Grace and Suffering

For there to have been grace, suffering must have happened. Without pain and suffering on God’s part, there can be no grace toward us. Without grace we can have no trust. Without trust there is no learning. Without learning there is no development.

The human race is to grow by grace. (2 Pet. 3:18.) But there is no short cut to dispensing grace that can evade hurt and sorrow. It must all come in the same package. Thus our redemption and the wiping away of the stain of our rebellion against God must come through the ultimate pain, the pangs of death. No other representation could suffice for the death borne by our heavenly Father because of us. The harsh reality of the Law states, “Whoso sheddeth man’s blood, by man shall his blood be shed.” “Thou shalt give life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, burning for burning, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.” Gen. 9:6; Ex. 21:23-25. It’s only fair. We damaged God. We brought the equivalent of death to the Ancient of Days, the Infinite One. The rebellious creatures deserve to die.

Yet the human race continues to exist. We keep living while our Father keeps dying. At the cross, all the Father’s horror and pain Christ took upon Himself. No one else but Christ could comprehend it all, and no one else could endure it to sufficiently reveal the Father’s true hatred of sin. The Father needed His Son. The Son saved the Father, who had felt the full weight of sin’s results. The Son was the Samaritan who came to the aid of His wounded Father. They cooperated in our redemption. “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself.” “He hath put Him to grief.” “He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin.” 2Cor. 5:19; Is. 53:10; 2Cor. 5:21. Wonder, O heavens! Be astonished, O earth! Behold the Godhead suffering together for the rebellious race They loved!

“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: by whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also.” Rom. 5:1-3. “That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death.” Phil. 3:10. If we would train and develop others around us, we must suffer at their hand, and then show grace. We must do no less than God has done. Charity suffereth long, and then is kind. (1Cor. 13:4.)