The Molding Hand of God
Introduction (Part 1 of the series): Time and again, we are confronted with the question of purpose in our lives. WHY DO WE DO WHAT WE DO? We are contagious and people can almost get burned by our zeal when we are so excited in accomplishing a certain cause. But what about when the excitement is gone? How are we when under trials or sufferings? Our group’s and personal activities are sustainable only if they are aimed at the fulfilling of the grand design for which all of us are created in the first place.
~ In our Christian life, it is very important to understand the whole rationale of everything we do. What is the purpose of human life? Why do we exist?
1.) The human race is a special creation of a personal, loving God (Genesis 1:26-28).
2.) Our purpose as a race and as individuals is to glorify Him.
“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”
- Romans 11:36.
3.) As Christians, His purpose for us is that we be conformed to the image of Christ Jesus His Son (Romans 8:28-29).
4.) God’s desire is for us to live with Him forever.
“… He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” - Revelation 21:4.
“… there will no longer be any night; and they will not have need of the light of the lamp nor of the light of the sun, because the Lord God will illumine them; and they will reign forever and ever.” - Revelation 22:5.
This, in summary, is the whole purpose of life.
I. God Has An End In Mind.
If we were created personally by God, and if the reason for our existence is to glorify God, and that the only way for our lives to be glorifying to God is to be conformed to Christ’s image so we could live with Him forever, then God must be working towards that end. God created us for His glory as evidenced in Genesis 1:26.
“Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness….”
Everything at that time was described as “very good.” It was only when Adam and Eve sinned that death entered life and only then did curse was incorporated in human existence (Genesis 3). If not for sin, death and suffering would not be part of life’s landscape.
“… through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.” - Romans 5:12.
This is the reason why there is evangelism. The reason why the two primary occupations of the true church of Jesus Christ are evangelism and discipleship. Of course prayer is presupposed here all along. All of us and everything exist for the glory of God.
II. The Place of Suffering.
Let me cite to you three references from the Scripture which prove that suffering and trials are necessary part of the Christian life.
“In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” - 1 Peter 1:6-7.
“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” - James 1:2-4.
“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope.” - Romans 5:3-4.
The phrases “If necessary” and “Knowing that” point us to two things that we must uphold to have a balanced perspective as we live out our faith.
1.) God knows exactly what is needed to secure in us Christ-likeness.
I am sure many here will affirm that it was when they were in a certain form of crises in their lives that they got to know Christ.
The fire of “various trials” or “the testing of your faith”, “tribulations” are all necessary and helpful to purify us and to produce in us “proven character”.
- Longevity (old age) will not (cannot) guarantee us proven character….
- Secular education will not produce proven character….
- Wealth will not either….
Some argue: “Money is everything… if one is wealthy, everything will be fine… problems will vanish.”
ILLUSTRATION:
Known humanistic psychologist Abraham Maslow distinguishes between varied needs of man. He created the theory which is known today as Maslow‘s Pyramid or Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. He argued that every human being has this hierarchy of needs, namely:
a. Physiological needs
b. Safety or Security needs
c. Love and Belongingness needs
d. Self esteem
e. Self actualization
f. Transcendence
Although we might argue with Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, for now it is good enough that – at least – he identified for us these different needs that every man yearns.
~ The problem with some of us is that we do not realize and we do not even believe that there are those who really are hungry for true spirituality. Many even believe that if a person has money, he needs nothing and is not susceptible for corruption. This is wrong.
“He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves abundance with its income. This too is vanity. When good things increase, those who consume them increase….” - Ecclesiastes 5:10-11.
It is only when God subjects us to various trials that the probability of change for the good might be possible. The apostles Peter, James, and Paul were right.
2.) We ought to know and accept that tribulations are necessary part of life even as His children.
If we choose to follow Christ and obey His requirements life will not become easy for us. In fact it may make it more difficult for some of us. Why? Because the moment you decided to follow and obey the Lord, in effect, you told God: “Lord, from now on, You are the Lord over my life; it will not be me who is the Master over my life. You are now my Lord. I will learn and seek Your ways and follow them even when it is difficult. You are now my Lord!”
“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance….” - James 1:2-4.
“… we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character,
hope.” - Romans 5:3-4.
You see where “hope” is placed? It is last in line. We do not hope for perseverance during tribulation; we do not hope for proven character. No. It is when we have (after) persevered… it is when we have acquired proven character that the grace of hope is given. It is the reward.
III. Why Suffering? (Sermon series part 2)
We have pointed out several things in the first part of this study. We stressed the importance of purpose. If we do what we do because we know from the revelation of the Word of God that it is the main reason for our existence then we will continue doing it for the rest of our life. It is very important to understand the whole rationale of everything we do; otherwise, when life becomes stormy for us, or when we are tried, we will easily give up.
A. Biblical History of Death, Pain, and Suffering.
At first, death, pain, and suffering, were unknown vocabularies to man. The Word of God described the original creation as “very good.”
“And God saw everything that He had made, and behold, it was very good….” - Genesis 1:31.
It was only when Adam and Eve sinned that death (corruption) entered creation’s landscape, and it was only then did curse was incorporated in human existence (Genesis 3). If not for sin, death and suffering would not be part of life’s existence.
1.) God’s command and warning to the first couple:
“But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall die.” - Genesis 2:17.
This command was violated when Eve entertained doubts stirred by the questions raised by Satan against the word of God.
2.) Death and curse.
“In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
- Genesis 3:19.
“… through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned.” - Romans 5:12.
Do not think that the corruption/decay caused by sin affected only humankind. It affected everything. The Bible says that even “the whole creation groans and suffers” because of the Fall of man.
“For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now.” - Romans 8:22.
Therefore, death and all kinds of suffering will always be part of this life on earth. This reality is the same among God’s people, as we have seen in our previous study. Though saved (true born-again believers), we are still living on the same planet ravaged by sin, we still deal with our sinful nature and cope with the effects of sin in our community and in our relations. Therefore,
- When God sees it fit to subject us to different trials to purge us of dross (sins) in our lives, He will do it.
“… though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.”
- 1 Peter 1:6-7.
God knows exactly what we need. As the Potter, He knows how to mold and shape us.
- We ought to know and accept that tribulations are necessary part of life. We read it in several passages of the Bible:
“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” - James 1:2-4.
“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope.” - Romans 5:3-4.
These are the things we have learned from the part one of this study. Let us now move further and look at Scriptural reasons why God allows sufferings.
1.) Suffering keeps this world from becoming too attractive to us.
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” - Philippians 3:20.
The presence of sufferings in this world may remind us that we are not meant to stay here forever. I don’t know about you but, do you see yourself as citizens of heaven? Do you “eagerly” wait for our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ? Our answers to these two questions will serve as our gauge to where our affections are set presently. Truth is, if we do not measure ourselves with the truth of Scriptures time and again, we won’t see ourselves truthfully. So, God lets us see the sufferings around us or He may subject us to it so that we remember we are not of this world anyway.
“All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.”
- Hebrews 11:13-16.
This world is not our natural home – we are strangers and pilgrims here. If there is no suffering, no one would want to leave this temporary world; no one would desire the "eternal" home, and therefore prepare themselves for it.
2.) Sufferings are at times God’s chastenings and are an assurance of sonship.
“And you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, ‘My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor faint when you are reproved by Him; for those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.’ It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline? But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? For they disciplined us for a short time as
seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble, and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.” - Hebrews 12:5-13.
If you are experiencing suffering of some kind, it might be that God is disciplining you; He might be correcting some things in your life and you just need to adjust to his corrections. He is after the “peaceful fruit of righteousness” in your life; He wants you to share in his holiness. Rejoice! God is treating you as His sons and daughters.
3.) It shows our lifestyle is different from the world’s.
Do you realize that it is normal for the world system to hate believers?
“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.”
- John 15:18-19.
When attacked and under trial from the world, we are following in Christ’s footsteps. It is true that there are times when the world would hate us for no other reason but simply because we have a lifestyle different from them. Christians must differentiate between self incurred suffering from true suffering because of faith.
“For this finds favor, if for the sake of conscience toward God a person bears up under sorrows when suffering unjustly. For what credit is there if, when you sin and are harshly treated, you endure it with patience? But if you do what is right and suffer for it you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in his steps, WHO COMMITTED NO SIN, NOR WAS ANY DECEIT FOUND IN HIS MOUTH; and while being reviled, He did not revile in
return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously; and He Himself bore our sins in His
body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.” - 1 Pet 2:19-24.
Not all sufferings are result of sin. Look at Job. Look at the lives of the early christians. Look at Jesus our Lord. That’s why we have to be very careful when we are counseling people. We must be able to discern between the chastening of God, the assaults of the devil, and the persecution of the world. Otherwise, our counseling will just heap more confusion upon the person than healing and relief.
4.) It reveals where our trust lies.
God can and does deliver His people from trials – but not always.
Read Hebrews 11:32-39. Our proper attitude in times of trial is to be that of the “three Hebrew children.” These youths, captured by a cruel conqueror and pressed into the service of the enemy king, were faced with a choice: Worship heathen idols or death by burning. Their answer reveals the practicality of their faith.
“Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego replied to the king, ‘O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to give you an answer concerning this matter. If it be so, our
God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire; and He will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But even if he does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” - Daniel 3:16-18.
God may deliver, or it may be His pleasure not to deliver. For us who really have put our trust in Him, whatever the case, we will still serve Him.
IV. Conclusion:
Let us pray….
