Suffering

Those whom the Lord has chosen and honoured with his intercourse must prepare for a hard, laborious, troubled life, a life full of many and various kinds of evils; it being the will of our heavenly Father to exercise his people in this way while putting them to the proof. Having begun this course with Christ the first-born, he continues it towards all his children. For though that Son was dear to him above others, the Son in whom he was “well pleased,” yet we see, that far from being treated gently and indulgently, we may say, that not only was he subjected to a perpetual cross while he dwelt on earth, but his whole life was nothing else than a kind of perpetual cross.

This is what John Calvin says in his Institutes about trials, afflictions, and suffering. There are two things worth noting here. First, that Christ is not primarily identifying with our suffering, but that we are following Him in His. Second, these ‘crosses’ come from the hand of our Heavenly Father, this being His way of conforming us to the likeness of His Son.

This is a ‘theology of the cross.’ What is opposed to this and more commonly heard today is a ‘theology of glory.’ The theology of this story has Jesus suffering so that we don’t have to, and if you are suffering, well, you just lack faith. Just follow these seven simple principles and you will be on your way to living the victorious life. It’s easy to see how this story perpetuates itself. If these seven principles don’t work for you, then how-about forty days to a new you.

Make no mistake, Jesus did suffer and die in our stead. This was not to remove suffering from our lives, but to transform the end of the suffering. We do get to the glory, but it is through following the path our Savior walked, not leaping over it.  It is through trial, tribulation, and suffering and finally through the grave, that we come to a glory to be revealed. We know that we can make it, but only because He made it first and has set our place at the table. He is aware of our weakness, and He reminds us weekly in the bread and the wine that we have a seat in the great banquet to come.

If you get opportunity, listen to The Glory Story on the White Horse Inn. The White Horse Inn is a listener supported, weekly syndicated, round-table talk show centered on Reformation doctrine and practice. The panelists are well informed, articulate, and quite entertaining.  You can download for free with registration or listen online.  Archived programs are available at no charge.

randy