A few years ago I was speaking with a wonderful Christian about following Jesus by "taking up your cross daily" in order to be His disciple. I was mentioning about living His life and death (Gal. 2:20) and that Paul compared living Jesus' life to actually finding the "marks of the Lord Jesus" in his own body and "identifying with His sufferings." I explained that I thought living Jesus' life could mean two things: (1) that we sometimes live actual similar circumstances as in recorded Scriptures of Jesus' life as we know it from His ages 30-33, and (2) that we also sometimes live the same principles and lessons of His life in different circumstances. The one point is physically literal, the other is spiritually figurative. But in either way, we identify with and live His life and sufferings. In comparing Jesus' suffering with ours, there is one huge difference though, and that is, He suffered real physical and spiritual pain and death itself far beyond what we can comprehend, whereas, we only suffer degrees of the shadow as Psalm 23 says, even in martyrdom. I had no idea the dear Christian to whom I was speaking so strongly believed that Jesus bore every ounce of all our pain and suffering on the cross that we as followers should have only easy rosy lives. This saint called what I was saying "the doctrine of demons." Is it the doctrine of demons?
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I think your account of the wonderful ways the Lord has worked in your heart and life are a great trophy of His Grace. I also very much appreciate how much you've accepted His molding as a master potter on the wheel.
Blessings, Dave
Dave, If the christian life is an easy road then the last four of five years of my christian walk are some kind of weird mistake. I have grown greatly in this time discovering that I can indeed do what seems impossible with the help of Christ. ( I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ) Can guarantee that the growth would not have happened w/o the pain...made me want to change. Sure did force me to look at the Lord even when I wasn't sure I trusted him. Would have to say that the person who thought a christian life was a life w/o troubles was mistaken.
I know of one cult-type group that teaches that Jesus somehow died for us, but that he never suffered on our behalf. As if the bible tells us that Jesus was softly tied to a tree and then died of natural causes. They actually are very opposed to members wearing crosses or depictions of Christ suffering. It makes me sad that the magnitude of the love of God becomes to watered down. Without the understanding of the suffering's of Christ we miss the bulk of the "good news".
I believe it is the point that we understand, appreciate, share and join into the sufferings of Christ that we trully begin to LIVE!
Considering ALL that Jesus did for me....every second He suffered on my behalf...makes me want to JUMP UP and shout praises...makes me want to weep...makes me want to sing...makes me want to KNOW HIM MORE!
Dear Bro Cope, thanks for your reassuring reply which I know you posted quite some time ago and I've been entirely remiss in replying. My apologies. I have to tell you your reply has uplifted me many times since I first read it. I am so glad you know of this verse in the Bible, as I am sure there are far too many who have no idea of the depths of what it says. It happens to be my favorite intercession verse in that we actually continue where Jesus left off in His suffering and earthly intercession ministry.
Blessings, Dave
Doctrines of devils? Not hardly. But what your friend believes is. The Bible says that we are partakers of His promises if and only if we join with Him in His suffering. It is through much tribulation that we enter into the Kingdom of God. In fact the Bible says that not enough suffering has been done yet. Jesus sufferings were necessary, but not sufficient. This is the verse:
Col 1:24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church,
The salvation of the world requires that we all enter into Christ's sufferings. The church is the continuing "offering" for the redemption of souls. We need to offer ourselves up for the redemption of souls, even as Jesus has. If your friend thinks Jesus came to give us an easy road, he is not reading his Bible.
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Blessings, Dave
I believe it is the point that we understand, appreciate, share and join into the sufferings of Christ that we trully begin to LIVE!
Considering ALL that Jesus did for me....every second He suffered on my behalf...makes me want to JUMP UP and shout praises...makes me want to weep...makes me want to sing...makes me want to KNOW HIM MORE!
Blessings, Dave
Col 1:24 I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church,
The salvation of the world requires that we all enter into Christ's sufferings. The church is the continuing "offering" for the redemption of souls. We need to offer ourselves up for the redemption of souls, even as Jesus has. If your friend thinks Jesus came to give us an easy road, he is not reading his Bible.