Suffering for Christ or Suffering in Ignorance?
The subject of Christian suffering is often misinterpreted in today's Christianity. Believers agree that when we are persecuted for following Jesus, then it is Christian suffering and that it is Biblical to suffer in this way. However where we often miss it is by classifying every suffering a believer experiences as Christian suffering.
Jesus did promise that we shall suffer for his name's sake, and the first disciples did suffer (Acts 5:41). Although this suffering isn't the same for everyone (Acts 9:16), yet many of what believers today classify as suffering for Christ aren’t actually suffering for Christ but suffering that resulted from their ignorance.
The offer of salvation comes as a package. The most popular gift in the package is forgiveness of all our sins. But that's not all, divine health, healing, prosperity, power and deliverance are all part of the package, and of course, suffering. But many have wrong beliefs on Christian suffering, I will be countering some of those concepts in this article.
Some believe a doctrine that God inflicts them with sickness to glorify Him. They take Paul's thorn in the flesh in 2 Corinthians 12 as the backbone of their doctrine. This isn't true. The devil is tormenting your body with sickness and you call that suffering for Christ? How do you intend to fulfil God's counsel for your life when cancer is eating you up?
Poverty has never been a blessing to anyone in the past, and it can never be.
How is God glorified in your poverty? What have you got to do with the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in 2 Cor. 8:9. Christ was made poor, so we through His poverty might become rich. Brother, you're not suffering for Christ, your ignorance is the cause of your suffering.
Salvation is a package full of goodies, o wonder it's called good news. Unfortunately, many Christians are living pathetic lives. Being a Christian is a life to be envied not pitied.
In Paul's words, I beseech you, brothers, not to receive the grace of God in vain (2 Cor.6:1). How many Christians are guilty of this today. We have so much at our disposal but we live far less.
How To Fully Enjoy The Benefits of Redemption
The key to maximizing our full inheritance in Christ is seeking knowledge. Knowledge is power. Ignorance is the cause of living a defeated life (Hos. 4:6). If we will break free of our bondage and self-inflicted suffering, we must seek true knowledge (Jn. 8:32). True knowledge isn’t knowing the Bible, but having a revelation of the truths in the Bible.
Fortunately, we have a platform for you to discover these truths. This year we are hosting another Christian Family Retreat (CFR 2021). The theme for this year's Christian Family Retreat is Having Abundance For Every Good Work.
The focus of the retreat is to open the eyes of believers to enjoy their full inheritance in Christ. We know there are good works that we are destined to do, and we cannot get it done without having access to God’s abundance. In this retreat, God would be revealing to us the key to accessing the abundance we have in Christ to fulfil God’s purpose on earth. If this is your heart desire, I encourage you to register for the program here. The program shall take place at Hebron Centre, behind the community borehole, Yawiri area, Akobo, from the 19th to the 21st of August, 2021. Register to get more details.
