would one day
crush the serpent's head (i.e. Satan). This victory came at the cross, so that all we who have put our
faith in Christ now look forward with certainty to the future day when these bodies of pain will be
resurrected as bodies of perfection (2Cor.5). Then we shall live forever with God the Father and His
Son Jesus Christ in the new paradise, the new Jerusalem (Rev.21-22).
The Suffering of Believers: As believers, we live in phase II of God's plan (time; see lesson #3).
Phase I (salvation) ended when we accepted Jesus Christ as our savior, and phase III (eternity)
has yet to begin for those of us still present on the earth. Though our hearts have changed in
obedience to Christ, our bodies are exactly the same as they were before salvation, and we still
inhabit the same imperfect world as we did before we believed. Consequently, we are still subject to
the general human suffering that has plagued mankind since the fall of Adam and Eve. There are
some very important differences in the suffering of believers, however.
First of all, our suffering will come to an end. We have certain knowledge through faith that we shall
eventually be liberated from the pain and tears of this life, and, like the creation itself, we eagerly
anticipate this liberation, knowing that the hardships of this present time are not worthy to be
compared to the wondrous glories of heaven to come (Rom.8:18-23).
Secondly, we know that whatever suffering we are called upon to endure, it is all part of God's plan
for our lives, and that the end result, even of painful suffering, will be for our good according to the
wisdom and mercy of our heavenly Father (Rom.8:28).
It is critical, however, to distinguish between the two types of specific suffering which are unique to
believers in order to avoid the shipwreck of our faith. The believers to whom Peter wrote were
having trouble making this distinction between the two types of the suffering of believers:
(1) undeserved suffering and
(2) divine discipline.
Undeserved suffering: This term simply means hardship that God allows to come the believer's
way to test, temper, and train the believer. All too often, believers assume that suffering means that
either God isn't concerned about them, or else God is punishing them. Hardship does not necessarily
mean that God is displeased. As we shall see next week, spiritual growth is impossible without some
opposition in life whereby God can demonstrate His faithfulness to us in hard times, and whereby we
in turn can demonstrate our trust in Him in spite of adverse circumstances.
As Christians, it is absolutely essential that we be objective when difficulties come our way and
remember that our heavenly Father loves us so much that He gave His only Son to die for us,
therefore He will surely help us through our problems as well (Rm.5:8-9). If we have done nothing
wrong, it is imperative that we not open up our mental "closets" to see what long-past sins may be
responsible for our current suffering. God deals with us in forgiveness and grace. Sins committed
long ago, confessed long ago, forgiven long ago, and dealt with long ago are not the cause of our
current problems. We must avoid misplaced and superfluous feelings of guilt, or else they have the
potential to wreak havoc on our spiritual lives. Part of Peter's purpose in writing 1st Peter was to
dispel confusion on this point which was threatening the spiritual growth of the believer in Asia
Minor.
Divine Discipline: True, we are not perfect beings. That is why we needed a perfect savior, Jesus
Christ, to die in our place. By His blood we have been redeemed (1Pet.1:18), bought out of the
power of sin. But since we still inhabit imperfect bodies (Rm.7), and still live in an imperfect world
(Jn.17:15), regrettably, it is beyond our ability to be completely sinless after becoming believers
(1Jn.1:10).
Because of His righteous character, God must address the sin which believers commit, but he deals
with us as a loving Father. When our children do wrong, if we truly love them, we discipline them not
to sate our anger, but to correct their behavior for their own good. The way God deals with us when
we sin very similar. In Hebrews chapter twelve, we are told that God disciplines "those He loves"
(v.6), and that all who are truly son's of God are disciplined by Him (v.8). God's purpose in
disciplining us is not to crush us, to destroy us, or to pour out His wrath upon us, but to correct us,
to train us, and to make us the kind of Christians He wants us to be (vv.10-11).
How then should we face the problem of personal sin and the divine discipline it brings on? First of
all, as we continue to grow spiritually and learn the doctrinal truths of God's Word, we develop a
clearer sense of just what is sinful and what is not sinful. If we do sin, 1 John chapter one gives us the
crucial mechanics by which we must correct the situation and get back into fellowship with God. In
verse 8, John tells us that we all "have sin" (i.e., we have a sinful nature, and are thus predisposed to
sin; cf. Eccles. 7:20), but in verse 9 we find that "if we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to
forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness". Now the Greek word for "confess" is
homologeo, and it simply means to "admit". Therefore if, when we do sin, and we then admit our sin
to God (in a simple prayer), then the Bible tells us here that God forgives us that sin, and that,
furthermore, He cleanses us not only from that sin, but from "all unrighteousness" into which we may
have fallen.
Should we then feel guilty about our sins? While it is certainly understandable that we might well feel
sorry about sinning, and are surely sorry about the pain which divine discipline has brought us, we
must never forget that Christ is the issue here, for it is He who bore our true guilt on the cross
(1Pet.2:24). God does expect a contrite spirit on a part (i.e., an honest and legitimate confession
which recognizes as sinful the sin we confess; cf. Ps.51:17; Is.57:15-16; 66:2). However, it is
imperative that we understand that the issue to God is not our emotions, but Christ's work on the
cross.
In fact, if we undertake to make ourselves suffer emotionally for our sins, or in any other way
afflict ourselves as some sort of penance for our sins, we will not be forgiven for all our troubles
(cf. Esau and Judas). The only person who was good enough to suffer for our sins was Jesus Christ,
and it is only the work of Jesus Christ which God the Father finds acceptable. Our feeling sorry or
guilty therefore not only will not clear our case before God, but we also run the risk of insulting Him.
For when we manufacture excessive, self-imposed guilt and emotional self-torment it is as if we are
saying "what Christ did wasn't good enough; I have to help God by contributing my penance too".
The Proper Attitude to Sin: David's attitude in Psalm 51 the correct approach for the believer
who has sinned. David is hurting badly under the pain of divine discipline, so he acknowledges
(admits, confesses) his sin to God (not to another person) and asks God for restoration. David is
quite properly sorry for sinning, but he recognizes that the issue is God's character (v.4), and God's
mercy (v.9), not his own feelings. God's attitude toward the believer who admits his sins in this
[correct] fashion is found in the parable of the prodigal son (Lk.15). First, the son confesses his
transgression against his father (v.21). Then, although the son was willing to accept some menial
position on the family estate (vv.18-19), his father forgives him, welcoming him back with joy and
thanksgiving (in spite of his transgression), and receives him back into all the benefits and privileges
of a son (vv.22-24). In like manner, God, on the basis of Christ's death for our sins, will graciously
forgive us and restore us no matter what we have done, no matter how terrible we feel, if we only
we are willing to return to Him and simply admit our sins to Him.
Review:
General Human Suffering: This is the common legacy of the entire human race because of
Adam and Eve's original disobedience to God, but through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, a way
has been provided for all mankind to reenter the Father's loving embrace by accepting His
Son as their savior. After believing in Christ, the Christian is not removed from this world, but
left here to grow spiritually and glorify God.
Undeserved Suffering and Divine Discipline: Our tenure in the devil's world inevitably
entails some undeserved suffering for growth and blessing, but also some suffering which
results from sin and the divine discipline which follows sin. It is essential that the believer keep
these two categories of suffering separate. Confession of sin (simple acknowledgment of
disobedience given to God in private through prayer according to 1Jn.1:9) brings immediate
forgiveness, cleansing, and restoration. Undeserved suffering, on the other hand, is a challenge
to faith, and an opportunity to trust in God that He will deliver us from hardship, no matter
how bleak the situation may be.
The solution to undeserved suffering, as we shall consider next week, is to rest in the
power and grace of God.
The solution to the suffering brought by divine discipline is immediate confession of sin.
As soon as a sin is confessed, it is forgiven, and the believer is completely cleansed. By
confessing our sins to God, we admit our disobedience. And while it is only natural and
proper that we should wish to avoid making the same mistakes again, the emotions of guilt
and "feeling sorry" do not influence God. His policy is one of grace. That means that He
forgives freely from His own goodness and for His own glory on the basis of what Christ did
for us on the cross, not on the basis of any works which we might attempt to do as penance.
Confession of sin is a sine qua non in the Christian way of life. All believers sin, therefore all
must confess their sins as they commit them, for this is the only way to be forgiven and
cleansed so that we can once again press forward with our primary mission in phase II of
God's plan for us: SPIRITUAL GROWTH!
Let us therefore not allow unconfessed sin or inordinate guilt about past sin to stand in our way.
