Tag: Belong to Christ

Suffer and Rejoice in Belonging to Christ

I have written about wearing the badge of Christ proudly. This morning I was brought back to the same passage in 1 Peter and found that it more than wearing the badge of Christ and being proud to do so. I have to know that it is all part of the design.

“13But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.” — 1 Peter 4:13 (ESV)

For all the suffering that comes with belonging to Christ, there is also rejoicing that comes as well. I have to remember that the suffering is for the rejoicing. I am here to do the work of Christ. I have already been promised my reward and it is great. I get to be a part of the glory of God. And that glory is, well, it comes after much suffering that I signed up for.

Christ suffered in His ministry. He was ridiculed, defamed, and then beaten and crucified. And yet, He continued as it was all as designed by God. He was designed by God. He was tasked by God. He was rewarded by God. I am part of the same. I am designed by God. I am tasked by God. I am rewarded by God. All of me and what I do is designed by God.

In that I am in like kind with Christ, I am also to continue on like He. I am to do the work, knowing that there will be suffering. And then in the same time, I have to remember that my reward has already been determined.

I do the work and reap the reward, not from this world but from God. I belong to Christ and not this world and so whether I am deemed a success or failure in this world, as I have done the work of God, I am seem as a success in the only one that matters, GOD.

Belonging to Christ is a duty and an honor. I cannot pay back all that was given as there is no way to pay back the fact that someone died so that I can live. What I can do is continue to do the work that I am tasked with, by design, and know that all is well thanks to by belonging to Christ.

What are your thoughts on belonging to Christ? Do you feel like you should only have the good that comes? What if you just accepted the honor of belonging to Him and then accepted that you have work to do and that the end result is already determined and your reward is already won?

Being Christ’s is to Carry His Work Forward

I belong to Christ and as such am tasked with carrying His work forward into this world. I am to spread the Gospel and do so in the name of Christ.

“19Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” — Matthew 28:19-20 (ESV)

These are the words of Jesus to His disciples, of which I am one. I am to take the gospel to the world and teach. I am to carry Christ’s work forward in His name and know that He is with me through it all.

This brings me to the passage of study for my morning. I am in Colossians and Paul is writing of his ministry to the church. He is referencing the work that he and we have to bring the gospel forward. But first, Paul opens the passage reminding us that it is not going to be easy.

“24Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,” — Colossians 1:24 (ESV)

I admit that it took me some time this morning to understand this verse and it’s context. I reviewed commentary and did not just except things as I read them. I focused on understanding God’s Word and not just reading it. When just reading, it appears that Paul indicates that he is picking up the mantel that Jesus just dropped when He ascended. This could not be further from the truth. Christ is more than enough and this verse is misleading when reading “what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions”.

Yes, Paul is picking up where Christ left off, but look at the Great Commission in verses 19 and 20 of Matthew 28 above. He told us that was our task, take the gospel further and to the places that currently do not exist. It is not that Christ did not suffer afflictions, it was just that He did not suffer the afflictions that were to come. I had not been born yet and therefore my afflictions had not been realized. Christ did not suffer my afflictions and that is what is lacking. I will suffer for Christ as Paul did and Timothy did and all of the others that have brought the gospel before me and will bring the gospel after me.

As a member of the Christian family, I am not just going to experience the good times. Yes I have blessings and will have rewards in heaven, yet I will still have to deal with all of the persecution and sufferings that will come with it as well. It is all part of belonging to Christ. Belonging to Christ indicates that I am to carry His work forward, regardless of the cost to or impact I have on my own life. It is not about me. I am doing the work of Christ for His sake and not my own. I will experience it all in the work that I am doing. I will experience the great joy and will also experience the great heartache and persecution. It is all part of the role.

I would not change a thing. I am “in it to win it” as I have heard said and that means that I will endure all that there is with the role of belonging to Christ. I will carry all forward as instructed and tasked.

What part of Christ do you belong? Are you finding yourself wondering why you are persecuted and suffering? What about belonging to Christ in all to carry His message forward, regardless of the circumstance or impact to you?