by J. Randal Matheny

I hate pain. I definitely do not have a martyr complex nor am I a masochist. I do not go around inviting people to hit me. The idea of burning at the stake or some other morbid form of extinction does not excite me one bit.

Most of us avoid suffering, if we can help it. So we stumble at Jesus' words,

"Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matt. 5:10-12, NASU).

We think we are being spiritual when we can say we rejoice in spite of suffering. Jesus, however, says to rejoice BECAUSE we are suffering for his sake.

There's a world of difference in those two perspectives.

Like the twelve apostles who, after being beaten, left the Jewish council "rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name" (Acts 5:41).

Like Paul and Barnabas who prayed and sang hymns of praise to God after being imprisoned for having preached Jesus (Acts 16:25).

Like Paul who rejoiced in his sufferings for the body of Christ (Col. 1:24).

This is no high and holy attitude just for apostles. Again and again the New Testament tells us: Rejoice in your trials and sufferings (Jas. 1:2; 1 Pet. 4:13).

Why rejoice? Jesus gives us the key: participation in his suffering is part of kingdom living and necessary to enter heaven. And there's more:

• Suffering emphasizes the value of eternal glory (2 Cor. 4:1-18).

• Suffering discovers the power of God (2 Cor. 12:7-10).

• Suffering completes the afflictions of Christ (Col. 1:24-29).

Suffering for the name of Christ is a result (as well as a means) of preaching the name of Christ. Whoever shrinks from it is not worthy of the kingdom and does not know the price of salvation.

Above, all suffering makes us one with the Master (Matt. 10:24-25). If we preach that one must die with Christ in baptism, there will be a price to pay (Rom. 8:1-17). Thus, the latter half of Romans 8 is laced with our willingness to suffer with him and depend upon the power and grace of God.

We are "heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him" (Rom. 8:17).

Pain is painful. But the greater pain is the thought of being separated eternally from God because we shrank from suffering shame and persecution for the name of Christ.

The mistake can be made to believe that the suffering comes before the joy. The Gospel message, however, tells us that the joy precedes the suffering. The simple mistake is made when the fundamentalist world is told to believe that there is no obedience that leads to salvation, but rather, that salvation leads to obedience. Similarly, the mistake can be made that suffering will lead to joy. The truth is that our joy in Christ compels us to suffer in Him.

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