Suffering for the faith

To share in the sufferings of Christ is to experience difficulties and troubles in this life because of a connection to Jesus Christ in faith (Romans 8:17). You can think of these sufferings as “crosses” (Luke 9:23).

After the apostles received a flogging at the hands of the Sanhedrin and were released, they rejoiced “because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5:41). That reaction on the part of the apostles illustrates the reaction Christians can have when they suffer for their faith. By nature, we are not worthy of receiving any blessings from God. In his grace, God provides one blessing after another—even the honor of suffering in his name.

Beyond books of the Bible like Acts and 2 Corinthians, you might benefit from reading The Theology of the Cross. It is available from Northwestern Publishing House.