The Reality of Suffering | Romans 8:18
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We live in the midst of a world with a fundamental worldview problem.
For those who are saved, this world is all the hell they will ever experience.
For those who are not, this world is all the heaven they will ever experience; and if this is heaven, then the driving human desire is to make this world as good as it can be.
This is the problem at the heart of the issue. If this is all that there is, then we should do everything to make this world as good as possible. If we are the gods of our own universe, and this is the pinnacle of that universe, then we must do anything to make this world the best world we can.
This is at the heart of the fundamental existential war that is occuring all around us. If this is all there is, then why not live for me and my joy, and my comfort.
But scripture, particularly Paul teaches a fundamentally different worldview. In the Christian worldview, this world is hell. It's a place of suffering and preparation for our real lives. Thus, in scripture suffering is not an evil, but rather is a
Suffering is good and wise part of God's eternal and sovereign plan.
Suffering is good and wise part of God's eternal and sovereign plan.
As John Piper notes:
"Our vision of God in relation to evil and suffering [has been] shown to be frivolous. The church has not been spending its energy to go deep with the unfathomable God of the Bible. Against the overwhelming weight and seriousness of the Bible, much of the church is choosing, at this very moment, to become more light and shallow and entertainment-oriented, and therefore successful in its irrelevance to massive suffering and evil.
The popular God of fun-church is simply too small and too affable to hold a hurricane in his hand. The biblical categories of God’s sovereignty lie like landmines in the pages of the Bible waiting for someone to seriously open the book. They don’t kill, but they do explode trivial notions of the Almighty."
So Paul calls suffering "light" and "momentary"
For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,
He calls us to rejoice in the midst of these trials we face "for a little while"
In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,
He calls us to SHARE in these sufferings and the sufferings of Christ in
But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.
that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
So rather than being like the world seeking to hide from the reality of suffering in the world whether it be by surrounding ourselves with pleasures, or hiding ourselves in fantasy, we are called to SHARE in Suffering.
We must have a BIG view of a BIG God if we are going to understand the weight of God's glory in the midst of massive tragedy. Only a BIG GOD can make sense of Pearl High School, Columbine, Sandy Hook, and Uvalde.
So here’s our key principle today:
"He's not saying call upon the power of God to deliver you from suffering, but to recognize the power of God that has delivered you TO suffering and will deliver you through suffering." Voddie Baucham
The Seeds of Suffering Produce a Harvest of Righteousness
The Seeds of Suffering Produce a Harvest of Righteousness
We have trouble with this because we often only see one reason for suffering, but suffering does not necessarily mean something is wrong.
5 Causes of Suffering
5 Causes of Suffering
1. Suffering can be a Consequence of our Sin.
1. Suffering can be a Consequence of our Sin.
The first cause of suffering is our sin. We all agree that when we do things like over-eating, over drinking, being over-critical that these all lead to righteous and just suffering.
While we mourn when someone suffers a car accident while drinking under the influence, we all understand that that is a consequence of that sin.
This does not mean that good behavior deserves earthly blessings and rewards, but that sin can cause our suffering.
2. Suffering can be Caused by the Sin of Others
2. Suffering can be Caused by the Sin of Others
Pearl, Columbine, Sandy Hook, and Uvalde are all tragedies that are caused by the evil of other people. While we may ask why God allows these things, we understand that it is the evil of men that cause them to happen.
3. Suffering can be Caused by the Sin of Mankind
3. Suffering can be Caused by the Sin of Mankind
The Holocaust, slavery, abortion, the government supporting and pushing the abuse of children who are confused about their sexuality.
All of these are sins of national or groups of people that can cause great suffering.
Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.
4. Suffering can by Caused by the fact we live in a Fallen World
4. Suffering can by Caused by the fact we live in a Fallen World
Hurricanes, typhoons, earthquakes, etc. All of these are caused by sin. Sin has broken the world and causes great pain.
The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again.
5. Suffering that Occurs because of We Share the Gospel
5. Suffering that Occurs because of We Share the Gospel
So the question is where is God in suffering? The answer is God allows suffering for his glory and our good. We will
Suffering should, as Paul notes, point us to Jesus, to point us to the cross and our need for a savior to free us from our sin and suffering. Paul is pointing to this in our text: What we suffer today is meant to point us to the Savior and to our future home where suffering will be no more.