Article of Faith: The glory in suffering (2), By Femi Aribisala

We are now members of the royal family in heaven.

In the counsel of God, human suffering must precede glory. The psalmist affirms this:

“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.” (Psalm 30:5).

From Joseph to Hannah to David to Job to Elizabeth to Jesus, suffering led to glory. Indeed, the glories in all these cases were infinitely more glorious because they were preceded by suffering.

This is the protocol of the God whose ways are not our ways:

“The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up. The Lord makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up. He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among princes and make them inherit the throne of glory.” (1 Samuel 2:6-8).

“He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty.” (Luke 1:52-53).

“Therefore, do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole. He shall deliver you in six troubles, yes, in seven no evil shall touch you.” (Job 5:17-19).

Glory of Grace

Jesus says if we do, we will know:

“If anyone wills to do (God’s) will, he shall know concerning the doctrine, whether it is from God or whether I speak on My own authority.” (John 7:17).

Jesus reveals to Paul the principle behind this dynamic of suffering to glory:

“My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

When Paul understood this, he declared:

“Most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

Paul elaborates further on this in Romans:

“I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:18).

This is important.

Glorification of the Saints

God says in Isaiah:

“I am the Lord, that is My name; and My glory I will not give to another, nor My praise to carved images.” (Isaiah 42:8).

This is often understood as implying that the glory of God is not meant for man. But this is not true. The glory of God is not meant for carved images or idols. However, the scriptures reveal that the glory of God is prepared for man, but only under certain predestined conditions.

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.” (Romans 8:29-30). 

The believer is predestined for glory. The glory to which Adam was appointed, but which he lost in sin, is redeemed in Christ.

Therein lies our Adamic predicament expressed through the psalmist:

“I said, ‘You are gods, and all of you are children of the Most High. But you shall die like men.’” (Psalm 82:6-7).

We shall die like men despite our divine exaltation because:

“Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption.” (1 Cor 15:50).

The Redemptive Template

Jesus is God. He shared in the glory of God. He said to God:

“Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world.” (John 17:24).

The man, Christ Jesus, becomes our pathway to the redemption of our lost glory. But to do this, He must first suffer for our sins and purge them:

“What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honour, and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet.” For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we do not yet see all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone.” (Hebrews 2:6-9).

“It was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” (Hebrews 2:10).

Jesus is the bone of our bone and the flesh of our flesh. He is now our brother. Thanks to Jesus, we are now children of God.

“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:16-17).

Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6). So, believers are required to follow His example:

“Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. (Hebrews 5:8-9).

This Jesus is now seated in a place of honour at the right hand of God.

“God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:4-6).

We are now members of the royal family in heaven. The Lamb seated on the throne is one with us. AsI said, He is the bone of our bone and the flesh of our flesh.

“For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6).

Therefore, in the meantime:

“We all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:18).

“Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.” (1 John 3:2-3).

The Fellowship of Christ’s Sufferings

“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 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 together.” (Romans 8:16-17).

For this reason, John enjoins believers:

“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part, He is blasphemed, but on your part, He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter, for the time has come for judgment to begin at the house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? Now, “If the righteous one is scarcely saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?” Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.” (1 Peter 4:12-19). 

Paul concurs:

“Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.” (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Partakers of the Divine Nature

Yes, now we are gods. And all of us are children of the Most High. But thanks to the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ:

“Who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” (2 Timothy 1:10-11).

We shall no longer die like men. We are now partakers of the divine nature. We have passed from death to life and now have eternal life.

“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore, the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:1-2).

“May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you.” (1 Peter 5:10). CONCLUDED.