Suffering For Christ: To Be Expected

I don’t imagine the slogan “Called to Suffer for Christ” would be very successful in winning followers to Jesus, do you? Suffering is no fun. It’s something we naturally try to avoid. Yet, as we have noted in previous studies of 1 Peter, the Bible teaches that suffering for Christ is to be expected.

It is especially important for those of us living in America to remember this truth. Persecution and martyrdom is not the exception, and never has been the exception, worldwide or throughout history.

Remembering this truth is vitally important if we hope to have a healthy theology of suffering. Unfortunately, too many Christians in our western, largely affluent context just assume that believers will always be safe, healthy, and happy. Therefore, when these Christians encounter suffering of some kind–whether for being a believer or just suffering in general–these people feel they are an exceptionally doomed minority of sufferers with whom God is either angry or has otherwise decided to withdraw His blessings.

Just consider the typical prayer request in the average American church. It is usually for someone’s health, isn’t it?

“Pastor, pray for my great aunt’s neighbor’s father-in-law’s third wife.” 

“Okay, why?”

“Because she has a goiter and they just don’t know what they’re going to do about it.” 

“Alright, I’ll pray.”

Perhaps the pastor would like to add:

“While I’m at it, does anybody need to be saved in your family? With whom have you shared the gospel recently? Is there anyone’s soul for whom you’re especially burdened? Some Christians you know on the mission field who need to be strengthened during their suffering for Christ? And shall I pray for God’s missional call in your life, too?”

Several years ago, my oldest son introduced me to the phrase: “first-world problems.” What are first-world problems? Well, they are problems of privileged countries like ours relative to problems experienced by people living in third-world countries, third-world countries comprising three-fourths of the world’s population.

First-world problems are frustrations and complaints that are experienced only by privileged individuals in wealthy countries like America. And first-world problems cause persons of third-world countries to roll their eyes at us.

First-world problems are typically tongue-in-cheek comedic expressions to make light of small, so-called, “problems.” You probably know that the phrase has become an internet meme and is often found among the hashtags of Twitter users. 

Here are a few one-liners from Twitter and other places on the internet. (Oh, by the way, it’s okay to laugh. No need to feel guilty.)

“Had to wait in the airport for 3 hours to go on my Caribbean vacation.”

“Both of my cars are in the shop.”

“Can’t find the right balance between my fan and my electric blanket.”

“My work days are too short, so I’m bored most of the day.”

“I have two phones and an iPod. Charge is low on all three. Hate when that happens.”

“My Persian rug doesn’t really tie the room together.”

“I ate too much for lunch, but then my manager brought in cake and biscuits.”

“That perennial messy sunscreen hands and iPad conflict.”

“I have to get dressed so that I don’t look too lazy when I go out to pay the gardener.”

Okay, you get the idea, right? Again, the point is not to heap guilt upon anyone, but to recognize the context of what we label as “problems” and never to be surprised when we do, in fact, face real-world suffering for being a follower of Jesus. Suffering for Christ is normal!

Our passage (1 Peter 3:18-22) is about how God strengthens us for those times of suffering. We’ve studied this topic before in previous posts (our post on 1 Peter 1:6-9, for example), but this passage especially teaches how we may prepare for times of suffering and what we need to remember when those times occur.

The passage tells of two persons: Jesus Christ and Noah of the Old Testament. So, we’ll divide the passage that way and study first about the suffering of Christ. In our next post on 1 Peter, we’ll consider the suffering of Noah.

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, (verse 18)

This is a great verse that summarizes Christ’s work on the cross. Peter says Christ suffered “once for sins.” He suffered once for all time.  It’s a concise way of saying that Christ paid completely the penalty for our sins. He is “the just” one (singular) who died for “the unjust” ones (plural).

Christ suffered “that He might bring us to God.” He suffered and died so that we could be reconciled to God. We needed to be reconciled to God but our sins stood in the way. God is holy and man is unholy because of sin. So Jesus took our punishment upon Himself that He might bring us to God.

Then, the last part of verse 18 says that Jesus was “put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit.” Many translations do not capitalize the word “Spirit” and I think that is probably the correct way to render it. Peter is contrasting the physical realm with the spiritual realm.

The spiritual realm is the realm of all that is lasting, permanent, and eternal. Christ suffered in the physical realm (“being put to death by the flesh”), but made alive in the spiritual realm (“made alive by the spirit), so that He may give this incredible blessing: “that He might bring us to God.” 

Before we go any further, think about how Christians also experience a contrast between the physical and the spiritual: we may experience temporary suffering in this fallen, physical world, but we also experience the reality of the spiritual realm which includes an inheritance that is “incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven” for us (1 Peter 1:4).

So Christ was “made alive by the spirit.” It is in this spiritual realm that Christ has been proclaiming His Word for all time. The second Person of the Trinity, the Son of God, is eternal. He has been around forever. You’ll remember that we looked previously at Chapter 1 and verse 11 where Peter says that “the spirit of Christ” was in the Old Testament prophets years ago (1 Peter 1:11) and that He revealed His message about His future sufferings in them and through them.

It is in this same spiritual realm that Christ had also spoken in the days of Noah. In fact, Christ spoke through Noah. In Peter’s second letter, Peter refers to Noah as “a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2:5).” The “spirit of Christ” preached through Noah. That’s what Peter says next. And we’ll consider that truth in our next post on 1 Peter. Until then, take this reminder with you this week:

You Never Suffer Alone

Christ also suffered (verse 18). Whether a person read this letter in Peter’s day or whether a person reads this letter today (like you and I), this is a fact: Christ “also suffered.”

You are not alone. 

Jesus wants you to know that He, too, suffered and knows what it’s like. He also knows precisely what you are going through and wants you to take heart. Because He is God, He is with you and you are not alone.

The devil wants you to think God has forsaken you. God has not forsaken you. He is with you always and He will never leave you nor forsake you. 

Suffering for Christ is to be expected. So remember when you suffer that you are not alone.

Christ also suffered for you, “leaving you an example that you should follow in His steps (1 Peter 1:21).”