"If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, He also will deny us." 2 Timothy 2:12.
Suffering is the inescapable lot of every human being on earth. As long as we have been born into this earth, we cannot circumvent suffering in any way, irrespective of the circumstances of our birth. If Jesus Christ, who was sinless, suffered while on earth, how then can we that were born in sin expect to escape suffering?
If we all must suffer on earth, does it then mean that because of the sufferings, we are entitled to automatic visa to heaven? If we are of this impression, then we are of all men, the most miserable. A person may be born in sickness, and lie on sick bed throughout his/her lifetime until death, and still end up in hell. You can suffer on earth and still end up in hell to do your NYSC (Now Your Suffering Continues) in hell, which is the everlasting suffering. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).No amount of suffering on earth can alter God's plans and instructions that we failed to adhere to while on earth.
After all, suffering is not peculiar to Christians. But the emphasis here is that we must suffer with Christ in order to reign with Him. If we suffer on our own without Christ, we remain on our own, die on our own and be on our own in hell, since God is not in hell. Even the devil will be on his own in hell, too.
There is this grave error among us, especially the poor, that anyone who dies poor has an automatic place in heaven. They use the case of Lazarus being in the bossom of father Abraham, to console themselves. This reasoning is another affliction of mental and spiritual poverty, in addition to their physical poverty. It is also based on this faulty premise that they conclude that rich men cannot go to heaven. They believe that just like the Biblical rich man that was begging for a drop of water to quench his thirst, that is how all rich men will end in hell.
If we all must suffer on earth, does it then mean that because of the sufferings, we are entitled to automatic visa to heaven? If we are of this impression, then we are of all men, the most miserable. A person may be born in sickness, and lie on sick bed throughout his/her lifetime until death, and still end up in hell. You can suffer on earth and still end up in hell to do your NYSC (Now Your Suffering Continues) in hell, which is the everlasting suffering. Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God (John 3:3).No amount of suffering on earth can alter God's plans and instructions that we failed to adhere to while on earth.
After all, suffering is not peculiar to Christians. But the emphasis here is that we must suffer with Christ in order to reign with Him. If we suffer on our own without Christ, we remain on our own, die on our own and be on our own in hell, since God is not in hell. Even the devil will be on his own in hell, too.
There is this grave error among us, especially the poor, that anyone who dies poor has an automatic place in heaven. They use the case of Lazarus being in the bossom of father Abraham, to console themselves. This reasoning is another affliction of mental and spiritual poverty, in addition to their physical poverty. It is also based on this faulty premise that they conclude that rich men cannot go to heaven. They believe that just like the Biblical rich man that was begging for a drop of water to quench his thirst, that is how all rich men will end in hell.
It was not the sufferings of Lazarus that took him to Abraham's bossom, neither was it the wealth of the rich man that took him to hell. Lazarus, in spite of his poverty, was in right standing with God. He was a friend of Jesus Christ. Your being poor does not mean that you are in right standing with God. It may be because of laziness, indiscipline, bad decisions, etc. It will amount to self-inflicted double jeopardy to suffer and be poor on earth and equally end up in hell. It will not be our portion, in Jesus Christ's name. The rich man, despite all his riches, never looked up to God and acknowledge Him as his master and source of his wealth. The only time he looked up was in hell, and he saw Lazarus in Abraham's bossom. But it was too late for him. He looked up late. That will never be our portion!
The only suffering which guarantees heaven is the one that comes from fellowshiping with the Lord, Jesus Christ. But we cannot claim to suffer for Christ and with Christ, if we are not in Christ. How do we know that we are in Christ?
(To be continued tomorrow).
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