SUFFERING: FIRE AND ICE
I PETER 1:6-7; 3:13-18; 4:12-13
WHAT IS THE BEST WORD TO DESCRIBE OUR CULTURE?
EPICUREAN
TIMOTHY KELLER, WALKING WITH GOD THROUGH PAIN AND SUFFERING
“OTHER CULTURES HAVE PROVIDED IT’S MEMBERS WITH VARIOUS ANSWERS TO THE QUESTION, “WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF HUMAN LIFE?” SOME CULTURES HAVE SAID, IT IS TO LIVE A GOOD LIFE AND SO EVENTUALLY ESCAPE THE CYCLE OF KARMA AND REINCARNATION AND BE LIBERATED INTO ETERNAL BLISS. SOME HAVE SAID, IT IS THE ENLIGHTENMENT – THE RECOGNITION OF THE ONENESS OF ALL THINGS AND THE ATTAINMENT OF TRANQUILITY. OTHERS HAVE SAID, IT IS TO LIVE A LIFE OF VIRTUE, OF NOBILITY AND HONOR. THERE ARE THOSE WHO TEACH THAT THE ULTIMATE PURPOSE IN LIFE IS TO GO TO HEAVEN AND TO BE WITH YOUR LOVED ONES AND WITH GOD FOREVER.
THE CRUCIAL COMMONALITY IS THIS: IN EVERYONE OF THOSE WORLD VIEWS, SUFFERING CAN, DESPITE ITS PAINFULNESS, BE AN IMPORTANT MEANS OF ACTUALLY ACHIEVING YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE. IT CAN PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN PROPELLING YOU TOWARD ALL THE MOST IMPORTANT GOALS. ONE COULD SAY THAT IN EACH OF THESE CULTURE’S GRAND NARRATIVES – WHAT HUMAN LIFE IS ALL ABOUT – SUFFERING CAN BE AN IMPORTANT CHAPTER OR PART OF THAT STORY.
BUT MODERN WESTERN CULTURE IS DIFFERENT. IN THE SECULAR VIEW, THIS MATERIAL WORLD IS ALL THERE IS. AND SO THE MEANING OF LIFE IS TO HAVE THE FREEDOM TO CHOOSE THE LIFE THAT MAKES YOU MOST HAPPY. HOWEVER, IN THAT VIEW OF THINGS, SUFFERING CAN HAVE NO MEANINGFUL PART. IT IS A COMPLETE INTERRUPTION OF YOUR LIFE STORY – IT CANNOT BE A MEANINGFUL PART OF THE STORY. IN THIS APPROACH TO LIFE, SUFFERING SHOULD BE AVOIDED AT ALMOST ANY COST, OR MINIMIZED TO THE GREATEST DEGREE POSSIBLE.”
HOW DOES SUFFERING WORK ACCORDING TO PETER?
FIRE, 1:6-7; 4:12
THE FIRE OF PERSECUTION, 3:17
KAREN JOB, “EVEN THOSE CHRISTIANS WHO DO NOT SUFFER PERSECUTION FOR THE FAITH ARE CALLED TO THE SUFFERING OF SELF-DENIAL. SIN IS OFTEN THOUGHT OF AS BEING MOTIVATED BY THE TEMPTATION FOR PLEASURE. BUT PERHAPS THE REAL POWER OF SIN LIES IN THE AVOIDANCE OF PAIN AND SUFFERING. IT IS BETTER TO SUFFER UNFULFILLED NEEDS AND DESIRES THAN TO SIN. IS THIS NOT WHAT SELF-DENIAL MEANS? JESUS LINKED SELF-DENIAL WITH FOLLOWING IN HIS FOOTSTEPS WHEN HE SAID, “THOSE WHO WOULD BE MY DISCIPLES MUST DENY THEM SELVES AND TAKE UP THEIR CROSS AND FOLLOW ME.”
MARK 8:34
FOR INSTANCE, ISN’T THE TEMPTATION TO LIE OFTEN AN ATTEMPT TO SAVE FACE RATHER THAN FACE THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE TRUTH? ISN’T THE TEMPTATION TO CHEAT ON AN EXAM AN UNWILLINGNESS TO SUFFER THE LOSS OF REPUTATION OR OTHER CONSEQUENCES THAT FAILURE MIGHT BRING? ISN’T SEXUAL SIN OFTEN THE ALTERNATIVE TO SUFFERING BY LIVING WITH DEEP EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL NEEDS UNMET? ACCORDING TO PETER, THE PAIN AND SUFFERING THAT SELF-DENIAL BRINGS IS A GODLY SUFFERING THAT IS BETTER THAN YIELDING TO SIN.”
THE FIRE OF PURIFICATION
TIMOTHY KELLER, “SUFFFERING COMES ALONG, TIMIDITY AND COWARDICE. SELFISHNESS AND SELF-PITY, TENDENCIES TOWARD BITTERNESS AND DISHONESTY – ALL THESE “IMPURITIES” OF SOUL ARE REVEALED AND DRAWN OUT BY TRIALS AND SUFFERING JUST AS A FURNACE DRAWS THE IMPURITIES OUT OF UNREFINED METAL ORE. FINALLY WE SEE WHO WE REALLY ARE. LIKE FIRE WORKING ON GOLD, SUFFERING CAN DESTROY SOME THINGS WITHIN US AND CAN PURIFY AND STRENGTHEN OTHER THINGS.
OR NOT … IT DEPENDS ON OUR RESPONSE … THE FIREY FURNACE DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY MAKE US BETTER.”
WATER,
WATER IS A PICTURE OF CHAOS, EVIL …
MARK 4:38 “… TEACHER, DO YOU NOT CARE THAT WE ARE PERISHING?”
WHAT DID THE DISCIPLES LOSE FAITH IN, HIS ABILITY OR HIS LOVE?
ISA.43:2, “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 SCORCHED, NOR WILL THE FLAME BURN YOU.”
REV.21:1, “NO MORE SEA”
