Under the pain of unjust suffering

“For it is commendable if someone bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because they are conscious of God.” (1 Peter 2:19)

 

The servants are in an underdog’s position, who is vulnerable to receive unfair damages from their owners. In the modern society where democratization has become general, the relationship of rights between management and workers is generally smooth. Rather, the power of workers is growing so that management may have difficulty managing. Yet the rights of ancient workers would have been almost at the level of slavery. Although the relationship between the owner and worker of the present era is different from that of the Peter’s era, the Bible conveys us a principled lesson regardless of the time. Suffering is something that may be always given to life, so we have to regard it like a constant. Only by thinking of Christ and dealing with it properly, we will overcome the hardships wholly.

 

There are many kinds of people with tempers like this or that in the world. Among the owners, there are good and tolerant, but there are also picky ones. Bible text ordered, regardless what the owner’s quality is, treat them the same way. But the problem is, how would do if when you are in an unfair difficulties. Even in such a time, Peter the apostle said, it is commendable to bear up under the unjust suffering by being conscious of God. However even it’s easy said so but never easy to practice. When someone keeps bothering oneself, if sustains only to put up with it, the one would be either a fool or a saint. Here the words to endure hardships means to be a saint, not to become a fool. In order to become a saint, you have to cultivate moral sense greatly through the process of learning and training lessons. But if a saint without the faith in Christ, is never a true saint.

 

If a person who has done something wrong is punished, that is not unfair nor to be praised reversely. It’s because it’s nothing more than paying the price of the own fault. But if you are punished even though did good, it’s an unfair thing definitely. Most of prisoners excuse they have to be in jail though they had done nothing wrong. Such that complaint is a case that gets prove vividly what Jesus said. Jesus said this in Matthew 25:35~40, “at the last judgment of life, those who were convicted will be to argue with own innocence, on the other hand, those who had done good will say rather that they had not done good.” This is because the wicked do not admit their fault, but the righteous do good but rather feel insufficient. Good person or the evil is divided by how they look into oneself.

 

It is natural for a person to get angry because he or she can’t stand it when goes through something unfair. But Christians should not remain on such that level. It is desirable look of Christians to think and act beyond that dimension. Thus to show God a commendable figure, we have to go beyond the general dimension. Jesus said, if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also. In rational thoughts, that is an unacceptable request. But, in order to be made live beyond the emotional reach of reason, Christians are people who have been called specially in the Holy Spirit. To carry out that duty well, you must learn and know what Christ is like. Christ had suffered instead of me as well as for all people. Human nature is never changed just by teaching in words. That reason is because a person’s soul is hard to be impressed by any common ways.

 

Christ showed love by extreme way, the death. Death is the expression of love, as the most complete sacrifice. That shows a lesson of complete love, for Jesus had given own life not because of His own problems, but the sin of all people. Accordingly no matter how evil someone is, he will be moved and changed after knowing Jesus. There was also pain to Jesus and natural reason would have worked. Nevertheless He didn’t respond like the others’ when He were cursed. He didn’t even threaten the other person when He was in trouble. How could have done like that? That is because He knew the fact that the Lord, the eternal judge, was in charge of justice. Jesus born as the son of man could feel sadness and pain, so He wanted to avoid the cross, but He endured the hardships obeying God the Father in order to fulfill the mission for human salvation.

 

The purpose of Jesus’ suffering is so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness. To be saved by believing in Jesus, it means that man’s sin is removed through Jesus’ death. And with the resurrection of Jesus, it means to become a holy new life. When didn’t know the way of truth before, everyone wandered around here and there like a stray sheep. But now it has been enjoyed a stable life that follows Jesus, the shepherd of eternal life, as a director.

 

(Written by Koonoh, Pastor of JDO Presbyterian Church in Korea, on April 23rd 2023)