Partakers of Christ's Sufferings

"Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; ¹³ 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."

1 Peter 4:12-13

Peter wrote to beloved children of God they should not be surprised when they experience intense and life-threatening trials.  We might have the idea that because God loves us He prevents us from going through trials when the opposite is true:  He allows us to go through trials to prompt us to rejoice in our Saviour today and for all eternity.  Jesus Christ willingly suffered for us, and when we are made to suffer for His sake because we have obeyed Him, we have a deeper and more personal connection with Him.  After disciples of Jesus were beaten and threatened by religious authorities who despised Jesus, Acts 5:41-42:  "So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. ⁴² And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ."  Not everyone is counted worthy to suffer shame for Jesus, and the disciples rejoiced to be associated with their Saviour.

I reminisced this morning of several occasions in scripture where God's people faced trials and difficulties God delivered them out of.  The experience we wish to avoid is the thing through which God proves Himself faithful as our deliverer.  I think of when the Hebrews suffered under the bondage of slavery in Egypt.  We would want to avoid being slaves at all as a horrid thing, but God strengthened them to endure and brought them out with a mighty hand to establish them in their own land.  Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego were thrown into a fiery furnace because they would not worship the idol Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and God delivered them from the flames because they trusted in God without being burned.  Daniel was thrown into a den of lions because he prayed to God in violation of the edict of King Darius and was not harmed at all, for God sent His angel to shut the lion's mouths so they could not harm him.  Paul the apostle was caught in a great storm that threatened the lives of all those on board after being arrested and imprisoned for the sake of Jesus, and God saved everyone who remained on the ship.

A principle of purifying spoils of war is held forth in the Law of Moses in Numbers 31:21-23:  "Then Eleazar the priest said to the men of war who had gone to the battle, "This is the ordinance of the law which the LORD commanded Moses: ²² Only the gold, the silver, the bronze, the iron, the tin, and the lead, ²³ everything that can endure fire, you shall put through the fire, and it shall be clean; and it shall be purified with the water of purification. But all that cannot endure fire you shall put through water."  All spoils of war that could endure fire were to be put through fire and then the water of purification (or separation in the KJV).  This was water mixed with the ashes of the red heifer; an animal needed to die to supply this water of purification.  Perhaps if the articles of gold or silver could talk, they would think it strange treatment to be put through the fire and then washed with water.  As people saved by grace through faith in Jesus, we have been cleansed with the blood of Jesus and filled with the Living Water of the Holy Spirit.  We ought not to think it strange to experience a fiery trial, for it is God's sovereign way of purifying us and having increased fellowship with us.  We can rejoice knowing God is with us and will be faithful to deliver us.

Going through a fiery trial reminds us that we are God's, and He is our sovereign and Saviour.  We can be happy to suffer for Christ's sake knowing the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon us.  While others speak evil concerning Christ, we are provided opportunity to glorify Him with rejoicing.  Peter concluded the section in 1 Peter 4:19:  "Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator."  If we think it strange suffering would be according to God's will, we need look no further than Jesus who suffered countless trials due to sinners He lay down His life to redeem.  Praise God we are His beloved spoils of war, His precious purchased possessions, ones through whom He will be glorified in the earth.  Oppressive regimes cannot destroy, neither flames or lions can consume, and there is no violent storm able to separate us from the love of God extended to us as partakers in Christ's sufferings.