Acts 14:21-23
21
They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples. Then they returned to Lystra, Iconium and Antioch,
22
strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith. “We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God,” they said.
23
Paul and Barnabas appointed elders for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
---
We have developed since these times. But all of us face hardships. And these hardships are not like meaningless worldly challenges, they are spiritual hardships. Being loving, having patience, showing kindness..
The real church is the body of believers that serve one another, their enemies, and those whom cannot care for themselves; like orphans and widows. And in this loving service, the kingdom of God works through the body of believers individually displaying the fruits and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. This is the true body of Christ.
For Paul and Barnabas to be quoted as saying, "We must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of heaven", is a bit confusing. The following is an attempt to clarify what was being said.
---
Matthew 11:28-30
28
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30
For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
---
Hardships are overcoming, defeative. But Jesus explains that by seeking strength from the truth, our hardships are easily overcome.
To enter the kingdom of heaven, is to repent in sincerity, and, in the belief that our sins are paid for by the blood of the Lamb. By doing this, we are putting our own personal desires aside, so that the truth, in it's holiness, can instead act through us.
Denying ourselves; so that the Spirit of Truth can act through us.
Jesus suffered, so we too must suffer; that is true, yes. But like Job, temptations, trials, and tribulations are put in front of us so that we can show our beliefs are founded in sincerity, and that our acts can show the Father to be righteous in His faith in us.
Jesus suffered during his forty day temptation. We too suffer when tempted. But we deny ourselves, and we show holiness acts through us by the kingdom of heaven, in order to do so. So our sufferances are only sufferances when we are doing the Father's will instead of our own.
---
Jeremiah 13:11
11
For as a belt is bound around the waist, so I bound all the people of Israel and all the people of Judah to me,’ declares the Lord, ‘to be my people for my renown and praise and honor. But they have not listened.’
---
The Father wants His righteousness to shine through His children of faith. They, '..to be my people for my renown and praise and honor.' So part of doing the Father's will, is to Love the Father.
---
Matthew 22:37
37
Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
38
This is the first and greatest commandment.
39
And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.
---
And to Love the Father is to believe in His Truth.
---
John 6:28-29
28
Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
29
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
---
To summarize this now,
-it is not the will of God that we suffer, no. It is the will of God that we seek Him by His Truth, in our suffering.-
Our Christ's strength made perfect in our weakness. A strength founded in conviction, and based in loving service of the Father's will.
Is it because we would suffer for our love of the Father and the love of others; that we endure hardships?
Yes.
Must we ".. go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God"?
Yes. In sufferance we seek a strength greater than our own. Without hardships we do not seek in weakness, a strength to overcome.
*Seek first by the Kingdom of God. And in His righteousness shall these things be added unto you.*
No comments:
Post a Comment