And though I haven’t had much time to blog lately, I’ve been eating up Volume 1 of John Flavel’s Works. In this volume there are 42 sermons entitled, “The Fountain of Life: A Display of Christ in His Essential Mediatorial Glory“.

Recently I came across this little section on patience under trials, and I thought it might benefit a few of my readers as it certainly has done for us during this time:

“Methinks I should persuade you to it: yea, everything about you persuades to patience in your sufferings, as well as I: look which way you will, upward or downward, inward or outward, backward or forward, to the right-hand, or to the left, you shall find all things persuading and urging the doctrine of patience upon you.

First, Look Upwards, when tribulations come upon you: look to that sovereign Lord, that commissionates and sends them upon you. You know troubles do not rise out of the dust, nor spring out of the ground, but are framed in heaven, Jer 18:11…

…It is for want [lack] of looking up to God in our troubles, that we fret, murmur, and despond at the rate we do.

Secondly, Look Downward, and see what is below you, as well as up to that which is above you. You are afflicted, and you cannot bear it. Oh! no trouble like your trouble! Never man in such a case as you are! Well, well, cast the eye of your mind downward, and see those who lie much lower than you…

…Surely, if you can see any creature below you, especially any reasonable being, you have no reason to return to ungratefully upon your God, and accuse your Maker of severity, or charge God foolishly. Look down and you shall see grounds to be quiet.

Thirdly, Look Inward,…and see if you can find nothing there to quiet you. Cast your eye into your own hearts; consider either the corruptions or the graces that are there.

…Hath not that proud heart need enough of all this to humble it? That carnal heart need of such things as these to mortify it? That backsliding, wandering heart need of all this to reduce and recover it to its God?

…And as your corruptions call for it, so do your graces too. Wherefore think ye the Lord planted the principles of faith, humility, patience, etc., in your souls? What, were they put there for nothing? Did the Lord intend they should lie sleeping in their drowsy habits? Or were they not planted there in order to exercise?

Fourthly, Look outward, and see who stands by and observes your carriage under trouble. Are there not many eyes upon you?

…To the wicked there can scarcely be an higher gratification and pleasure, than to see your carriage under trouble so like their own; for thereby they are confirmed in their prejudices against religion, and in their good opinion of themselves…Oh, how do you dishonour Christ before His enemies, when you make them think all your religion lies in talking of it!

Fifthly, Look Backward, and see if there is nothing behind you that may hush and quiet your impatient spirits; consult multitude of experiences past and gone; both your own and others.

…O what cause have you to be quiet now, and patiently wait for the salvation of God! Did He help you then, and cannot He do so now?…[Or] Have you kept no record of past experiences? How ungrateful then have you been to your God, and how injurious to yourselves, if you have not read them over in such a day as this? For to that end they were given to you.

Sixthly, Look Forward, to then end of your troubles; yea, look to a double end of them, the end of their duration, and the end of their operation.

…Alas! What are a few days and nights of sorrows, when they are past? Are they not swallowed up as a spoonful of water in the vast ocean? But more especially look to the end of their operation. What do all these afflictions tend to and effect? Do the not work out an exceeding weight of glory? Are you not by them made “partakers of His holiness”?

Seventhly, Look to your right-hand, and see how you are shamed, convinced and silenced by other Christians and it may be such too, as never made that profession you have done; and yet can not only patiently bear the afflicting hand of God, but are blessing, praising, admiring God under their troubles; whilst you are sinning against, and dishonouring Him under smaller ones. It may be that you will find some poor Christians that know not where to have their next bread, and yet are speaking of the bounty of their God; while you are repining in the midst of plenty.

Eighthly, Look to your left-hand, and there you will see a sad sight, and what one would think should quiet you. There you may see a company of wicked, graceless wretches, carrying themselves under their troubles, but too much like yourselves. What do they more, than fret and murmur, despond and sink; mix sin with their afflictions, when the rod of God is upon them?

Reader, such considerations as these, I am persuaded, would be of singular use to they soul at such a time, but above all, thine eying the great pattern of patience, Jesus Christ; whose Lamb-like carriage, under a trial, with which thine is not to be named in the same day, is her recommended to thee. O how should this transform thee into a lamb, for meekness also!”

[P364-368]

Take the excerpt below for an example. In the book A Treatise on Earthly-Mindedness, the Puritan Jeremiah Burroughs states:

“For example, suppose a man or woman has troubling thoughts about the things of the earth [Material goods or needs]. It may be that, by their inordinate thoughts, cares, and affections about some earthly things [anxiety], they contract much guilt [about being anxious]. Yet after this, perhaps, God gives them that earthly thing [that they were anxious over]. Now when they have it, if they have any light in their consciences, their convicted consciences will then reflect thusly: “I have this indeed, but do I have it with the blessing of God? I have it in my custody, but I got it dearly; it cost me such thoughts and cares and affections [such sinful anxiety]. Now I have it, but I cannot say it comes out of God’s love. I rather fear that God has given it to me in His wrath because I got it in such a way.” – Jeremiah Burroughs

Here’s what I’m thinking: our culture, and our Christian culture, is convinced that decent people are decently blessed with material wealth/provision by God, and that abundant blessings are most often a sign of God’s favor. Indeed, I myself have often had trouble escaping this kind of thinking.

But the words above by Burroughs kind of cut right to my heart: how do we know that our material blessings are not sometimes/oftentimes a sign of God’s wrath against us, rather than His love? I know that thought seems foreign to American Christianity, with its middle-class dominance, TBN, and tithe-fanatics, but we must admit that our thoughts are light-years away from God’s.

Recently I have been thinking about these things, and I’ve been scolding myself for seemingly always believing that material blessings, and even the provision/material wealth that comes after prayer, are always and definitely a gift/blessing from God. Do we ever consider that God may have given us something that makes our lives easier, more comfortable, or more luxurious, simply to chasten us for sin or, in the case of an unbeliever, to poor out His wrath?

So the infinite distance between our thoughts and God’s is unfathomable; it continues to amaze me in every area of life and doctrine. May we ever keep this distance in mind and thoroughly search our hearts and lives when blessings (or curses) come our way, pitting what we find there against the objective Word. Otherwise, when we’re blessed, we’re bound to think that we are right with God –and will thus risk going seriously astray if we’re wrong.

“Consider the dangerous ensnaring temptations attending a pleasant and prosperous condition. Few, very few of those that live in the pleasures of this world, escape everlasting perdition. “It is easier” (says Christ) “for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.” “Not many mighty, not many noble are called.”
We have great reason to tremble, when the Scripture tells us in general that few shall be saved; much more when it tells us, that of that rank of which we are, but few shall be saved…So when the Scriptures come so near as to tell us that of such a class of men very few shall escape, it is time to be alarmed…O how many have been wheeled to hell in the chariots of earthly pleasures, while others have been whipped to heaven by the rod of affliction! How few, like the daughter of Tyre, come to Christ with a gift! How few among the rich entreat his favor!“- John Flavel, Keeping the Heart

Though Piper’s point is very true and well-taken, I believe a more insidious version of the same ‘gospel’ is also making huge waves in the church. Specifically, most of who we’d refer to as evangelicals don’t take this ‘health and wealth’ gospel quite to the money, riches, and happiness extreme. That is, anyone promising you money, riches, healings, etc., as a benefit to following Christ and/or speaking a word of faith is obviously lying, and it obviously a false teacher. Most of us can easily pick up on that.

But where this message hits home is in the self-fulfillment gospel, which has blanketed our land. Telling people that Jesus can make their life better by healing marriages, improving relationships at work, taking care of your needs financially (this is usually coupled with an unbiblical view on tithing), etc., is certainly not telling people the gospel. That’s health and wealth just as well, is it not?

Furthermore, another prominent aspect of this ‘health and wealth’ gospel is in how preachers use the Bible as kind of a road-map for fulfilled living. That is, they preach the law, like the golden rule of treating others as you would be treated, and present those laws as the secret to the good life. ‘Oh, as long as we love God and neighbor, strive to obey the commandments to the best of our ability, then God promises to bless us and/or fulfill our dreams.’

To use Piper’s words: That’s not gospel; that’s crap. It’s worthless, evil, and contrary to scripture.

The gospel has nothing to do with what we do or how we live; the gospel is about placing all of our hope and faith in what Someone else has done, and how Someone else has lived. It is only by the merits and finished work of Christ that we have any hope of escaping the last judgment. And if we are indeed in Christ, we have died to our own desires here on earth, given up our own plans, dreams, and wishes, and have laid ourselves before Him in submission to His will and the sufferings He has appointed for us, as we spend our lives adoring Him for His marvelous work and grace.

But disagreements in themselves are not sinful; it’s when we use our tongues maliciously to insult or slander that we cross the boundary into some very serious sin. I believe that this is best illustrated by paying close attention to the language scripture uses in describing Christ’s relationship with His church:

For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ – Matthew 25:35-40

Notice how the love in which we show fellow believers is described as love being shown to Christ Himself. This is paralleled with the exact opposite (failing to show love for the saints is failing to show love for Christ) in the very next section, Matthew 25:41-44.

This is also brilliantly illustrated in Acts 9:4,

And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?”

Christ asked Paul why he was persecuting ME. Thus, I submit to you that every persecution, insult, or slander that is hurled towards a believer is a persecution, insult, or slander hurled at the living Head of the church.

The believer’s union with Christ is so firm, so intimate, and such a present reality, that every persecution aimed at the believer here on earth is known and felt by the risen Christ Himself. If this truth does not incline our hearts to reverence the saints and to refrain from attacking our own body, then I’m certain that nothing else will.

Personally, this truth helps me to think twice before I speak ill towards another believer, just as it helps draw me to sincere repentance once I understand that I indeed have -and the seriousness of the sin that I committed. Who would dare speak evil to Christ? Who would dare to insult the King of kings and Lord of lords? For the true Christian, such a thought is the utmost of terror and horror, and upon realizing this, it will be impossible to continue in such sin unrepentant.

Therefore, may we extend the same reverence of tongue to believers today that we would if the Man Christ Jesus was standing here Himself. Whether we see it with our physical eyes or not, the reality is that Christ is alive, and His Spirit is dwelling in the midst of every believer here on earth. If we speak to believers, we are speaking to Christ Himself.

There is no doubt that we live in a professing Christian culture which sees Christ as the means for all sorts of temporal comforts. Give 10% and you will be blessed beyond measure with material prosperity in return. Invite Jesus into your heart and the problems in your marriage will be fixed. Have faith in God and you’ll be able to get through that rough trial that has suddenly come your way.

But the problem is, the scriptures teach the exact opposite in regards to the effect that saving faith has on a believer’s life. Jesus said that He came to bring a sword, not peace, and that He has come to divide families, making them enemies of one another. The apostle Paul, probably the best example we find in scripture of an obedient, New Testament Christian, constantly faced such troubles as whippings, beatings with rods, stoning, shipwrecks, dangers from nature and from robbers, hunger, sleeplessness, exposure to the elements, etc. (2 Cor 11). Did Paul just not know how to tap into that fountain of blessing? Why did his obedience constantly bring trouble of every kind?

Friends, it is with sadness that I assert that most Christians now days worry more about what they are going to do in retirement, when they’re going to have time for vacation, and or how their stocks are holding up, than they do about any of these (or similar) sufferings mentioned above. Suffering, it seems, has disappeared.
So, I ask you: has suffering now become uncommon because God now deals differently with His children than He did before? Or, as I would propose to you, has suffering disappeared because we are so poor at practicing true Christianity, being obsessed with entertainment and the distractions of this ‘playing’ culture instead?

This morning I came across this passage and it frightened me, as it should you as well:

“The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.” – Romans 8:16-17

According to this verse, we are Children of God and heirs with Christ, but there is one condition to all of this: provided that we suffer with Him. Do you suffer with Him? Or do you just ignore this verse in the name of hyperbole or the change in cultural standards? I often ask myself where is all this suffering in my life (suffering as a direct result to my faith), and I pray that you would consider that question as well.

While thinking of this passage, I thought of a few areas that should cause suffering if we are faithful in our obedience to our Lord. Consider just a few areas where we can check ourselves for obedience when considering these things:

Suffering that should come as a result of obedience in the following areas:

• Giving: ‘Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.’ – Luke 6:30

Have you ever considered how anti-cultural this is? Who does this? Why doesn’t Jesus warn us about those who would take advantage of this kind of giving? –Because true giving is meant to lead to suffering. True giving opens us up to extortion, to abuse, to ungratefulness, just to name a few. Consider that we are to give not only because it reflects an unselfish attitude of love and service to others, but also because it keeps us from hording our possessions and then trusting in them just like the rich young ruler. Thus, we should give to the point where people take advantage of us, and to the point where our own well-being is not secure enough to place trust in. So suffering comes many ways through obdedient giving.

• Serving: ‘If anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.’ – Matt 5:40-41

Again, doesn’t Jesus see how this kind of service opens us up to extortion and abuse? Jesus is certainly aware of this, and that is one reason why I believe that these hard sayings are given –because suffering and obedience goes hand in hand. If we truly serve, we will truly suffer in the form of abuse and other things.

• Forgiveness: ‘Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.’ – Matt 18:21-22

This passage never ceases to amaze me. We have all been there –most notably with a spouse or loved one. They come to you and apologize for lying, only to lie again to you the next day. They come to you and apologize for their anger and verbal abuse, only to inflict that and worse within the next week or so. What are we to do when we know that they aren’t serious about their apology? What are we to do when we know that we cannot believe a word that they say? Are we to trust them again? Ha, how stupid; how foolish of us! But Christ says that we are to forgive them, act as if it never happened, and hold nothing against them in any regard. How ready are you to suffer? Forgive as Christ commands, and you most certainly will.

• Love: ‘Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.’ – 1 Cor 13

This is simply a rehash of things above. True love hopes and endures all things? What about those whom you know will fail again, who are not serious about the things of the Lord, who abuse you again and again without it bothering them in the slightest? Love them, and suffer for Christ’s sake. Truse love brings true suffering.

• Preaching the gospel: “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.” – Luke 6:22

The prophets of old preached the Word in season and out. They were tortured, killed, and hated by those they were trying to save. Make no mistake about it: if you preach the gospel, you will indeed be hated, and you will indeed suffer. I’m not talking about having ‘conversations’ with people to see who’s version of truth is the coolest; I’m talking about challenging sin, preaching repentance, calling men to repent of their sins, proclaiming the sovereign righteousness of God. If we preach, i.e, if we are obedient, then we will suffer.

Conclusion:
Obedience brings suffering. Without obedience, we most likely will not suffer. There isn’t a mob waiting to break into your room when you pray. In this culture, there is no fear of public worship. When scripture speaks of suffering, it doesn’t just speak just of martyrdom, it also speaks of the suffering that will come upon those who obey. I trust, my friends, that you have been as challenged by this topic as I have.