What does God promise those who suffer for Him?
To suffer for Christ is, in Scripture, a blessing and a privilege, because it is suffering for His sake and in union with Him. God's promises to those who suffer for Him are sure: He is with them, He will never leave them, He will work it for their good and glory, He gives present grace and endurance, and He has stored up a reward and a future where every tear is wiped away.
This question arose from studying What does it look like to suffer well? and Where is God in my specific pain?.
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Suffering for Christ is a blessing, not a curse
Jesus flips our instinct: 'Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven,' and 'Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you... for my sake... for great is your reward in heaven.' Paul calls it a gift: 'it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf.' The earliest church rejoiced that its members 'were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for Jesus' name.' To suffer for Him is to share His lot and to be honored by Him.
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. “Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf,For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for Jesus’ name.And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.
Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
He is with you and will not abandon you
The promise at the heart of suffering is presence. 'When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you.' For the sake of Christ we may be 'pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair; pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed.' Peter urges, 'casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you,' and God has said, 'I will in no way leave you.' The deepest comfort is not that the suffering is removed but that He is with you in it.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and flame will not scorch you.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.
We are pressed on every side, yet not crushed; perplexed, yet not to despair; pursued, yet not forsaken; struck down, yet not destroyed;We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;
casting all your worries on him, because he cares for you.Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, “I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.”Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.
He works it for glory, beyond all comparison
Paul weighs present suffering against the future and finds it light: 'I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.' And suffering for Christ is union with Him: 'if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him,' and our light affliction 'works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory.' To suffer for Him is not wasted; it is joined to His story and turned into glory by His hand.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.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.
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 with him.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.
For our light affliction, which is for the moment, works for us more and more exceedingly an eternal weight of glory;For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
He gives grace to endure and a crown to receive
God does not only promise a future; He gives strength for the present. When Paul cried out under his thorn, the Lord answered, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' And He promises a reward: 'Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life.' Paul's testimony near the end is full of it: 'I have fought the good fight... there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness,' which the Lord will give to all who love His appearing. Grace now, crown then.
He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me.And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him.Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
The final promise: every tear wiped away
God's promise to those who suffer for Him ends not in endurance alone but in resurrection joy. 'May the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.' And the saints who come 'out of the great tribulation' stand before the throne, where 'God will wipe away every tear from their eyes,' and where 'death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more.' The suffering is for a little while; the glory is forever.
But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.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.
I told him, “My lord, you know.” He said to me, “These are those who came out of the great tribulation. They washed their robes, and made them white in the Lamb’s blood. Therefore they are before the throne of God, they serve him day and night in his temple. He who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them. They will never be hungry, neither thirsty any more; neither will the sun beat on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shepherds them, and leads them to springs of waters of life. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”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. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.
He will wipe away from them every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.”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.
Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
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What is heaven like?→Our Hope trail“I heard a loud voice out of heaven saying, “Behold, God’s dwelling is with people, and he will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away from them every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.”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. 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.”We haven't written this one yet. Take it to your church or small group: the Word answers it wherever it is asked. If we study it here later, all the better.
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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 with him. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which will be revealed toward us.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. 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.
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. “Blessed are you when people reproach you, persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
I have fought the good fight. I have finished the course. I have kept the faith. From now on, there is stored up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day; and not to me only, but also to all those who have loved his appearing.I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
But may the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a little while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.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.
He will wipe away from them every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; neither will there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain, any more. The first things have passed away.”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.
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