Doctrine: Suffering/Testing
1. INTRODUCTION: Suffering/testing is pain,
pressure, circumstances, ideas, or people that
challenge the believer to live the daily plan of
God.
There are two main categories of
suffering/testing. They are undeserved and deserved.
Undeserved suffering/testing is the most prominent
category for the believer.
2. UNDESERVED SUFFERING/TESTING:
2.1. The CONCEPT: Undeserved
suffering/testing is part of the normal Christian
way of life. It glorifies God. It is not a result of
personal sin, spiritual immaturity, or failure to
apply Bible doctrine (Gal 4.29; Phil 1.29-30; 1 Pet
2.19-21; 3.17; 4.15-16).
2.2. ILLUSTRATIONS of undeserved
suffering/testing:
2.2.1. The lives of Joseph (Gen 37-
50), Ruth (Ruth), Mordecai and Esther (Esther),
Christ (Mtt 2.13-15; Lk 23), and Paul (Acts 14.19;
16.19-40).
2.2.2. General persecution that tries
to stop the spread of the faith (1 Thes 1.6).
2.2.3. Unjust imprisonment (Acts
16.19-40; 20.23; Jer 32.1-5).
2.2.4. Personal attacks upon the
believer (2 Tim 4.14).
2.2.5. Slander, which is to say
something that damages another (Rev 2.9).
2.2.6. Attacks by religious people or
groups. Religious legalists persecute grace
believers (Acts 9.1-2; Gal 4.29; 6.12; Col 2.16).
2.2.7. Association with emotion
controlled people (Rom 16.17-18).
2.2.8. Forced change of residence
(Acts 8.1; Dan 1.1-6).
2.2.9. Poverty (Rev 2.9).
2.2.10. Mental pressures caused by
circumstances beyond your control (Phil 1.17; 2.26).
2.2.11. Illness (Gal 6.11; Phil
2.27).
2.2.12. Pain associated with death
(Acts 7.54-60; Rev 2.13).
(who is
now seated in heaven at the Father’s right hand).
Christ is the person in whom and through whom
believers have the benefits. Without being related
to Christ, no spiritual blessings will come.
2.1.6. The spiritual blessings are
part of the Plan of God for the church age believer.
HE CHOSE US…HE PREDESTINED US…ACCORDING TO HIS
WILL…HE FREELY BESTOWED (Eph 1.4-6).
2.2. Revelation 2.9. BUT YOU ARE RICH
refers to the spiritual wealth (spiritual blessings)
that believers have even though they may be
materially poor.
2.3. 2 Peter 1.3-4. God the Father by
His divine attributes freely gave each believer
everything that is necessary for eternal life and
for godlikeness now. Believers know and use these
benefits by a true knowledge about God and His Plan.
3. Categories of Spiritual Blessings in Christ.
3.1. In the Plan of God.
3.1.1. Eternal Plan: The decrees and
will of God before time began and after time ends
(Jn 1.1-4; Eph 1.3-6; Col 1.15-17; Heb 2.10).
3.1.2. Historical Plan: The movement
of events in time as part of the angelic conflict,
theocratic kingdom, and dispensations (Job 1.6-11;
2.1-6; Eph 6.10-12; Gen 12.1-3; Acts 1.6-7; Eph 1.7-
12; 3.1-6; Col 1.24-27).
3.1.3. Daily Plan: The mission,
preparation, practice, and environment for each
believer in his day to day life with the Lord (Jn
13-17; Eph 1.13-19; James 1.21-25; 2 Pet 1.2-4).
3.2. Solution to the sin problem.
3.2.1. Reconciliation (2 Cor 5.21).
3.2.2. Redemption (Eph 1.7).
3.2.3. Unlimited atonement ((1 Jn
2.2).
3.2.4. Substitution (Jn 1.29).
3.2.5. Regeneration (1 Pet 1.2-3).
3.2.6. Propitiation (1 Jn 2.2).
3.2.7. Imputation (Phil 3.9).
3.2.8. Justification (Rom 5.1).
3.2.9. Forgiveness (Eph 4.32).
3.3. New home and citizenship.
3.3.1. In God’s kingdom (Col 1.13).
3.3.2. Heavenly citizens (Phil 1.27;
3.20).
3.3.3. Fellow citizens and God’s
household (Eph 2.19).
3.3.4. Delivered from Satan’s Kindgom
(Col 1.13).
3.4. New relationship.
3.4.1. Adopted (Eph 1.5; Gal 4.5).
3.4.2. Children of God (1Jn 3.1-2).
3.4.3. Sons of God (Gal 4.6-7).
3.4.4. Heirs (Rom 8.17; 1 Pet 1.4).
3.4.5. Oneness (Jn 17.21, 23; Eph
4.3).
3.5. A new position or status.
3.5.1. A new creation (2 Cor 5.17).
3.5.2. Alive (Eph 2.5; 1 Jn 5.11-12).
3.5.3. Circumcised (Col 2.11).
3.5.4. Complete (Col 2.10).
3.5.5. Dead to sin (Rom 6.1-11).
3.5.6. Free from the Law (Rom 6.14).
3.5.7. God’s people (1 Pet 2.9-10).
3.5.8. Light (Eph 5.8).
3.5.9. Qualified (Col 1.12).
3.5.10. Resurrected (Eph 2.6).
3.5.11. Righteous (2 Cor 5.21).
3.5.12. Royal priests (1 Pet 2.5,9).
3.5.13. Sanctified (1 Cor 1.30).
3.5.14. Seated (Eph 2.6).
3.6. God’s provision for living the
Christian way of life (CWL) now. These include all
the resources God has designed and freely given to
believers in the church. The provision includes:
3.6.1. The Daily Plan of God with
the mission, preparation, practice, environment (2
Pet 2.2-4; 1 Thes 3.3.5-10).
3.6.2. A leader to follow, Christ
(Occupation with Christ, Heb 12.1-2).
3.6.3. Instructions in writing (Word
of God, Col 2.7; 2 Tim 3.16-17; 2 Pet 3.18).
3.6.4. God’s promises which believers
can rely on and rest (faith rest, Rom 8.28-32; Col
2.6; 1 Pet 5.7).
3.6.5. Fellowship with God through
confession of sin (1 Jn 1.1-10).
3.6.6. The Holy Spirit to indwell and
control believers (walk by the Spirit, 1 Cor 3.16;
Gal 5.16; Eph 5.18).
3.6.7. The right to talk with God the
Father through prayer (Jn 15.7; 1 Thes 5.17).
3.6.8. The opportunity to serve God
(ministry, Col 3.17,23; 1 Pet 4.10-11).
3.6.9. All the Bible principles for
the believer’s life (1 Cor 2.6-16; Col 2.2-3; 2 Tim
3.16-17; Heb 5.11-14).
3.7. A future.
3.7.1. Resurrection and eternal
residence with the Lord (Jn 14.-3; 1 Thes 4.13-17;
Rev 21.1-7).
4. The spiritual blessings form the believers
spiritual position of strength. This means that
believers live life from a strong, reliable base
that will support, protect, and provide continued
momentum for the Christian way of life. The outline
for the position of strength includes the plan of
God (eternal, historical, daily), union with
Christ/family of God, God’s blessings (spiritual and
physical), and heavenly citizenship with (spiritual
base, mission, confidence).
5. Application: Believers have everything
necessary (spiritual blessings) to live the
Christian way of life and therefore to fulfill God’s
purpose, to enjoy stability, contentment, and
happiness, to live as winners in time on earth.
Since this is a fact, believers should be know what
the blessings are and fully use them.
Copyright 1986 by Tod M. Kennedy