Chapter 1 - Living under the Cross

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The first chapter, entitled "Living under the cross", focused on some purposes for suffering in the lives of Christians - - including, but certainly not limited to, the following 13 purposes.:

1. All suffering endured by God's people serves, in one way or another, to work together for their salvation.

• Perhaps when the people of Judah hear about every disaster I plan to inflict on them, each of them will turn from his wicked way; then I will forgive their wickedness and their sin." Jeremiah 36:3

2. Suffering under the cross stimulates prayer. The chief advantage of affliction is that they make us aware of our wretchedness, and they stimulate us to beg for God's favor.

• 17 The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish. 18 Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. 20 Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. 21 May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope is in you. Psalm 25 v17-18; 20-21

3. Living under the cross means trusting in God's power.

• When God divests us of confidence in our own strength,.... it is then we take refuge in the grace of God.

4. Suffering teaches us patience, hope and obedience. God desires evidence of His grace at work in the lives of believers.

• In order that we do not ...grow proud... the Lord interferes by means of the cross, subduing our arrogance.... As we do not all labor under the same disease, we do not all need the same difficult cure....so we do not undergo the same discipline.... God's purpose is to provide a cure for all..and since all are diseased with sin, none of us is left free and untouched.

5. Suffering is meant to further our salvation

• 32But when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord so that we will not be condemned along with the world. 1 Cor 11:32
• 11My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, 12For whom the LORD loves He reproves, Even as a father corrects the son in whom he delights. Prov 3:11-12

6. God may take the faithful thru the same adversities that he punishes the ungodly

• "Fire is the test of gold; adversity, of strong men." Seneca
• 9"And I will bring the third part through the fire, Refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested They will call on My name, And I will answer them; I will say, 'They are My people,' And they will say, 'The LORD is my God.'" Zecharia 13:9
• For You have tried us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined. Psalm 66:10

7. God's purpose is that we be conformed to His Son

• Since our triumph is in heaven, we must be prepared for combat while we live here on earth. Suffering for the sake of God' truth is for our greater good, and if this idea is repugnant to us it is because we seek our rest here below rather than in the Kingdom of God.

8. Faith is more precious than gold

• The fire of affliction reveals the quality of our faith
• In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 1 Peter 1:6-7

9. Sorrow and joy together

• Christians rejoice even while they truly sorrow - - because their rejoicing is in the hope of heaven....While joy overcomes sorrow, it does not put an end to it.

10. Christian joy centers in Christ

• Joy is a fruit of the Spirit
• It is a sustained mood of exultation coming from the assurance of God's favor and the hope of an inheritance in the heavenly kingdom
• In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 1 Peter 1:6-7
• 2Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:2
• We view trials like death, poverty and prison as evils - - but when we understand they are turned through God's guidance into helps and aids to our salvation, it is ingratitude to complain and not willingly submit to such trials.

11. Suffering must lead us to patience

• 1Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 3And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 4and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; 5and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. Romans 5:1-5
• "Through his suffering, the Christian, by God's all sufficient grace, is strengthened in spirit, and though weak in body, is made more trusting, patient, humble, compassionate and thankful."
• "The Christian regards whatever he bears as being dispensed to him by the hand of the most generous Father, and therefore, the Christian can glory - for whenever salvation is promoted, there is no lack of reason for glorifying."
• "If tribulations do not accomplish the habit of patience in us, it is our sinfulness obstructing the Lord's work."
• "Hope does not disappoint as it regards salvation as most certain."
• Romans 5:1- is saying that the trials evoke patience in us and the patience encourages us to entertain hope.

12. Suffering is not all bad

• 28And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; Romans 8:28-29
• 71It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes. Psalm 119:71
• 2Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. Galatians 6:2
• 34"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. John 13:34
• 4Look to the right and see; For there is no one who regards me; There is no escape for me; No one cares for my soul. Psalm 142:4

13. Suffering prepares us for eternal glory

• Suffering is not meaningless; though we may not in this life discover the meaning or purpose for the suffering
• 17For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18while 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. 2 Cor 4:17-18

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