In Matthew 24 Jesus said the indications of the end of the age would be deception, lawlessness, and tribulations. “Deception” and “lawlessness” are topics for other messages. The focus of this message is “tribulation.” The tribulations Jesus specifies just in Matthew 24 are wars, international unrest, famines, earthquakes, persecutions, and betrayals of the followers of Christ. See Matthew 24:3, 4-5, 12, and 6-14:
“What does the future hold?”, if we were to give a one-word answer to that question, that one word would be tribulation. Jesus told us this 2000 years ago.
Tribulation in the Bible
In the parallel passage in Luke’s gospel, plagues, terrors, and great signs from heaven are also listed. See Luke 21:7-12: “And they asked him, saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when these things shall come to pass? And he said, Take heed that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not therefore after them. But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by. Then said he unto them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.”
Also in Luke’s gospel, a statement by Jesus is recorded in which He tells us that “these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.” This tells us that these tribulations “are characteristic of the entire present age, not just signs of the end of the age” according to notes from NASB Study Bible from Zondervan.
And In John’s gospel, Jesus summarizes what life in the world will be like for His followers (see John 15:18 and 16:1-4 below) by saying what He did in John 16:33: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
- John 15:18: “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.”
- John 16:1-4: “These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service. And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me. But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.”
Jesus spoke these words to His disciples in Jerusalem, after the Last Supper, just before His betrayal, arrest, and crucifixion. He wanted to prepare His disciples for what was about to take place with Himself, as well as prepare them for what would take place with themselves in the future. The Greek word translated “tribulation” is thlipsis, which can also be translated as pressure, affliction, anguish, distress, or trouble.
Here, Jesus is not only referring to “the great tribulation”, which is understood to be either a 7 or 3 ½ year period near the end of the age, but He was particularly referring to the normal, ongoing condition of the world throughout human history. See Matthew 24:21, Matthew 24:29, Mark 13:19, Mark 13:24, and Revelation 7:14 below:
- Matthew 24:21: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
- Matthew 24:29: “Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:”
- Mark 13:19: “For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be.”
- Mark 13:24: “But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light,”
- Revelation 7:14: “And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”
There are some very significant Old Testament references to tribulation of which Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:11: “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” These are prophetic Scriptures which have past, present and future fulfillments.
Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 21:11-12: “The burden of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir, Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will enquire, enquire ye: return, come.” The “night” refers to the Assyrian and Babylonian Captivities of Israel (773 & 623 B.C.) according to the Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary. Since that time, God’s people have been living in captivity within the world system; specifically, not having a land governed by a theocracy.
But Isaiah also prophesied in Isaiah 60:1-2: “Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee.” This is a picture of light shining in the midst of the darkness.
I believe these prophetic pictures coincide with what Jesus said things would look like just prior to His coming. As we read in Matthew 24, Jesus related to His disciples a list of tribulations that would be covering the earth just prior to His Coming, and at the end of the list He said in Matthew 24:14: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” See the full list in Matthew 24:3-13:
- Matthew 24:3-13: “And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”
So we see “great darkness covering the earth” with various tribulations, and right in the midst of this darkness the Lord will have the light of “the gospel of His kingdom being preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations” – a picture of light shining in the darkness.
The apostle Luke quoted the apostles Paul and Barnabas as saying that there would be “many tribulations” before we enter the kingdom of God. See Acts 14:22: “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”
The apostle Paul bore witness to Jesus’ warnings of a future filled with tribulation when he wrote to Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:1: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.” Namely, the days of the New Covenant initiated by the first coming of the Messiah and ending with the second coming of Christ. The Greek word translated “difficult” is chalepos, which can also be translated as perilous, grievous, stressful – in other words, “hard times.”
God’s Purpose in Tribulation
Let’s take a look again at what Jesus said in John 16:33: “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” Besides telling us that the prospect of our future is tribulation, Jesus is also communicating His promise to His disciples for the future: peace in tribulation if we have courage in overcoming.
Jesus said in John 16:33: “In the world you have tribulation…”We may ask: “Why? Why tribulation?” What is it about this world that causes tribulation? The simple, bottom-line answer is sin. Because of humanity’s fall into sin, God has cursed this world. See Romans 8:20-23 and Ecclesiastes 11:2, 8:
- Romans 8:20-23: “For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.”
- Ecclesiastes 11:2: “Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.”
- Ecclesiastes 11:8: “But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.”
Although “God so loved the world…”, there is also a “dark side” to this world so that the Scriptures exhort us: “Do not love the world.” See John 3:16, 2 Thessalonians 2:7, and 1 John 2:15-17:
- John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
- 2 Thessalonians 2:7: “For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.”
- 1 John 2:15-17: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
Why? What is wrong with the world? What we need to understand is that this world “lies under the power of” a different god, who is an adversary to both God and humanity. See 2 Corinthians 4:4, 1 John 5:19, Daniel 7:25, John 6:28-29, 10:10, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, Ephesians 6:10-20, and 1 Peter 5:8:
- 2 Corinthians 4:4: “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”
- 1 John 5:19: “And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.”
- Daniel 7:25: “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time.”
- John 6:28-29: “Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.”
- John 10:10: “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
- 2 Corinthians 10:3-5: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;”
- Ephesians 6:10-20: “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.”
- 1 Peter 5:8: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”
It is Satan and sin, not God, that causes tribulation in the world. Editor’s note: For a more detailed discussion of “the world”, see the author’s comprehensive exploration of the Spirit of the World.
But, God has a purpose for His people in tribulation. The apostle Paul writes in Romans 5:3-4: “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope:” God’s purpose in tribulation is to produce in His people the proven character that comes with perseverance and hope – the character of Christ.
God has a “good purpose” for His people in tribulation, and that “good purpose” is revealed by the apostle Paul in his Roman epistle. See Romans 8:28-29: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
The “good purpose” of God is to conform us to the image of Jesus – the character of Christ.
The writer to the Hebrews tells us how God uses tribulation to achieve this “good purpose.” See Haggai 2:6: “For thus saith the LORD of hosts; Yet once, it is a little while, and I will shake the heavens, and the earth, and the sea, and the dry land;” This expression “yet once” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.
Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe. See Hebrews 12:26-28: “Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:”
What the writer to the Hebrews tells us about God’s kingdom is that it “cannot be shaken.” This is what Jesus told us regarding His kingdom in Matthew 6:31-33: “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
The apostle Paul defined the kingdom of God in these terms in Romans 14:17: “For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” But, we all have a natural tendency to focus on the “What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?” See Matthew 6:31: “Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?”
So, through tribulation, God shakes and removes these things to refocus our hearts and lives onto the things that are eternal – the things of His unshakeable kingdom – “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” I would like to suggest that God even uses the chaos created by the “schemes of the Devil” to accomplish His work of shaking, removing, and refocusing.
Let’s look again at what Paul said about tribulation and character in Romans 5:3-4: “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope:”
The Greek word, dokime, is translated “proven character” in the New American Standard Bible and is translated “experience” in the King James Version. W.E. Vine says it means “the effect of proving, approval.” This is referring to character which has been tested by experience and approved. A good example of this “the effect of proving, approval” is the story of Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice Isaac in Genesis 22:1-14:
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Genesis 22:1-14: “And it came to pass after these things, that God did tempt Abraham, and said unto him, Abraham: and he said, Behold, here I am. And he said, Take now thy son, thine only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and get thee into the land of Moriah; and offer him there for a burnt offering upon one of the mountains which I will tell thee of. And Abraham rose up early in the morning, and saddled his ass, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and clave the wood for the burnt offering, and rose up, and went unto the place of which God had told him. Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off. And Abraham said unto his young men, Abide ye here with the ass; and I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come again to you. And Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it upon Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and they went both of them together. And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together. And they came to the place which God had told him of; and Abraham built an altar there, and laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac his son, and laid him on the altar upon the wood. And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son. And the angel of the LORD called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said, Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.”
Persevering in tribulation brings about proven experience. Persevering in tribulation brings about the actual experience of Christ and having the doctrines of Christ become experiential in our lives. Christ proves His reality to us, and our characters are approved by God. It’s the difference between a professing faith and a living faith. Without this, we are likely to be, as it says in 2 Timothy 3:5: “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.”
The Church in Western Nations
We may ask: “Is persevering in tribulation really necessary to form the character of Christ?” We can start to answer that question with Hebrews 5:8 which say that “Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;” See also Hebrews 2:10: “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” Jesus had to, but we don’t need to?
We are exhorted to, as it says in Hebrews 12:2: “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” This was Jesus’ path to glory. Do we really think we can get there a different way?
The fact is: without tribulation, our natural tendency is to “sow to our own flesh, and from the flesh reap corruption.” See Galatians 6:8: “For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.” Paul also warned us in Galatians 5:13: “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”
Let’s reflect on that a bit: In the context of his Galatian epistle, Paul is referring to our freedom in Christ – freedom from the Law. But Paul’s phrase regarding “freedom as an opportunity for the flesh” can be understood in terms of “freedom of lifestyle”; and I am going to speak in terms of the lifestyle of the Church in Western nations.
There are aspects of our lifestyle that are there because of the freedom we enjoy, and in turn, these very same things also create more freedom in our lifestyle. I’m referring to things like education, career, regular income, “discretionary” income, home and property, a multitude of possessions, the availability of social services, financial savings, and investments, et al. – all these things give us a freedom of lifestyle that goes way beyond daily survival – namely “Give us this day our daily bread.” as the Bible says in Matthew 6:11.
The fact is: The freedom we enjoy affords many, many “opportunities for our flesh.” There are some that are more noble, like creative pursuits, which are wonderful when done as acts of worship for the glory of God rather than a means of self-aggrandizement. But for the most part, these “opportunities for our flesh” result in a plethora of “diversions” – unessential entertainments.
Let’s compare our normal everyday lives with Paul’s idea of the normal Christian life from Ephesians 5:15-21: “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”
Paul gives a similar view of the normal Christian life in Romans 12:9-21: “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
The word “dissipation” in the New American Standard Bible is translated “excess” in the King James Version. The Greek word is asortia, which means prodigality, wasteful – that is, a waste of time, a frivolous diversion. The fundamental sickness of the Church in Western nations is that our freedom affords almost unlimited opportunities for frivolous diversions to sow to our flesh, which, at best, have little to no spiritual value, and at worse, reap spiritual corruption.
The result is a loss of spiritual passion for our “first love” – our hearts are divided, fragmented by our many “loves.” See Revelation 2:4: “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.”
Jesus, Himself, warned us that these “time-wasting, frivolous diversions” would be a stumbling block to us in the last days: He said in Luke 21:34-35: “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.”
The Samaritan woman Jesus met at the well had five husbands. This woman symbolizes the church that still needs an authentic revelation of Christ; see John 4. The Bride that Jesus plans to present to Himself is a Church that is dedicated and devoted to Him – a Bride whose heart is not fragmented and led astray by multiple loves but has single devotion to Christ. See Ephesians 5:27 and 2 Corinthians 11:2-3:
- Ephesians 5:27: “That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”
- 2 Corinthians 11:2-3: “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.”
I’ve had the privilege of ministering in hundreds of churches in the Global South. For further reading in this regard, I highly recommend The Next Christendom and The New Faces of Christianity by Philip Jenkins.
Being in the midst of these churches, one cannot help but ask oneself: “What’s the difference? How does one describe the difference between the quality of spirituality and lifestyle between these churches and churches in the Western world?” The best way I can describe it is with the word: passion. Of all the many spiritual blessings the Church in Western nations has been given and may have to offer, it lacks the passion of the Church of the Global South.
For further reading on the general topic of our culture’s obsession with entertainment, I recommend Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business by Neil and Andrew Postman and Still Bored in a Culture of Entertainment: Rediscovering Passion & Wonder by Richard Winter.
Passion is at the heart of the matter, and the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. But Proverbs 4:23 tells us: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” This fragmented heart syndrome manifests itself definitively in our lives and character.
In his second letter to Timothy, his last epistle, Paul describes the pervading lifestyle and character traits that will be the spiritual environment of the last days. See 2 Timothy 3:1-7: “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.”
“Difficult times” – the Greek word is chalepos, which literally means “reducing strength” – times that are difficult and stressful. Tribulation causes what we might call “The Toothpaste Tube Effect”: when squeezed, what’s inside comes out. Unfortunately, what so often comes out are all the character traits on this list – each one calls for sermon itself.
Of particular interest to me are “lovers of their own selves” – the quintessential flaw from the Fall; and “disobedient to parents” – a trait which might seem not noteworthy enough to appear on this list, but that is only because we don’t fully realize how the Fall has fundamentally affected parent – child relationships. But the trait I want to comment on in this message is “without self-control.”
The Greek word which is translated “without self-control” is akrasia. According to Strong’s, it literally means “incontinent, powerless, lacking strength.” The medical condition of “incontinence” is an unpleasant but vivid analogy of this spiritual condition. All of our freedom with the accompanying diversions not only depletes our passion for Christ, but, in spite of all of our spiritual resources, makes us spiritually weak – carnal Christians. Our brothers and sisters in the Global South are impressed by our spiritual resources but shocked by our weakness of Christian character.
Tribulation – Perseverance – Proven Character
Here is a key: We receive spiritual power from God during times of tribulation and this causes us to grow spiritually stronger. In Colossians 1:11 Paul wrote this phrase: “Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness;”
We may understand this in this way: During tribulation, God strengthens us with what the apostle Paul calls “the patient waiting for Christ.” See full verse: “And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.”
Tribulation brings about perseverance (or endurance). See Romans 5:3, 12:12:
- Romans 5:3: “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;”
- Romans 12:12: “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;”
Perseverance (or endurance) comes only through tribulation. That’s the nature of the case – it doesn’t come any other way. The Greek word is hupomone, which literally means “abiding under” – enduring hard times.
In his epistle, the apostle James explains in James 1:3: “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” He encourages us in verse 4: “But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” And in this way our character is proven, our love for Christ is proven, and we receive “the crown of life” as it says in James 1:12. See also Luke 21:19, Romans 2:7, and 1 Peter 2:20:
- James 1:12: “Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.”
- Luke 21:19: “In your patience possess ye your souls.”
- Romans 2:7: “To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:”
- 1 Peter 2:20: “For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.”
Paul reminds Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:12: “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:”
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