Keys Of The Kingdom 12 - The Benefits of Suffering

Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for He who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God. For we have spent enough time in our past lifetime doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you. They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit. (1 Peter 4:1-6)

No one likes to suffer—yet Scripture insists there are real benefits to suffering for righteousness' sake.

The Reality of Suffering in a Broken World

It may seem strange to talk about suffering on Mother's Day, but we have been going through 1 Peter together since the beginning of the year, and this whole book speaks at length about suffering. Suffering is not something we like to ponder. In our nation we have tried as much as possible to arrange life so we never have to suffer. Yet there is enormous suffering in the world, because we live in a world broken by sin.

Only the person who has the revelation of God in Scripture fully understands where suffering comes from. Those who don't look to Scripture have all kinds of theories, but Genesis 3 gives us the real reason: through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and it spread to all humanity. We are bombarded daily with the reality of human suffering—on the radio, the internet, TV, even the newspaper.

A Suffering Unique to Followers of Jesus

Beyond the normal suffering experienced by all human beings—the suffering of disaster, disease, and death—there is another level of suffering experienced by the follower of Jesus. It is not merely the result of the fallenness of this world, but the result of being a representative of our King and His kingdom in a world that is contrary to Him. Jesus called this suffering for righteousness' sake.

We live in a nation that affords us great religious liberty, so we have not been bombarded with that kind of suffering. But read church history and look at what is happening among Christians throughout the world today, and you know it still takes place. This is exactly the kind of suffering Jesus experienced—a suffering that was not because of anything He had done, an unjust suffering brought upon Him though He had done only good.

Jesus told His disciples to expect this. As He drew closer to the cross, He said more about it: "A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you; if they hated Me, they will hate you." Every one of His first hearers later suffered for righteousness' sake. Read through Acts, the Epistles, and Foxe's Book of Christian Martyrs, and you see that virtually everywhere the gospel has gone, there has been suffering for the kingdom of God.

Christ Suffered for Us

Verse 1 begins, "Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh." While He was here, God incarnate in the flesh, He suffered for us. This truth is so important that I'd encourage you to underline it: Christ suffered for us. His suffering on the cross had nothing to do with His own actions or sinfulness. The author of Hebrews says He was tested in all points like we are, yet He never sinned.

He suffered for my sins and yours. As 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, God made Him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us. We saw it in 1 Peter 3 a couple of weeks ago, and Peter hits it again here. Christ's suffering was on our behalf—He suffered on account of sin, but not the sin of His own.

Arm Yourselves with the Same Mind

This letter is like a basic training manual for Christians in a world that opposes them. There is an enemy, the devil, who goes about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, and this whole world lies under the sway of that wicked one. If you are a follower of Jesus, you will face opposition. Almost every New Testament author prepares believers for this.

So Peter says we must arm ourselves. It's a military picture—we need the armor, the guarding of ourselves, specifically of our minds. We are to arm ourselves with the same mind Jesus had. The knowledge of the unjust suffering of Jesus for the sin of others is like a mental armor we must put on regularly. When we face that added level of suffering, we need the right mindset.

Suffering in general is hard. We don't like even minor irritations—just think of the "man cold." But suffering unjustly for doing the right and good thing is exponentially harder. When someone reviles you and you did the good thing, everything in your nature wants to fight back and defend yourself. Yet Peter says we are to bear it patiently—and patience is another word we have little time for in America.

The Mindset of Christ: Counting It Joy

What was the mindset of Jesus when He faced suffering? Hebrews 12 tells us. "Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." For the joy that was set before Him—Jesus counted such suffering joy.

That seems absurd—to rejoice in painful suffering you don't deserve—unless we understand the nature of that joy and where it came from. This is the mindset the follower of Jesus must arm himself with. And it isn't only Jesus. James 1:2 says, "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials." Paul says in Romans 5:3 that "we glory in tribulations." In 2 Corinthians 12:10 he says, "I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses." In Philippians 2:17 he says, "I am glad and rejoice." In Colossians 1:24 he says, "Now I rejoice in my sufferings."

My natural tendency, and yours, is to stay away from any form of suffering. We are created in the image of God, who is completely just and hates injustice—so part of our nature recoils at suffering unjustly. Why on earth would anyone ever rejoice in suffering? Peter must explain himself.

Suffering Is an Instrument of Sanctification

Here is point one: suffering for righteousness is an instrument of sanctification. Sanctification is the transforming work God wants to do in the lives of His followers to make them more like Him. The sufferings of this life can have a purifying effect.

Look again at James 1: "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." Who wouldn't want to be complete, lacking nothing? The process is the testing of trials. Romans 5 says the same: "Tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint." And 2 Corinthians 12: "My grace is sufficient for you, and My strength is made perfect in weakness... for when I am weak, then I am strong." Strength in Christ comes from the weakness of my flesh, brought about through the instrument of suffering.

Suffering is not the tool we enjoy, but it is the tool that is needed. Years ago I came home, saw a friend's dirt bike in the yard, thought it looked like fun, and a few hours later found myself in the ER with road rash all over my hands. The nurse took a scrub brush—the most hideous tool I've ever seen—and scrubbed for twenty minutes while my eyes watered. It was excruciating, but essential, to remove what would otherwise cause major problems. Humanity has crashed and burned because of sin, and we are riddled with road rash. Suffering is one of the tools God uses to scrub it away.

Freed from the Lusts of the Flesh

Why is this scrubbing necessary? Verse 2 says we should "no longer live the rest of our time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God." Point two: suffering for righteousness helps free me from the lusts of the flesh to live for the will of God.

Suffering in the flesh for the sake of Christ is a crucifying, a putting to death of the sin nature, our carnality. This is why we can rejoice—not because we're sadistic and enjoy pain, but because with the mind of Christ guarding our minds we can see that God is purifying us. These trials are a tool used by God for our ultimate good. It's like the child who is sick and refuses the bad-tasting medicine, who has to be restrained and held while crying, unable to understand why—because that is the only way to bring healing. Our Father in heaven is pained to watch us suffer, but He knows it is the only way to remove the carnality from our lives so we can live for His will.

These Are Only Moments

In the moment of suffering, my flesh does anything it can to escape—it makes excuses, tries to cut deals with God, take it away, get rid of this. And when relief doesn't come we wonder whether we lacked faith, or the one who prayed lacked faith, or the oil wasn't good enough olive oil from Israel. No—God is sanctifying, and the sanctifying work is painful, though ultimately for our good.

We need to realize these are only moments in an already brief life. Life is short—and the longer you live, the more you realize how short it is. (Notice everyone nodding has gray hair or no hair.) In this brief life there are moments of affliction, especially for Christ's sake. Our nature is to fixate on the moment—"This is so bad, it's never going to end"—and turn into Eeyore. But beyond this brief life there is eternity. Peter points us to the fact that these moments have a redeeming quality.

Suffering Redeems Wasted Time

Verse 3: "For we have spent enough time of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles." For some of you, the second part of that verse is your "BCR"—your Before Christ Resume. Lewdness, shameless lust, drunkenness, endless carousing, illicit idolatry. When you hear those things, you remember. And I often meet people walking with the Lord who say, "I wasted so much time in my life doing those things."

Point three: suffering for righteousness reminds us how much time we've wasted on unrighteousness. Have you ever suffered for doing something foolish or wrong? The pain is compounded by the guilt over the stupid thing you did. But when you suffer for doing what is right, you suffer with joy and no guilt—because it is suffering for righteousness, it is sanctifying, it is redeeming the time of your past life, and it will be rewarded in eternity.

A Purified Life Baffles Unbelievers

Verse 4: "In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you." Have you got that friend, coworker, or family member you used to sin with, who now looks at you and wonders what happened? Point four: a purified life baffles unbelievers. He used to do these things with us—what happened to Joe? He doesn't drink with us, doesn't get drunk, doesn't cut corners or step on people anymore. Why not?

Peter says they not only think it strange, they speak evil of you. Even in our nation, where we may not suffer beatings, you might suffer this. And Jesus calls it persecution. In Matthew 5:11 He says, "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake." When they speak evil of you, that is persecution in the eyes of Jesus—a real form of suffering.

The Sanctified Life Invites Ridicule

Point five: the sanctified life invites ridicule. It baffles those still walking in sin because it confounds and convicts them—of their sin, of righteousness, and of coming judgment. When they see the work of the Spirit in your life and you no longer run with them, you may lose a friendship or two. Your old friendship was built around the lusts of the flesh; now your desire has shifted, your will is to do the will of God, even when it invites ridicule. One of the greatest transformations Christ works in us is this very desire to follow Him in the face of opposition.

They Will Give an Account; You Will Be Rewarded

Verse 5: "They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead." Peter turns us back to eternity. Walk through this knowing it is redeeming, sanctifying, suffering for righteousness, and that it will be rewarded. Those who revile you, if they will not repent and turn to Christ for His forgiving grace, will give an account. That is why you don't need to take your defense into your own hands or revile back—God will defend you. Just as Jesus left His case with God the Father (1 Peter 2), so can you.

Verse 6: "For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." There is a day of judgment and a righteous Judge who will reward you openly. As Jesus says in Matthew 5, "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven."

So the Spirit, by inspiration, calls us to fix our focus on things above, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. God help us.

Closing Prayer

Father God, I need Your help, because my flesh, this carnal body, doesn't like to suffer and wants to do anything it can to get away from being reviled or spoken against. Lord, I pray that You would stir us this week to walk through these things looking to You—trusting that You will judge, trusting that You will reward, trusting that this is redeeming the time we've wasted and sanctifying us as we suffer for righteousness' sake. And should we be called to do that, give us the ability by Your strengthening power, because we are not sufficient in ourselves; our sufficiency comes from You. And God, would You shine brightly in our lives to those who do not yet know You, that as they see our lives transformed before their eyes, they would want to know the God who transforms. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.