BE NOT DECEIVED - PART FOUR (ABOUT SUFFERING)

Pastor Art Watkins of Coden Bible Church (Coden, Alabama)

April 20, 2017

Be Not Deceived About Suffering!

There are Christians who are deceived into believing that any suffering they endure in this life will be rewarded. When they read about the rewards given to those who suffer they assume it’s all suffering without exception or distinction. But, what saith the scriptures? The scriptures tell us that all suffering will not be rewarded.

****Suffering you experience for sin, carnality and carelessness will not be rewarded. The wages of sin is always bad and never good. There is no reward for the suffering you experience in this life as a result of your sins.

****Suffering chastisement for sin will not be rewarded. When Christians will not be corrected by the word of God or the Spirit of God, God will apply the board of education to the seat of learning. We read where God chastened the saints in Corinth with weakness, sickness and even death for their sins. They and anyone today will not be rewarded for the chastisement they suffer for their carnality.

****Suffering pain, disease, and sickness because of carnal habits such as, smoking, drinking or gluttony will not be rewarded. There are Christians who smoke and drink and over eat and they suffer physically for these bad habits in their life. Some even die of cancer and heart disease because of their bad habits. Don’t think for one second God will reward this kind of suffering.

****If people dislike you or speak against you, because you have a rotten personality, don't expect a crown for it. If people do not like you and speak against you because you are a religious bully, don’t think you are suffering for Jesus and don’t expect a martyrs crown either.

****If people avoid you or refuse to listen to you because you are a hypocrite don't expect a reward for it.

The only suffering God will reward at the judgment seat of Christ is suffering for Christ's sake in this life. 2 Timothy 2:8-12 says: Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel: Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us. In the context in which it appears, the suffering God rewards is physical suffering for Christ sake like these Paul describes in these verses.

In the next chapter in verses 10-12 he also wrote these words about suffering: But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. These verses make it clear that God does not reward all suffering without exception. The suffering he rewards is suffering for the sake of Christ and living godly in Christ Jesus in this life. If we suffer for Christ, we will reign with Christ. If we do not suffer, we will not reign with him. All Christians will live with Christ in the kingdom of God according to 2 Timothy 2:11, because all believers are dead with Christ, but only those who suffer for Christ will also reign with Christ according to verse 12.

Romans 8:16-18 says: The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. These verses say that if we are children of God, we are heirs of God. We become children of God by faith alone in the gospel; therefore all believers are heirs of God. But it also says we become joint-heirs with Christ IF so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together. And it says any suffering we endure for Christ in this life will be worth it compared to the glory which shall be revealed in us. Becoming a joint heir of Christ is conditional upon suffering for Christ in this life. A joint heir of Christ is someone who will share his throne and reign with him in the coming kingdom of God. In Revelation 2:26-27 Jesus said: And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

In Revelation 3:21 he also said: To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

In the coming kingdom of God Jesus Christ will share his throne with those who overcome as he overcame in his life. In his life on earth Jesus overcame tribulation and suffering and the saints who do the same will become joint hears with Christ; he said: To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne. Those who overcome tribulation and suffering in this life as he overcame will sit with him in his throne.

Be not deceived about suffering: God will not reward all suffering in general; it’s suffering for the sake of Christ in this life he will reward. See also Matthew 5:10-12.