Is Suffering God's Will
For The Christian?
Rock of Offence Special Commentary
The following information answers a question from a reader in the United States; "Is Suffering God's Will For The Christian?" Many have asked the same questions since the existence of the first century church. Today, critics of faith, divine healing and God's Grace are spreading massive amounts of misinformation on these subjects. Their answers are often misleading and cause believers to have a wrong conception of their Heavenly Father.
Here is the original question (edited for the website):
When it comes to studying God's will regarding suffering, is it definitely God's will that we suffer? I have not only been taught this by my church, but also hear it repeated on Christian radio and sometimes on Christian television. Then I hear others say that it is not God's will that we suffer because we live in a fallen world. In the New Testament, Paul warned in 1 or 2 Timothy that those who desire to live godly lives will suffer persecution. In 1 Peter, he talks about the early believers suffering according to God's will. I do not know which chapter or verse that says that. I know that God called Paul to suffer for the Gospel. Throughout history, many Christians throughout the world have suffered persecution for their faith. It is becoming more increasingly popular and frequent these days to hear that "it's God's will that we suffer".
I also hear preachers, teachers, pastors, and evangelists say "God has a purpose in your suffering and that He is sovereign and in control. They say God can do whatever he wants to accomplish his will and that it's not for us to discover what God's will is in regards to suffering." They also use the book of Job, James 1:2-4, and 1 Peter that when we face trials, it means God is testing our faith as he did in the book of Job. Did God test Job? When we are tested for our faith, does that mean God is testing us and will allow suffering in our lives to test us as many teach? I am trying to figure out which teaching in regards to pain and suffering is true and which ones are false.
This Bible Study is the fourth in a special five
part series, which addresses the controversial
subject of Christian suffering. The other 4
studies are available below:
(Study 1) The Reasons Why Christians Suffer
(Study 2) Belief, Faith and God's Power
(Study 3) Misconceptions About Paul's
Thorn in the Flesh
(Study 5) Does God Really Do Whatever He Wants To Us?
Hello Brother,
The topic of suffering is another one of the most abused and distorted subjects in the institutional Christian Church. To cover all the different aspects is not possible in an email. Except for a few commentaries on our website (and now this one), I did not sense that God wanted me to get diverted onto the complicated task of addressing a problem, which will not be resolved until Jesus returns. Too many professing Christians already have their minds made up to believe a certain way about the subject of suffering. The Word of God provides answers to your questions. But, the answers are given in a way that requires some study. Studying the Bible to discover what it says about a particular subject (like suffering) is a good and necessary thing. But, it also leaves the door wide open for beliefs based on countless religious interpretations, which are not necessarily in agreement with God's Word. Much of the error concerning the subject of suffering comes from a particular type of theology, which governs a group of churches and major denominations. By doing some historical research, we find that the roots of this influence can be traced back to the fourth century doctrine of the Roman Catholic theologian Augustine, which later spread (starting with the Protestant Reformation and the teachings of John Calvin) throughout the entire institutional Christian Church. The error now exists on both Roman Catholic and Protestant sides of the isle.
FIRST:
Your original questions would normally require writing a book. It's not practical for us to go into such detail on this website. However, we will attempt to briefly address some important issues.
It is correctly taught that God is sovereign. Yet, the word "sovereign" is often improperly defined by many church leaders to mean that God does whatever He wants to the Christian believer. However, Scripture reveals that this definition is misleading depending on the Biblical time period being studied or discussed. Contrary to popular church teaching, the Bible is divided into something called "dispensations". They can be understood as "Divine administrations", where God operates according to a different set of rules or laws IN EACH ONE.
FOR THIS REASON, GOD MAKES IT ILLEGAL TO MIX
THESE DISPENSATIONS TOGETHER AND TREAT THEM
AS BEING ONE UNIFIED PROGRAM.
The two most visible dispensations (or administrations) are clearly marked in our Bible as; the Old Testament and the New Testament. This was done to help us understand that God's Word is divided into two radically different programs (or dispensations). Generally speaking, the Old Testament involves "the dispensation of the Mosaic Law given to Israel. The New Testament involves God's dispensation of Grace (also called "the New Covenant") given to the Church, which was initiated by the crucifixion of Christ AND DIDN'T START UNTIL AFTER THE CROSS. To keep confusion at a minimum we will only focus on these two dispensations in this discussion. Each dispensation is governed by a different set of rules called "a covenant". Old Testament Law is also referred to in the Bible as "the Mosaic Covenant". In the New Testament, Jesus Christ establishes what He calls, "The New Covenant in My blood", WHICH MAKES THE PREVIOUS OLD COVENANT RULES OBSOLETE.
"But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He (Jesus) is also MEDIATOR OF A BETTER COVENANT, WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED ON BETTER PROMISES. For if that FIRST COVENANT had been faultless, then no place would have been sought FOR A SECOND." (Hebrews 8:6-7)
"IN THAT HE (JESUS CHRIST) SAYS, "A NEW COVENANT," HE HAS MADE THE FIRST OBSOLETE. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away." (Hebrews 8:13)
God puts these covenants in place SO THAT HIS PEOPLE CAN KNOW HOW HE WILL RELATE WITH THEM, WHAT THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE AND WHAT HE WILL DO. The way God relates to His people (the Church) under Christ's New Covenant of Grace is vastly different than the way he related to His people (the Israelites) under the Mosaic Law (or Mosaic Covenant) of the Old Testament. This is one reason the New Covenant is called, "a better covenant established on better promises". It's said to be "better", which means it's different and makes the previous one obsolete. These covenants ARE ESTABLISHED BY GOD HIMSELF. According to the nature and purpose of these special divine administrations, God doesn't just "do whatever He wants to His people" as many wrongly teach.
Emphasizing the need to keep these covenants separated, the apostle Paul, who wrote nearly half of the New Testament, warned that God's Word must be "rightly (or correctly) divided" (2 Timothy 2:15) if teaching truth is our goal. However, there are popular systems of theology operating in the Christian Church that refuses to respect the dispensational and covenant divisions, which Paul spoke about. As a result, they take these two different programs (the Mosaic Covenant of the Old Testament and Christ's New Covenant of the New Testament) and mix them together, creating a confusing man-made theology THAT GOD DOES NOT HONOR. When a preacher says that God is sovereign and can "do whatever He wants to the Christian believer", you're hearing an expression of this dangerous and erroneous historical theology (discussed at the end of this study). Unfortunately, it dominates a majority (but thankfully not all) of the worldwide organizational Christian Church.
You mentioned the story of Job in your questions. A Study of Church history reveals that he was a man who lived long before God established His covenants with Abraham and Moses in the Old Testament and thousands of years before the New Covenant of Christ. Since this time of Biblical history existed before these official and major covenants (beginning with the one God established with Abraham in Genesis chapter 15), means that God wasn't operating according to any of these covenants in His relationship with Job because they did not yet exist. We must remember that, in the Bible, God designs His covenants to outline and govern how He relates with the ones for whom the covenant is made. For this reason alone, it is terribly misleading to use the life of Job to illustrate how God relates to the Christian believer living under the New Covenant, which operates after the cross. Why? The crucifixion of Christ established a New Covenant, which changed all the previous rules. Paul called the period of time, which began after the cross; "The dispensation of the Grace of God" (Ephesians 3:1-4). Some Bible scholars also call it "the age of Grace" or "the Church Age". Contrary to popular fundamental Bible teaching, this "dispensation of God's Grace" is not an extension or continuation of the previous "dispensation of the Mosaic Law" of the Old Testament. Yet, once again, there are many preachers, churches and denominations that reject the covenant divisions and the Biblical dispensations they represent. This wrong way of interpreting the Bible allows them to mix everything together in violation of the rules of Biblical context and teach things that God never intended or said. These preachers see nothing wrong with using Job as an example of suffering for the Christian believer. Yet, this common practice (and error) of failing to "rightly divide the Word of truth" leads God's people astray in their faith.
When reading the story of Job, it's important to notice that God permitted Satan to afflict Job (affliction is suffering) in order to prove to Satan that He was right to have confidence in him as a righteous man. God did not send this affliction Himself as an act of "doing whatever He wanted". Satan dared God that Job would turn against Him if he was exposed to enough suffering. God basically took the challenge and told Satan that Job would remain faithful. Job's afflictions were not sent by God, nor were they His will. They were designed and unleashed by the devil, who was trying to prove God wrong. When considering other Scriptures in the Bible, our observation is that God permitted Satan to do such horrendous things to Job because there was no official covenant in operation, which would cause Him to take a different course of action. However, the important lesson in this story is that God did not send suffering upon Job as a deliberate act of His will. The suffering came from Satan. As we will soon discover in this Bible study, there are many other examples from Scripture that point to the same conclusion.
The New Covenant is also called "the new and living way of Christ"
established on His blood (Read: Matt. 26:28, Mark 14:24, Luke 22:20,
1 Cor. 11:25, 2 Cor. 3:6, Heb. 7:11-22, Heb. 8:6-13, Heb. 9:15,
Heb. 10:19-23, Heb. 12:24).
We teach about the importance of God's institution of
covenant in a free eBook entitled, "Mystery of the
Faith". A special webpage with some helpful
commentaries (and the book in PDF format) is
available at the following link:
The Mystery of the Faith
SECOND:
A vast majority of suffering has to do with something called "unbelief". This is usually an unrealized spiritual condition, where a Christian believer is ensnared by doctrine or teaching (we call it theology) that is presented as God's Word, but is actually a man-made teaching that is designed to sound like God's Word. These doctrines are dangerous because they twist Scripture (abuse the context of the Bible) to make it appear that God says something that He does not say. Jesus made the following statement concerning this deceptive way of teaching the Bible:
"...this people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." (Mark 7:6-7)
Unbelief is not something sent by God to make us suffer. Rather, it is something we do to ourselves in ignorance. Unbelief has the power to block us from receiving God's benefits, which are normally available through the Gospel. In many situations, when a Christian believer goes through a painful trial, it is often said that they are "suffering for Christ". Yet, the more likely reason for the suffering is because they put their trust in one of the many counterfeit church doctrines that empowers unbelief. The apostle Paul warned that these doctrines teach "another Jesus", which means that they don't teach the authentic Jesus of the New Covenant. The suffering is the result of being cut-off from God's help. The following Scriptures illustrate this truth.
Unbelief greatly limited the healing power of the Lord Jesus Christ during one of His visits to His own hometown.
"Now He (Jesus) could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief." (Mark 6:5-6)
Failing to "rightly divide the Word" (as discussed in the previous section) often carries disastrous consequences, where we attempt to "live for Christ" by trying to obey Old Testament Biblical principles that God says He no longer honors after the cross. Being "cut-off" from Christ and His benefits is the result. This usually happens without our knowledge.
"You have become estranged (separated, cut-off) from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; YOU HAVE FALLEN FROM GRACE." (Galatians 5:4 -- Emphasis Added)
Many of the misconceptions about suffering
in the Christian life are caused by not
understanding the nature and consequences
of unbelief (or believing the Bible wrong).
The following studies address this problem
in more detail.
Unbelief--The 800-Pound Gorilla
In The Church
That Everyone Ignores
The Reasons Why Christians Suffer
THIRD:
It must be understood that God uses some (but not all) types of suffering to help us spiritually mature. However, saying "that God uses suffering" is not the same thing as saying "suffering is God's will" or that "God sends suffering". When a child accidently burns their hand on a hot kitchen stove, the parent can use the experience to instruct their child as to "why it's bad to touch a hot stovetop". However, IT WAS NEVER THE PARENT'S WILL OR DESIRE THAT THE CHILD WAS PAINFULLY BURNED. More importantly, the parent didn't take their child's hand and forcibly put it on the stove to "teach them a lesson" (we correctly call this child abuse). Only a parent with a warped mind would treat their children in this manner. Yet, millions of Christians are wrongly taught by their church that the latter example represents the way God "lovingly" relates to His children. Are we the only ones that see a problem with this kind of distorted Bible teaching?
SERIOUS RELIGIOUS ERROR OCCURS WHEN WE
LEAP TO THE CONCLUSION THAT SUFFERING
IS GOD'S WILL BECAUSE HE USES IT (OR
ALLOWS IT) TO TEACH AND INSTRUCT US.
FOURTH:
God promises suffering in this life. Scripture states that during His life on earth, "Jesus learned obedience through the things He suffered" (Hebrews 5:8). Yet, as I explain in the article "Why Christians Suffer", God is not up in heaven thinking of some traumatic trial that He can send in order to force us into some kind of "obedience through pain". When the churches you mentioned claim that suffering is God's will for the Christian -- most are suggesting (and many of their ministers will say it to your face) that God deliberately sends pain and tragedies to spiritually mature His children. (Years ago I used to be part of such a church fellowship until the Lord told me to leave.) These well-meaning (but spiritually misled) people believe that God sends cancer, heart attacks, debilitating disease, car accidents, death of children, death of spouses, loss of employment and unexpected financial disasters IN ORDER TO FORCE OR MOTIVATE HIS PEOPLE TO DRAW CLOSE TO HIM. However, there is a vast difference between allowing (permitting) suffering FROM THINGS THAT GOD DID NOT SEND; and deliberately sending those things to cause hurt and pain in an attempt to force us into submission. This common theology creates a dangerous false conception of God, who claims to love us, yet sends torture and mental and physical agony "for our own good". This is the damaging subtle message some churches send when they teach that suffering is God's will. When God warns (or promises) that suffering will happen during our life on earth IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT HE DESIGNED AND FORCIBLY IMPOSES THE TRIAL AS HIS WILL UPON HIS CHILDREN.
FIFTH:
There are 3 specific kinds of trials that cause suffering; destructive, constructive and self-inflicted. God's Word warns that some trials (and the suffering they produce) must be firmly resisted because they are sent from the enemy to destroy us (they are demonically destructive). Other types (we tend to call them constructive and self-inflicted trials) come as a result of our own actions and decisions. God will use the latter ones (even though He didn't send them -- we send them on ourselves) to help instruct us in His ways. These kinds of trials are meant to train us not to do certain things again -- and to change our behavior and attitude to be more Christ-like. In these situations, God usually stands aside and allows us to suffer the consequences of our actions. Yet, in other cases, He will get involved and remove the consequences and suffering as a demonstration of His grace and love. God deals with each one of His children in a different way. Many think that because God uses some trials as a way to instruct, that He personally designed and sent these things Himself. Others believe that all trials are sent from God (especially the destructive ones like sickness and disease) AND SHOULD BE EAGERLY RECEIVED AS HIS WILL. Both of these positions are dangerously misleading.
In the following Scripture, Jesus revealed the source of a particular type of destructive suffering and disease. (Note: Jesus had just healed a woman and was being criticized because He performed the miracle on the Sabbath.)
"And the ruler of the synagogue answered with indignation, because that Jesus had healed on the sabbath day, and said unto the people, There are six days in which men ought to work: in them therefore come and be healed, and not on the sabbath day. The Lord then answered him, and said, Thou hypocrite, doth not each one of you on the sabbath loose his ox or his ass from the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not this woman, being a daughter of Abraham, WHOM SATAN HATH BOUND, LO, THESE EIGHTEEN YEARS, BE LOOSED FROM THIS BOND ON THE SABBATH DAY? And when he had said these things, all his adversaries were ashamed: and all the people rejoiced for all the glorious things that were done by him." (Luke 13:14-17 -- Emphasis Added)
In this important example, Jesus reveals that Satan (the devil) was responsible for this disease and the suffering it caused. God did not send, nor was it His will that this woman be bound (or rendered helpless). God did not send this suffering to instruct the woman or to cause her to be more pious or to draw her closer to Him. Actually, it was her healing that motivated her to draw closer to God. The suffering came directly from Satan as something destructive and Jesus immediately made it His goal to set her free. King David, looking forward toward Christ's future redemption made the following prophetic statement:
"Bless the Lord, O my soul, AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS: Who forgives all your iniquities, WHO HEALS ALL YOUR DISEASES, WHO REDEEMS YOUR LIFE FROM DESTRUCTION, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s." (Psalms 116:2-5 -- Emphasis Added)
Recently, I was reading about a poll that was taken in a group of Christian churches, which revealed their conception of God. The originators of the poll were shocked to learn that many professing Christians tend to view God as some kind of "heavenly monster" and not a loving Heavenly Father. I now know the popular, yet erroneous theology that produced this belief -- AND THE THEOLOGY DOESN'T COME FROM GOD. Yet, this is what happens when we are wrongly taught (and believe) that God deliberately sends pain and torture (both physical and mental) as a way to force His people to submit to His will.
Through the prophet Jeremiah, God reveals His true intentions toward His people.
"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, THOUGHTS OF PEACE AND NOT OF EVIL, to give you a future and a hope."
(Jeremiah 29:11 -- Emphasis Added)
Much of the wrong thinking about suffering
in the Christian life revolves around
the subject of physical divine healing.
The following Bible studies address
this problem in more detail.
SOZO: The Three-Fold Salvation of God
Misconceptions About Paul's
Thorn in the Flesh
SIXTH:
Another type of suffering occurs as the result of persecution, which involves certain actions and verbal assaults against the Christian believer by the devil and his agents. Persecution can also come from church-going people, who claim to be Christian believers, but are unknowingly under the control of a demonic religious spirit (Yes, it can and does happen more often than we think). This makes them appear to be speaking for God, when they are actually twisting and redefining Scripture and doing the bidding of the devil. Jesus referred to such individuals as "wolves in sheep's clothing" (Matthew 7:15). In other words, they approach you as a fellow Christian believer or church leader. The apostle Paul called them "false brethren" (Galatians 2:4-5). SATAN IS THE AUTHOR AND INITIATOR OF ALL PERSECUTION THAT COMES AGAINST THE CHRISTIAN; NOT GOD. As long as we live in physical bodies on earth and Jesus Christ has not returned, our enemy will continue his program of persecution because he hates God and all those who represent Him. IT IS NOT GOD'S WILL OR DOING, but He does promise all true believers that persecution will happen.
THE ACT OF WARNING OR PROMISING US THAT
PERSECUTION WILL HAPPEN DOES NOT MAKE
THE PERSECUTION "GOD'S WILL" AND IT DOES
NOT MEAN THAT THE PERSECUTION IS SENT
BY GOD.
The apostle Paul reveals the source of Christian persecution in the following Scripture:
"Yes, AND ALL WHO DESIRE TO LIVE GODLY IN CHRIST JESUS WILL SUFFER PERSECUTION. BUT EVIL MEN AND IMPOSTORS WILL GROW WORSE AND WORSE, DECEIVING AND BEING DECEIVED. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 3:12-15)
Notice that Paul is telling us that persecution comes from "evil men and impostors". It's noteworthy that Paul uses the word "imposter" in this Scripture. Imposters are religious people, who claim to serve God, yet unknowingly work on behalf of the devil. These misguided, but well-intentioned individuals are not sent by, nor do they receive approval from God for their practices and teachings. Jesus gave the following warning about these false "servants of God" to His disciples.
"These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, THE TIME COMETH, THAT WHOSOEVER KILLETH YOU WILL THINK THAT HE DOETH GOD SERVICE. AND THESE THINGS THEY DO UNTO YOU, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN THE FATHER, NOR ME. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them." (John 16:1-4 KJV--Emphasis Added)
Notice Jesus said that these individuals are not from (and do not know) Him or His Father.
Some will be persecuted unto death by these kinds of religious people and their leaders (this happened most notably during the Protestant Reformation and the Crusades). Others will get off easier, only having to endure occasional verbal attacks and criticism. Yet, in both cases, persecution is not sent as the will of God for his children. If that were true, then God would be approving of and sending the persecution on Himself, which is nothing but religious nonsense.
In Acts chapter 9, Jesus confronted Saul (who later changed his name to Paul) on the road to Damascus. He mentioned Saul's treatment of believers, who he had thrown in jail (and had some executed) because of their faith. Concerning these practices, Jesus made the following statement:
"And as he (Saul) journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, SAUL, SAUL, WHY PERSECUTEST THOU ME? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I AM JESUS WHOM THOU PERSECUTEST: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks." (Acts 9:3-5 -- Emphasis Added)
We must remember that before this event Saul was a high-ranking Pharisee, WHO BELIEVED HE WAS SERVING GOD. Unknown to Saul at the time, he was engaged in a false religious agenda, WHICH DID NOT COME FROM JESUS CHRIST OR THE HEAVENLY FATHER. If someone is not serving Jesus Christ or the Heavenly Father, then they are doing the bidding of the devil regardless of how godly they appear. God did not send the persecution (at the hands of Saul) that resulted in the imprisonment and death of His people. JESUS CONSIDERED THE PERSECUTION AGAINST HIS PEOPLE AS AN OFFENSE COMMITTED PERSONALLY AGAINST HIM. If God sends persecution as His will for the Christian believer, then according to Acts 9:3-5 this would also logically cause us to conclude that God persecutes Himself, which is nonsensical.
Does God Contradict Himself?
"Many are the afflictions of the righteous, BUT THE LORD DELIVERS HIM OUT OF THEM ALL." (Psalms 34:19 -- Emphasis Added)
If God is the one sending the suffering (affliction is a form of suffering) as His will, why would He then turn around and undo His will? If sufferings (afflictions) were sent by God as His will, why would He then turn around and say that HE WILL DELIVER US FROM ALL OF THEM? Once again, these are some of the contradictions found in certain popular forms of theology.
James sheds additional light on a slightly different aspect of this subject. He speaks about the temptations that can produce the kind of suffering that we call "self-inflicted". A temptation is anything that pulls us away from God's way and into something that runs contrary to His Word. As believers, when we make the mistake of yielding to temptation, it results in various types of suffering.
"Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. LET NO ONE SAY WHEN HE IS TEMPTED, 'I AM TEMPTED BY GOD', FOR GOD CANNOT BE TEMPTED BY EVIL, NOR DOES HE HIMSELF TEMPT ANYONE. BUT EACH ONE IS TEMPTED WHEN HE IS DRAWN AWAY BY HIS OWN DESIRES AND ENTICED. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures." (James 1: 12-18 -- Emphasis Added)
Temptation is often described as "testing and trials". James teaches that these temptations and testings occur when we are "drawn away by our own desires and enticed". In other words, WE DO IT TO OURSELVES. He warns that "GOD DOES NOT TEMPT ANYONE" and that we should never say "I am being tempted by God". However, this is exactly what many churches teach. Don't ever think that these things represent some minor difference of opinion. They warp our conception of God into something that is contrary to Scripture. When our conception of God becomes confused and distorted, it causes us to be led astray concerning our faith in Christ. Being "led astray in our faith" by one of the popular erroneous types of theology that dominates the institutional Christian Church can carry serious eternal consequences.
In preparation for His earthly ministry, the Bible tells us that Jesus was tempted (tested) in the wilderness for 40 days BY THE DEVIL. Scripture says that Jesus (because he was fasting) was hungry and weak during this time. Jesus was suffering and had to confront the devil's attacks in this compromised condition. It's important to note that this testing was allowed (permitted) by God. YET, GOD WAS NOT THE DESIGNER OR THE SOURCE OF CHRIST'S TEMPTATIONS AND TESTINGS. (Read Matthew 4:1-11 and Mark 1:9-12)
SEVENTH:
On the subject of Bible Prophecy, which deals with the Second Coming of Christ, we constantly hear these common misconceptions associated with suffering. Jesus specifically said that a period of the worst tribulation (which also includes intense suffering) in human history would occur before His physical return at the end of the age. Jesus then said that God would provide a way of escape from this tribulation FOR THE WORTHY ONES (OR HIS WORTHY PEOPLE). The escape Jesus refers to HAPPENS BEFORE THIS HORRENDOUS TRIBULATION PERIOD (also known as the end-time judgment of God or "The Day of the Lord"). If the escape didn't happen before judgment, but happened afterwards, it wouldn't be an escape. When you examine the words of Jesus, He is saying that a "pre-tribulational escape" (you could also call it a "pre-judgment escape") will be provided by God. Why? So that His righteous (or worthy) people would be removed from (or be exempt from) the coming judgment, which brings unspeakable suffering for the remaining inhabitants of the earth, WHO ARE NOT PART OF THE WORTHY GROUP.
The New Testament Scriptures
Teach About A Future Escape
The apostle Paul made the following statements to the Thessalonian Church about these worthy people and why they are destined to miss God's global judgment:
"But concerning the times and the seasons, brethren, you have no need that I should write to you. For you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so comes as a thief in the night. FOR WHEN THEY SAY, "PEACE AND SAFETY!" THEN SUDDEN DESTRUCTION COMES UPON THEM, AS LABOR PAINS UPON A PREGNANT WOMAN. AND THEY SHALL NOT ESCAPE. BUT YOU BRETHREN, ARE NOT IN DARKNESS, SO THAT THIS DAY SHOULD OVERTAKE YOU AS A THIEF. You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. FOR GOD DID NOT APPOINT US TO WRATH, BUT TO OBTAIN SALVATION THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him." (1 Thessalonians 5:1-10 NKJV -- Emphasis Added)
"For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: THEN WE WHICH ARE ALIVE AND REMAIN SHALL BE CAUGHT UP TOGETHER WITH THEM IN THE CLOUDS, TO MEET THE LORD IN THE AIR: AND SO SHALL WE EVER BE WITH THE LORD. Wherefore comfort one another with these words." (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 NKJV -- Emphasis Added)
Note: The following Scriptures reveal "the escape" Jesus taught about before the cross (and before the apostle Paul's ministry) in the following Scriptures:
Concerning this future time of God's worldwide judgment and tribulation, Jesus said....
"For in those days there will be tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the creation which God created until this time, nor ever shall be." (Mark 13:19)
"But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of this life, AND THAT DAY COME UPON YOU UNEXPECTEDLY. FOR IT WILL COME AS A SNARE ON ALL THOSE WHO DWELL ON THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH. Watch therefore, and pray always THAT YOU MAY BE COUNTED WORTHY TO ESCAPE ALL THESE THINGS THAT WILL COME TO PASS, AND TO STAND BEFORE THE SON OF MAN." (Luke 21:25-36 -- Emphsis Added)
Teaching That Suffering is God's Will
Can Wrongly Cause Us to Redefine and
Contradict the Words of Jesus Christ
Despite the clear teaching in these Scriptures, there are churches, major denominations and certain popular and historic Bible teachers that claim any "before-the-tribulation-escape" (some refer to it as the pre-tribulational rapture) is not taught by the Bible. When we hear such things it makes us wonder which Bible they're reading. As a result, various derogatory terms and phrases are used to discredit this incredible promise made by Christ -- such as;
- A false teaching
- Delusional religious thinking
- A mass deception against the Church
- A dangerous heresy
Imagine walking up to Jesus and accusing Him of propagating "a mass deception against the Church" and teaching "a dangerous heresy" for saying that God will provide an escape from judgment for His worthy (righteous) people. These kind of arrogant statements represent how far some ministers and churches will go to preserve their theology and traditions. It represents a blatant contradiction (and insult) to what both Jesus and the apostle Paul taught concerning this subject in the New Testament.
There are many hidden influences that motivates this kind of dangerous rhetoric. The following is the most common:
THEY BELIEVE AND TEACH THAT "SUFFERING IS
GOD'S WILL" AND ANY DESIRE OR EFFORT TO
ESCAPE FROM THE COMING TRIBULATION (AND
THE SUFFERING IT CREATES) IS SIN AND
REBELLION AGAINST GOD.
These well-meaning ministers and their followers condemn the escape as sin (despite the fact that Jesus was the one who taught it) because it's an attempt to avoid the will of God (as their erroneous theology defines it). Yet, the New Testament (specifically the Lord Jesus Christ) insists that this escape is for those who are worthy (righteous) and therefore do not qualify (or deserve) the judgment of God and the suffering that goes with it. Scripture teaches that God would commit an unjust act if He wrongly judges these worthy and righteous people with the rest of the Christ-rejecting sinful world. Judging the righteous and the wicked (the unrighteous) together (which the Bible calls unjust) is why God must provide the escape (or removal or rapture). Unfortunately, contradicting both Jesus Christ and Paul and redefining Scripture in order to support a particular theology is common in many churches. The apostle Paul calls it "perverting the Gospel" AND IT'S A PRACTICE THAT GOD DOES NOT RESPECT OR HONOR. One of the clearest and most serious warnings given in the New Testament concerns ministers (and certain Bible scholars), who rewrite the Scriptures, teach the Bible out of context and redefine Christ's salvation, yet continue to claim that their ministry and work represents God and His Word. According to the New Testament, anyone, (regardless of their good intentions, popularity or seminary credentials) who practices such things do not represent Jesus Christ or the Father. This is an important kind of discernment (or judgment) that God requires of all Christian believers if they seek to walk in the truth of Christ's salvation.
THE PRETRIBULATIONAL ESCAPE/RAPTURE IS THE FULFILLMENT OF CHRIST'S BLOOD-BOUGHT REDEMPTION. It represents the completion of the salvation of the New Testament Church. The escape that Jesus describes is not some arbitrary event, where God grants a performance-based reward for good behavior and faithful service (this is what many ministers wrongly teach).
THE ESCAPE (OR RAPTURE) IS A CORE SALVATION
BENEFIT PURCHASED AT THE CROSS FOR THE WHOLE
CHURCH (all those who possess the free gift of
righteousness), which is given to all authentic
believers in Christ through Grace (or God's
unmerited and undeserved favor).
"Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, EVEN SO THROUGH ONE MAN'S RIGHTEOUS ACT THE FREE GIFT CAME TO ALL MEN, RESULTING IN JUSTIFICATION OF LIFE. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, SO ALSO BY ONE MAN'S OBEDIENCE MANY WILL BE MADE RIGHTEOUS. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:18-21 -- Emphasis Added)
"...BEING JUSTIFIED FREELY BY HIS GRACE THROUGH THE REDEMPTION THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS, whom God set forth as a propitiation BY HIS BLOOD, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:24-26 -- Emphasis Added)
"...not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." (Titus 3:5-7 -- Emphasis Added)
"Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, WHEN HE SHALL APPEAR, WE SHALL BE LIKE HIM; for we shall see him as he is." (1 John 3:1-2 -- Emphasis Added)
"But God, who is rich in mercy, BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE WITH WHICH HE LOVED US, EVEN WHEN WE WERE DEAD IN TRESPASSES, MADE US ALIVE TOGETHER WITH CHRIST (BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, THAT IN THE AGES TO COME HE MIGHT SHOW THE EXCEEDING RICHES OF HIS GRACE IN HIS KINDNESS TOWARD US IN CHRIST JESUS. FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH, and that not of yourselves; IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD, NOT OF WORKS, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:4-9 -- Emphasis Added)
These things sound a sober warning about the seemingly harmless religious practice of placing human suffering under the banner of "God's will", which can warp our understanding of Christ's salvation. These distortions cause church leaders and their followers to unknowingly go astray from God's Word and the revolutionary truths found in the New Covenant of Christ.
Additional information is available
at the following links:
Important Information About
Who Goes at the Rapture
Fear of Suffering Is Commonly
Used To Coerce Christians To
Be Obedient To God
We learned in this study that God uses certain types of suffering (but not all) to teach us to be obedient to His ways, just as Jesus learned obedience through the things that He suffered (Hebrews 5:8). Unfortunately, many churches do not interpret God’s purpose for suffering the same way. These differing interpretations are directly related to various systems of theology, which all churches use as their “filter” to understand the Scriptures. Problems ultimately begin to surface because viewing and teaching the Bible using a “corrupted filter” always produces a wrong interpretation. This is the primary reason it is misleading to simply call any follower or disciple of Christ “a Bible-believer”. Why? They could be in one of the many church groups that have a corrupted filter (or what we call theology), which causes them to “believe the Bible wrong.” The term “theology” is simply understood as; “The study of God and the way He relates to the human race.” In our various Bible studies and commentaries we draw attention to the disturbing fact that there are at least 17 dominant systems of theology that operate in the institutional Christian Church. It means there are at least 17 different ways that certain Biblical topics can be interpreted and taught. Every one of their devoted supporters insists that their way of viewing the Bible represent the true intentions of God. Yet, the New Testament warns that God rejects most of these doctrines of theology because they essentially rewrite and redefine Christ’s salvation, which makes it appear that God says something that He did not say. In their well-intentioned, yet unbiblical quest for a man-made unity, many church leaders ignore these differences -- but God does not. This is why we often warn that just because someone carries the label “Christian” does not automatically mean that they represent Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. The illegal practice of twisting Scripture to make it appear that God supports your church doctrine or theology has been successfully used by religious leaders throughout church history.
Unfortunately, this practice continues unabated today. There are certain preachers, churches and denominations that use the subject of suffering as a way to create various types of unhealthy and oppressive religious fear. Obviously, some types of fear are needful. Most of us wouldn’t have received salvation if we didn’t have a healthy fear of spending an eternity in hell. The good news is that Jesus Christ freely, by Grace, saved us from this horrific outcome, which is available through an act of simple child-like faith. We repeatedly teach in our writings what the Bible says; that this “salvation from an eternity of suffering in hell” is made available as God’s unmerited gift, which does not require any works or religious performance (Romans 6:23, Ephesians 2:8-9, Romans 10:9-10 and Titus 3:5-7). We take the risk of being overly redundant in our statements because many churches, on both the Catholic and Protestant sides, use the threat of suffering in hell as a way to coerce Christian believers to be obedient to their teachings. Contrary to the New Covenant that began after the cross, they teach that God can invalidate salvation (a benefit that God says is “everlasting and eternal”) if they disobey or misbehave. Scripture is used out-of-context to make it appear that their teaching comes from God. It is equivalent to having a sword hanging over your head if you step out of line (similar to the story of the “sword of Damocles). Various expressions of the “be obedient to God or burn” theology have been used in the church for many years. It effectively uses an individual’s fear as an oppressive method of control. The apostle Paul called it “bondage”. Yet, this toxic theology isn’t just limited to the fear of losing salvation and suffering in hell if your obedience insufficient. Other types of fear and suffering involving our earthly life are also commonly applied, such as;
- If you don’t obey God (or the teachings of the church) He may
send suffering through sickness and disease in order to
motivate you to draw closer and be more obedient to Him.
- If you don’t obey God (and the teachings of the church) He may
send suffering through financial ruin in order to motivate you to
draw closer and be more obedient to Him.
- If you don’t obey God (and the teachings of the church) He may
send suffering through various destructive calamities in order to
motivate you to draw closer and be more obedient to Him.
- If you don’t obey God (or the teachings of the church) He may
send suffering through the illness, death or injury of your children
(as we see in the story of Job) in order to motivate you to draw closer
and be more obedient to Him.
- If you don’t obey God (or the teachings of the church) He may
send suffering through the illness, death or injury of your spouse
in order to motivate you to draw closer and be more obedient
to Him.
(This list is not exhaustive)
The apostle Paul warned about this misguided way of believing the Bible.
"Stand fast therefore IN THE LIBERTY BY WHICH CHRIST HAS MADE US FREE, AND DO NOT BE ENTANGLED AGAIN WITH A YOKE OF BONDAGE." (Galatians 5:1 NKJV -- Ephasis Added)
"For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God." (Romans 8:15-19 -- Emphasis Added)
"And this occurred BECAUSE OF FALSE BRETHREN SECRETLY BROUGHT IN (WHO CAME IN BY STEALTH TO SPY OUT OUR LIBERTY WHICH WE HAVE IN CHRIST JESUS, THAT THEY MIGHT BRING US INTO BONDAGE), to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour, THAT THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL MIGHT CONTINUE WITH YOU." (Galatians 2:4-5 -- Emphasis Added)
In Galatians 2:4-5, notice that Paul referred to those, who bring these teachings that causes religious bondage as “false brethren”. He used this special term to illustrate that outwardly they look and act like “true brethren”. They will regularly attend church, carry a Bible, be active in evangelism and constantly talk about Jesus. According to Paul, what made these brethren false were their corrupted Bible teachings that put God’s people in religious bondage by preaching a “different gospel” (Read Galatians 1:6-8 and 2 Corinthians 11:3-4), rather than establishing them in the liberty of Christ found in the authentic Gospel of Grace that started after the cross. This is why everyone (especially church leaders) who refers to themselves as “Christian” does not necessarily represent the authentic Christ of the New Testament. Paul warned that they could be a false representative of God or what Jesus called “a wolf in sheep’s clothing” and are difficult to detect.
Religious Fear Distorts
Our Conception of God
Many years ago, I knew a Christian couple (in the church I attended), where one of their children was seriously injured in a car accident. Later, I learned that the pastorial staff told the parents during a counseling session that the likely reason their child suffered this injury was because they were not committed or obedient enough to God and the teachings of the fellowship. In other words, they were told that God sent this injury on their child because the parent’s obedience and commitment to Him was lacking. If you were a loving parent receiving this kind of counsel and had other children, how would it affect you? If you believed the counsel was from God, wouldn’t you seek to be more faithful and obedient in order to keep Him from hurting another one of your children? What kind of a conception of God would you hold as a result of this incident and the counsel you received? Some may not be familiar with this kind of toxic theology. It’s a mainstream belief (not some kind of “fringe” doctrine) in many churches and denominations that use fear and suffering as a way to coerce or prod God’s people to obey the teachings of their church. There are countless different expressions of this corrupt way of believing the Bible. Some of these foundational doctrines are modified (or “toned down” for public consumption) so that they do not appear to be as harsh as our example. The modifications are often made to avoid offending those, who the leaders are trying to draw into the membership of their church. Yet, the principles and the source are the same.
Where Does This Doctrine Come From?
(Some Closing Comments)
By now, it should be apparent that we oppose those who distort and redefine the Scriptures. The apostolic leadership of the first century church took the same position. Misrepresenting God's Word by teaching it "out-of-context" has been practiced as a control mechanism for a very long time. In the modern church, the most common way this problem manifests is by mixing together the Old Testament program of Law with the New Testament program of Christ's Grace. This illegal, yet common practice creates a confusing type of theology that God condemns and refuses to honor. It's the same error that nearly destroyed the Galatian Church of the first century. The apostle Paul wrote his "Epistle to the Galatians" to correct the error, which teaches a counterfeit (or look-alike) salvation obtained through merit, keeping Old Testament Law and religious performance. Paul warned his disciple Timothy about mixing these two programs in God's Word together. He insisted that they must be kept "rightly (or correctly) divided" (2 Timothy 2:15). Otherwise, the principles that govern our salvation and our faith in Christ are "perverted", usually without our knowledge. But today, some 1900 years later, this rejected historical theology has gone "mainstream" and is accepted in many churches and even whole denominations as rock-solid Bible truth.
The popular teaching that "suffering is sent by God's as His will for the Christian" comes from this theology.
After 1900 years, the error has morphed into countless different types of teachings having good sounding names that offer no clues as to its true nature and identity. As we said at the beginning of our study, this toxic influence actually began in the first century (introduced in Acts chapter 15), but gained popularity in the fourth century teachings of Augustine; a prominent Roman Catholic theologian. Many consider him "the Father of Roman Catholicism" because his doctrine became (and remains to this day) the foundation for Roman Catholic faith. What few realize is that Augustine's theology was injected approximately 1000 years later into the Protestant Reformation through the efforts of John Calvin and his colleagues. CALVIN WAS A DEVOUT DISCIPLE OF AUGUSTINE. He took Augustine's doctrine and adapted it to the new Protestant movement. Some students of the Bible believe that Calvin, who was originally a Roman Catholic, became involved in the Protestant Reformation to derail its agenda, which opposed certain unbiblical Catholic traditions and dogma. Today, this influence is known as "Calvinism". However, certain variants of his doctrine travel under other names such as; Reformed theology, Covenant theology, Holiness theology, some dominant forms of Christian fundamentalism, Presbyterianism, Episcopalianism and Anglicanism. Many refer to it as "Historic Christianity" and "Biblical Christianity". However, these names are misleading and deceptive. Very few Protestant churches have successfully shielded themselves from the toxic influence of Calvin's (and alternately Augustine's) theology. Most of those who have learned to recognize the doctrine simply call it "Legalism" or "the Galatian Error" and are part of a group called "Evangelicals". Yet, even some Evangelicals have been infected by Calvin's influence.
On the Rock of Offence website, we address this problem almost to the point of being redundant because of the eternal consequences it carries. Therefore, we won't make any further comments in this study, except to provide links to the other studies on our website that offer more detail. Some of these links were included earlier in this study and are repeated here due to their importance.
Additional information is available
at the following links:
The Spiritual Revolution of Jesus Christ
and How the False Church Opposes It
The Great Imposter
Exposing The Error of Redefining God's Grace
The Consequences Of Failing
To Rightly Divide God's Word
Why I Disagree With All Five Points of Calvinism
By Curtis Hutson
Calvinism's Surprising Catholic Connection
By Dave Hunt of “The Berean Call”
Regardless of its controversial and emotional
nature, we hope this material is beneficial
to your walk with the Lord Jesus Christ.
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