Suffering 1

Suffering 1 for paper                                               Rev. Terry Goerz, Redeemer Lutheran Church

Peter tells us to rejoice in our suffering!! “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.” 1 Peter 4: 12, 13,

The newscast of today are full of people who are suffering. In the Middle East, Africa, and Asia Christians are being killed for their faith. Mentally ill people attack and kill innocent people around them with guns and by vehicles. Unjust governments persecute and kill their own citizens. The weather can reap havoc in places and destroy the lives and property of many producing suffering on a very large scale. Things like earth quakes and volcanoes cause all kinds of suffering for a great many people.

Even we have experienced one of these tragedies in our area with the killings in Tumbler Ridge. So no one is exempt from suffering. We all will experience it at some point in our lives. Loved ones become ill and suffer, sometimes even to the point of death. Children grow up rebellious and or become trapped in addictions. Circumstances beyond our control cause people to go into bankruptcy, or cause people to lose their jobs. Crops fail for farmers, or things like the recent tariffs are producing suffering all across Canada, even if you just feel suffering as you fill your gas tank. . ……The list is almost endless.

All this suffering is not new. It has been this way since history began to be recorded. So if we have a God who reigns now in heaven, what is he doing about all this suffering??

Well first of all we have to make it clear that it is not God’s fault. God created a world that did not experience suffering. However he created man and gave him a free will. Through our ancestors, Adam and Eve we humans made a choice that brought about a very changed world. All humans inherit a sinful nature and we are all inclined to sin. We became mortal and we all will experience mortal death. The world itself became subject to corruption and decay, and the bible tells us that our world will one day also come to a fiery end. Because we humans now all have a sinful nature, we bring most of the human caused suffering we experience on to ourselves. Even many of these weather related tragedies today are being blamed on mankind’s abuse of the world we live in.

So no, it is not God’s fault. In fact every time someone dies it is further proof that the world we now live in is not as God created it. So what has and is God doing while the whole world suffers? First he has promised an end to this world of suffering, that he will recreate the heavens and the earth in which there is no more death, crying or pain.

‘And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”’Revelation 21: 3 & 4

God has also promised that there will be a reckoning for all the human caused suffering. There will be a judgement where all evil doers will be punished. Just one example of many scriptures that tell us this is: ‘For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.” It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.’  Hebrews 10: 30, 31

So God will not let the sins of those who cause human suffering go unpunished. In the meantime he has sent his Son, Jesus Christ, who suffered and died in our place. He has taken away our sin and caused his Holy Spirit to be in us through baptism. Through sanctification he has empowered us to cooperate with him in overcoming our sinful nature. Despite the fact that all Christians will continue to sin; we go to that judgement perfected, holy, with no record of our sin: “But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation—” Colossians 1: 22

So Christians do not need to fear this judgement at the end of the age. Jesus Christ has made atonement for our sins. He has accepted all the wrath of God for those sins in our place.

In addition to all this God has also made a very startling and sometimes hard to accept promise.

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  Romans 8: 28

This verse is talking about us Christians. We have been called according to God’s purpose. This verse does not claim that the Christian life will be free of pain and difficulties. But it does claim that God will take all the events of our lives, even the very bad things, the disasters and the trials, and bring good out of them. The disasters and trials do not come from God. They are the result of a world subject to corruption and the corrupt human nature of the world’s inhabitants. But God is so wise and powerful that He can take the bad things that happen to us and work them out for our good! This can be very hard to accept while we are in the midst of suffering, but God does not make empty promises. Next week we will look at a few of the ways he can make this happen.

Blessings