The Apostle Paul made a very interesting observation upon which all of us should meditate deeply: “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church” (Colossians 1:24).
Are there, indeed, a certain number of the “afflictions of Christ” that every true Christian needs to face before entering eternal life? Is a certain amount of trying, testing and even suffering usually necessary to teach us the profound humility, the steadfastness and the total commitment needed before becoming a glorified spirit being in the very Family of God?
Paul does not directly answer this question.
However, from one end of the Bible to the other, God’s word is full of examples of His servants going through profound trials. Do we find a wonderful purpose for all these trials? We read of “an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away” (1 Peter 1:4). Then, Peter goes on to state: “In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ”(vv. 6–7). These grievous trials force us to think through what is really important. They force us to cry out to God for help and to more completely commit ourselves to serving Him no matter what. They are the crucible through which God is fashioning us to become His full sons!
Recognizing the profound reason for these trials can help give us greater peace of mind and greater faith, and help us appreciate, as the Apostle Paul wrote, that “all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). Down through the ages, God-fearing men and women have had to look beyond the immediate circumstances and “know” that God was there and that He was alive and in charge, and that He would definitely work out their specific trial for “good”—even if it required them to give up their physical lives! That is the basis for the radiant faith of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego. King Nebuchadnezzar was absolutely furious at their refusal to worship the gold image he had set up. Here was the greatest monarch on earth being put to shame by three young Jews. He would have none of it!
Nebuchadnezzar disdainfully challenged these young men: “And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?” (Daniel 3:15). They answered the king: “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up” (vv. 16–18).
Yes, even if God chose not to deliver them, the God of Israel was “real” enough to these brave men that they committed their lives to Him—regardless!
How about you and me?
Are we prepared to give our lives to Jesus Christ—no matter what? Is God so absolutely “real” to us that we could go through the terrifying shock of beatings, imprisonment or death? Could we go through a long, drawnout trial as Joseph did? Remember, Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery. For 13 long years he had to go through trial after trial—being sold into slavery, threatened with death, put in prison, along with many other trials—until he was finally exalted to be the second person in charge of the entire Egyptian empire! Thirteen years is a long time.
We understand that for approximately ten years, King David had to flee from King Saul—hiding out in caves, in the wilderness and in all kinds of dangerous and uncomfortable situations. Yet, David retained his unwavering faith in Almighty God, and maintained his deep love and respect for Saul’s office and for Saul himself. Even when David had opportunity to destroy Saul, and was so close to him in a cave that he was able to cut off the corner of his robe, notice the profound humility and respect in David’s heart: “Now it happened afterward that David’s heart troubled him because he had cut Saul’s robe. And he said to his men, ‘The Lord forbid that I should do this thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, to stretch out my hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the Lord’” (1 Samuel 24:5–6).
Later, when David and Abishai came and found Saul sleeping, with his spear stuck in the ground by his head, notice what happened: “Then Abishai said to David, ‘God has delivered your enemy into your hand this day. Now therefore, please, let me strike him at once with the spear, right to the earth; and I will not have to strike him a second time!’ But David said to Abishai, ‘Do not destroy him; for who can stretch out his hand against the Lord’s anointed, and be guiltless?’ David said furthermore, ‘As the Lord lives, the Lord shall strike him, or his day shall come to die, or he shall go out to battle and perish. The Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But please, take now the spear and the jug of water that are by his head, and let us go’” (1 Samuel 26:8–11).
In a similar way, all of us need to look beyond man, and see the purpose of God in the situations that may develop in the years ahead. God will be working with us, fashioning and molding us, teaching us lessons for all eternity. We need to have a deep and lasting faith that this is so—and put our faith and trust in God!
Each of us should recognize that the long periods of trying and testing, throughout most of our Christian lives, are for the specific purpose of refining us, polishing us and making each of us an absolute “jewel” in God’s sight. Therefore, we must understand this concept as we read Jesus’ instructions to His disciples and to us: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works” (Matthew 16:24–27).
It is so easy for each of us to desire to “save” our lives. We may want to “live it up” and focus too much at times on physical things for ourselves and our families—to devote so much time and energy to material pursuits that we do not live the life of sacrificial service to God and man that Jesus Christ requires of us. Who among us does not fall short of this standard? We need to focus on Jesus’ promise that when He returns with the “glory” of His Father, He will definitely reward each of us in a magnificent way. The Apostle Paul was inspired to expand on this: “The Spirit... bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:16–18).
The glorified body that God has in mind for us, and the awesome opportunity to interact with Him and with Jesus through all eternity, are beyond our full understanding as weak human beings. But we understand that we are called, literally, to “fellowship” with God and with Christ—as well as with one another (1 John 1:3)—through all eternity!
Therefore, by “feeding” on God’s word (John 6:57)—by constantly reading, and reminding ourselves that our Creator is real and will always deliver His servants—we can, through His Spirit in us, build the profound faith in Him that we will absolutely need in the years just ahead!
Many of us may remember the touching and beautiful example of “Ebed-Melech” the Ethiopian, as set forth in Jeremiah 38. Jeremiah had been thrown into a prison and let down into a pit of mire. Hearing of this, Ebed- Melech, one of the king’s eunuchs, told the king and obviously requested the opportunity to help Jeremiah. The king gave him permission. Verse 11 picks up the story: “So Ebed-Melech took the men with him and went into the house of the king under the treasury, and took from there old clothes and old rags, and let them down by ropes into the dungeon to Jeremiah. Then Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah, ‘Please put these old clothes and rags under your armpits, under the ropes.’ And Jeremiah did so. So they pulled Jeremiah up with ropes and lifted him out of the dungeon. And Jeremiah remained in the court of the prison” (vv. 11–13).
Ebed-Melech obviously took his life in his hands by opposing the princes who had gained the king’s favor in the first instance. But “the rest of the story”—as revealed later on—indicates that Ebed-Melech was looking beyond these princes. Though an Ethiopian eunuch in the king’s household, he put his faith and trust in the Eternal God of Israel. And God rewarded him for this! Many weeks or months later, after the Babylonians had conquered Judah, God’s Word came to Jeremiah and told him to contact Ebed-Melech: “Go and speak to Ebed-Melech the Ethiopian, saying, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: “Behold, I will bring My words upon this city for adversity and not for good, and they shall be performed in that day before you. But I will deliver you in that day,” says the Lord, “and you shall not be given into the hand of the men of whom you are afraid. For I will surely deliver you, and you shall not fall by the sword; but your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me,” says the Lord’” (Jeremiah 39:16–18).
So, what will we do? When we are persecuted and perhaps even thrown into prison for preaching and obeying the Truth—both in our present society and, later, as the modern Babylonians conquer many of our lands—will we look with faith to the God of Israel to deliver us, as did Ebed-Melech? May God grant that each one of us slowly but surely develops the understanding and the radiant faith displayed by every one of the outstanding servants of God. And may God deliver each one of us and say to us: “Your life shall be as a prize to you, because you have put your trust in Me.”