So just like Abraham God has found a way to exonerate us (find us "not guilty") through Jesus Christ and now we are at peace with God. We are not worried about dying or Jesus' second coming because: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)
Even when the wrath of Jesus burns sinners up and all other humans will deserve to be among the destroyed, as it is written...
For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand? (Revelation 6:17)
…Jesus will enable his followers to survive:
...Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand. (Romans 14:4)
It is the grace of God that empowers us to stand/survive and to actually look forward to Jesus' return. Grace is not merely forgiveness, it is also the power to be restored to the image/character/glory of God.
(I don't use these words (image/character/glory) as synonyms, but they are similar, and can be used interchangeably in the sentence above)
Now, we don't only look forward and enjoy the good stuff. We see the purpose in suffering, and although we do not like it, we do not resent it (blame God) either.
I would like to understand this train of thought about the advantage of suffering, because suffering is an experience that is not unusual, though its cause varies. To be able to suffer and not resent it or become angry with God would be a useful thing indeed. So I have looked up the Greek words used in this train of thought. I don't know what has happened to the English language in the last few hundred years, but for modern English I think the KJV is misleading here.
I turned to a couple of my other free Bibles and found a translation that better fits what I saw in the Greek; the American Standard Version: and stedfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope: (Romans 5:4 ASV) For patience/steadfastness, I saw in the Greek an idea that I would translate cheerfulness. The ability to be at least a little bit happy no matter the circumstances around me.
The best example I can give of how suffering leads to cheerfulness is in my work and ministry. I do a lot of door to door work. I get a lot of rejections. It is hard not to resent these, for various reasons. But when I am rejected I try to bless the person rejecting me. I wish them a good afternoon from my heart and I feel happier. I can go on to the next door more positive and less likely to be rejected again, but even if I am, I bless them from my heart. Maybe it is only Jesus who can give this ability, but he can do it for you if he can do it for me.
Experience/approvedness seems to be an idea like "tried and tested" in the Greek. We can stay close to the KJV and say it means "having had an experience with Jesus" in this context. When I have been rejected many times but I pray and carry on despite thinking "this is crazy" and then I receive a great blessing, maybe sooner, maybe later; this gives me an experience with Jesus. An experience that I can always take with me anywhere and that will help me to have hope (which of course is perfectly translated).
When I have learned to be cheerful at hard times I gain an experience with God and I can now have hope for the future in any situation that God knows best for me and will bring me happiness as only he can.
If you want an experience with God, you need to step out in faith, risk a little suffering, and having given your heart to Jesus plead for the joy to endure cheerfully. Then your experience will come.
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