A Word from God's Word

“For 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

ONE OF THE GREATEST DISTORTIONS of the gospel message that one may hear today is that when we come to Jesus, all our troubles in life will be over, that life will then be all smooth sailing. But that is not the message of the Scriptures. For Jesus Himself spoke often of the difficulties that lie in store for the one who will follow Him, saying that the believer must “deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). Likewise, the apostle Paul says, “all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (II Timothy 3:12). But if that is true, then why should anyone follow Christ? Answer: For two reasons.

First, we follow Christ despite the cost because of the glorious paradox of the Christian life, that we are “as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing” (II Corinthians 6:10). We rejoice, even in sorrow, for we have Christ, and He is enough.

But also, we follow Christ despite the cost because: “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us”. For the believer, “to be absent from the body (at death) is to be present with the Lord” (II Cor 5:8). But even more wonderfully, one day Christ will return, and the believer will enter into the glorious presence of God in a new heaven and a new earth for eternity. And nothing–absolutely nothing–can compare with that.

Pastor Craig publishes  "A Word from God's Word" weekly in the "Kootenay News Advertiser".