The Goal of our Faith
The goal of our faith is to become like Christ. Paul tells us that “…those whom he foreknew he also predestined to beconformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:28). John tells us that “…what we shall be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2). Paul again says in Philippians 3:20-21, “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.”
The Hope of Becoming Like Christ
For someone who is on the downside of 50 [make that 60!], who feels like the warranty has run out on many of my body parts, I look to the above with great hope. But even a young person can find similar hope—as many people struggle with their body concept, trying to live up to an impossible standard. As Paul yet again says, “For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life” (2 Cor 5:2-3).
This is the hope of the Christian, the thing that keeps us going. But there is one other way we must be like Christ. Paul, once more, says, “…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:10-11).
Like Him In His Death
Becoming like him in his death? What could that mean?
It turns out that this message is repeated again and again in many places in the Bible. In Sunday School we have been studying Matthew, and we came across the following statement: “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life? Or what shall a man give in return for his life?” (Matthew 16:24-26).
Taking Up Your Cross
The key notion here is that we must “take up [our] cross.” Perhaps one of the most humiliating aspects of crucifixion was that the Romans made you carry your cross to the place to where you were going to be crucified. Not only were you to be tortured to death, but you were made part of the process. You had to cooperate with your own painful execution.
This is what it means to take up the cross. Many of us suffer, but we suffer unwillingly, “kicking and screaming”, blaming God and others for the pain that is God’s way of separating us from ourselves. But the word of Jesus is that we must follow him—we must, painful as it may be, say with Jesus, “Father, let this cup pass from me, but if not, let your will be done.”
“Count it All Joy”
I believe that what distinguishes the mature and the immature Christian is how they treat suffering. Do they “count it all joy,” as James says we should? Yes, it is painful, but by faith we know that as we suffer we suffer with Christ and become fit citizens of heaven.
So let suffering make you gentle and humble, compassionate for others in their suffering. Rejoice that we are that much closer to our goal—that much more like Christ. As Paul says, “this momentary light affliction is storing up for us an eternal weight of glory.”
– November 2011