Bible Questions Answered: Suffering-Christian

Bible Questions Answered:
Pastor, why do christian people experience suffering? Shouldn't they be delivered from such things?
Rodney/ Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Bible Answer:

The reason:

I Peter 1:3-7 KJV
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
5 Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations (trials):
7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

The test:
John 16:33 KJV
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.
In the world ye shall have tribulation*: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

*Tribulation-Greek-Thlipsis(Thlip-sis): Pressure, afflicted, anguish, burdened, persecution, tribulation, trouble. (Abingdon's Strong's concordance of the Bible.)

Now there are a host of t.v. Preachers that say, “no way!” Jesus came to deliver us from all tribulation!

They of course are hard pressed to speak of the above verse.
Why do they preach such a gospel?

II Timothy 4:3 KJV
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

They do it, because it is the gospel, many want to hear!
They do it for filthy lucre!

The truth is as Jesus has said, “... In the world ye shall have tribulation...”
Here are just a few such verses...saying the same.

Deuteronomy 4:29-31 KJV
29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find Him, if thou seek Him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
30 When thou art in tribulation, and all these things are come upon thee, even in the latter days, if thou turn to the LORD thy God, and shalt be obedient unto His voice;
31 (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) He will not forsake thee..."

Psalm 34:19 KJV
Many are the afflictions of the righteous:
but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.

Isaiah 43:2,3 KJV
2 When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.
3 For I am the LORD thy God..."

Isaiah 48:10,11 KJV
10 Behold, I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee
in the furnace of affliction.
11 For Mine own sake, even for Mine own sake, will I do it..."

Zechariah 13:9 KJV
And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on My name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is My people: and they shall say, The Lord is My God.

Acts 5:40-42 KJV
40 And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.
42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.

Acts 9:16 KJV (Concerning the Apostle Paul)
For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for My name's sake.

Acts 14:21,22 KJV
21 And when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught many, they returned again to Lystra, and to Iconium, and Antioch,
22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

Romans 5:1-5 KJV
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Romans 8:16-18 KJV
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
17 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.
18 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.

Philippians 1:29 KJV
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on Him, but also to suffer for His sake;

Colossians 1:24 NLT (Apostle Paul)
I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for His body, the church.

I Thessalonians 3:4 KJV
For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.

Hebrews 11:24,25 KJV
24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter;
25 Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season;

James 5:10,11 KJV
10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

I Peter 2:19-21 NLT
19 For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment.
20 Of course, you get no credit for being patient if you are beaten for doing wrong. But if you suffer for doing good and endure it patiently, God is pleased with you.
21 For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in His steps.

I Peter 4:12-16 KJV
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when His glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of Glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part He is evil spoken of, but on your part He is glorified.
15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

I Peter 5:10 KJV
But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His Eternal Glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.

Revelation 2:8,9 KJV
8 And unto the angel of the church in Smyrna write; These things saith the First and the Last, which was dead, and is alive;
9 I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty..."

Revelation 7:13,14 KJV
13 And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.


Any Bible believing Christian should be well aware that God's rain falls on the just and the unjust (Matthew 5:45).

But our Lord has promised us, that when we go through the floods, and the fire, they will not overflow us, because He will be with us!

Exodus 33:14 KJV
And He said, My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest.

Psalm 41:1-3 NLT
1 Oh, the joys of those who are kind to the poor! The Lord rescues them when they are in trouble.
2 The Lord protects them and keeps them alive. He gives them prosperity in the land and rescues them from their enemies.
3 The Lord nurses them when they are sick and restores them to health.

Matthew 5:10-12 KJV
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake.
12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

II Timothy 2:12 KJV
If we suffer, we shall also reign with Him: if we deny Him, he also will deny us:

II Timothy 4:18 KJV
And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto His heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

I Peter 5:6,7 KJV
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.

Revelation 21:3,4 KJV
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.
4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.