Even though we are not of the world, we still have to experience the results of sin. This devotional reading looks at experiencing suffering and tribulation.
Nuggets
- Disciples shouldn’t be kept from suffering.
- Disciples shouldn’t be kept from tribulations.
Suffering is hard. Our reaction is usually to want to end quickly if it has to start at all.
Wilcox said that disciples should not be kept from suffering for righteousness’ sake. Let’s see what new we can glean from this topic.
Let's Put It into Context
To read devotions in the Habitual Holiness of Heart and Life theme, click the button below.
Here is a running list of nuggets for the theme.
Devotions in the Habits to Keep Us from Evil study
Here is a running list of nuggets for the study.
We are using Wilcox’s sermon as the foundation for this series.
Resource
Suffering because of the World
“If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (Jn. 15: 19 ESV)
Disciples shouldn’t be kept from suffering.
Okay. This verse again. We have looked at it several times — some just recently.
But let’s look at this through the lens of what shouldn’t be expected of disciples. That is a bit of a switch.
Disciples are to in the world but not of it. We look at that to mean that we should be righteous in a sinful world.
But let’s look at the world.
Manning described different ways the world is seen. He wrote, “Some people denounce the world as unmixed evil; some say it is for the most part good, or at least innocent: some profess to see its deceitful workings everywhere; some will see them nowhere: some make their religion to consist in a separation from the world; some think the field of their religious duty is in the world: in a word, there is little or no agreement or certainly but in this, that there is such a power and reality as the world, and that it is of great moment to us to know what it is.”
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God sees world as unrighteous. Thomas explained what that means.
- Atheism
- Materialism
- Selfishness
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It became that way because of the original sin, but it continues that way because of our continued sin. Because of this, we suffer the consequences and results of sin.
The consequences of sin are spiritual death and separation from God.
- Spiritual death is the separation from God that occurred as a consequence of Adam and Eve’s original sin.
- The spiritually alive are those who have ABCDed, so they are no longer separated from God.
The results of sin are poverty, crime, disease, death just to name a few.
Glossary
The ABCDs of Salvation
If you have not become a believer in Christ, please read through the
Plan of Salvation and prayerfully consider what God is asking you to do.
A – admit our sins
B – believe His Son Jesus is our Redeemer
C – confess God as Sovereign Lord
D – demonstrate that commitment by making any changes needed in our lives to live the way in which God has called us
The Disciple’s Job Description
It is the results of sin that has caused the world to be in the shape it is today. This is what causes the suffering we face.
When it says disciples are in the world, it means we are all in it. Yes, as holy saints, we are set apart, but that is the of the world part.
We aren’t taken out of the world. That means we are tempted to sin in every way possible.
Thank God we have repented of our sins and accepted God’s salvation!
Repentance is acknowledging our separation from God and expressing sorrow for breaking God’s laws and commandments by making the commitment to change our sinful ways to ways of righteousness through obedience.
- Sin is not believing that Jesus is our Savior to save us from our actions by humans that disobey God and break one of His reasonable, holy, and righteous laws and commandments, goes against a purpose He has for us, or follows Satan’s promptings.
- Holy means to be set apart — because of our devotion to God — to become perfect, and morally pure while possessing all virtues and to serve and worship God.
- Perfection means we reach a state of maturity because the combination of the spiritual graces form, when all are present, spiritual wholeness or completeness — holy, sanctified, and righteous.
- Spiritual graces are worldly morals that have been submitted to God to further His kingdom instead of enhancing this world.
- Sanctified means to be set free from sin.
- Righteous means we are free from sin because we are following God’s moral laws.
- Pure means not being sinful or having the stain of sin.
- Virtues are standards of moral excellence.
- Perfection means we reach a state of maturity because the combination of the spiritual graces form, when all are present, spiritual wholeness or completeness — holy, sanctified, and righteous.
- Holy means to be set apart — because of our devotion to God — to become perfect, and morally pure while possessing all virtues and to serve and worship God.
- Obedience means submitting ourselves to the will of God as it is presented to us and living our lives accordingly.
Salvation is the gift of life through the deliverance from condemnation and sin to acceptance and holiness and changes us from being spiritually dead to spiritually alive.
- Holiness is the transcendent excellence of His nature that includes elements of purity, dedication, and commitment that lead to being set apart.
- Purity means possessing God’s moral character, having eliminated the stain of sin.
Glossary
But we still have to experience the tribulation. We have to endure the temptation and the hurt caused and not lose our dependence on and belief in Him.
Tribulation because of the World
“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (Jn. 16: 33 ESV)
Disciples shouldn’t be kept from tribulations.
How many times does our eyes stop on the word peace in this verse? We gloss over the will have part. We think the peace negates the tribulation part — especially the worldly type.
But it doesn’t.
Clapperton reminds us Jesus was talking about a spiritual peace. He wrote, “This is plain from the fact that it was to be enjoyed during tribulation, and it is the peace which Jesus promises in these words: ‘Peace I leave with you, not as the world giveth.’”
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The problem is we think peace and tribulation are on opposite ends of the continuum. That limits God and is not true. “Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content” (Phil. 4: 11 ESV).
Disciples are still going to experience the results of sin, even when we have addressed the consequences of sin. There is no getting around that.
There is a reason we are to rejoice in our sin. “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom. 5: 3-5 ESV).
When tribulations interrupt our peace, we have to find the everlasting joy in the Lord. “So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (Jn. 16: 22 ESV).
I love Vaughan’s definition of peace. He wrote that it is “… a stilling sense of the love of God.” He also said that it is the root of holiness.
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I love that word picture of stopping to bask in God’s love. To me, it ties right into “Be still, and know that I am God …” (Ps. 46: 10 ESV).
Take our eyes off the boiling pot in which we are living and focus on the One Who’s attribute is love.
Vaughan went on to say that, as we continue to laser our focus onto God, it becomes a habit. We let go of our anxieties and focus on our faith.
Making the Connections #1
Jesus never sugarcoated our experiencing tribulation. In fact, He prophesied that we would face tribulation all the way up to persecution. “Then they will hand you over to be persecuted, and they will kill you. You will be hated by all nations because of my name” (Mt. 24: 9 CSB).
All this was said to prepare us for what will happen. We can equip ourselves for it as we look for it.
We know that there will be seasons of tribulation. It will come and go in order to grow us to where we need to be.
Making the Connections #2
I know I’ve said this before, but we shouldn’t want to not have suffering and tribulation. That is how we grow closer to God.
We aren’t going to grow our faith during the easy times. That is when we think we can depend on ourselves.
We don’t want that. We want the sin in our lives identified and cut out. Our goal should be to get our character to reflect His.
How Do We Apply This?
- Accept that we will suffer because we are in the world.
- Repent when we give into temptation.
- Recognize that the tribulations we suffer are short lived.
- Find joy in all our circumstances.
- Equip ourselves for tribulations by being buried in God’s Word.
- Remember, Jesus has already overcome the world, ensuring our victory.
- Let go of our anxieties and focus on our faith.
Resources
Father God. Thank You for offering to us the Plan of Salvation. We need to restore our relationships with You. We do know that accepting Your gift of salvation will not keep us from experiencing the results of sin. We will still have suffering and tribulations, even persecution. Help us to take our focus off them and put it on You to receive Your peace and love. Amen.
What do you think?
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