Suffering: A Divine Appointment

This is part of a paper I wrote on Paul and predestination...

One of the clearest motifs in Paul’s epistles is the experience of suffering in a Christian’s walk with God. Admonitions to endure suffering are found in all of Paul’s epistles, from Galatians (6:17) to 2 Timothy (2:3-10), as are encouragements in spite of suffering and the reasons why all who are godly must suffer. Interestingly, Paul seems to connect the ideas of suffering and predestination in two ways: 1) divine election comforts during suffering; and 2) divine election necessitates suffering.

First, in 2 Thessalonians Paul introduces the idea that in the divine plan God “chose” (εἵλατο) us “from the beginning."

But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth. It was for this He called you through our gospel, that you may gain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 NASB, italics mine).

While this translation indicates a choosing limited by time, the preferred reading is actually ἀπαρχὴν (first-fruit) instead of "from the beginning" because the latter appears nowhere else in Paul’s writings and the former is found six times.[1] Thus, this passage does not address the eternal election by God but encourages the persecuted and misinformed Thessalonians by calling them “firstfruits” (though the Philippians’ conversion preceded them by a relatively short time), perhaps referring to their powerful conversion, spiritual gifts, and unsurpassed brotherly love (1 Thess. 1:8; 4:10).[2] In fact, the phrase “through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth” refers back to 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 which indicates that Paul knew God had chosen them because the gospel came to them “in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction.”

            A similar thought is found in the familiar, encouraging text of Romans 8:28:

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified (Rom. 8:28-30 ESV).

Admittedly, this is one of the most difficult passages in the Roman letter and has been subject to manifold interpretations (some have even applied it to the saints who rose from the dead when Jesus died).[3] In an effort to make sense out of suffering, Calvinists interpret this passage to mean that God “causes all things to work together for good” and that for Christians “there is…no such pointless suffering or evil.”[4] However, the most suitable interpretation may be the one that places this in its context of future glory in spite of present suffering (Rom. 8:17-18). McFatridge may be correct in calling verses 28-30, “the climax of Paul’s exposition of the doctrine of salvation by grace” with the following verses functioning as a “hymn of praise” in view of salvation.[5] That is, after describing life in Christ (8:1-8) and the indwelling witness of the Spirit (8:9-16), Paul affirms that we are, “heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him” (8:17 ESV, italics mine). Paul adds that the creation waits eagerly with Christians for the “redemption of our bodies” (8:23) and the “Spirit helps us in our weakness” by interceding for us (8:26-27). It follows, then, that Paul stated “all things work together for good” in conclusion to “the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (8:18). In other words, God is not the cause of suffering but He promises to work through them to bless us. Sanders’ succinct explanation fits well with the context: “Paul means that if we are willing to collaborate with God, God will work to bring good out of even evil situations.”[6]

The question remains, though, of what Paul meant by “those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son” (8:29). The answer fits into the Paul’s second usage of suffering and divine election that indicates suffering is necessary. According to Paul, suffering is not merely an inconvenient byproduct of taking up the cross, but a part of God’s plan for Christian growth, maturity, conformity to Christ, and fellowship with God, which is an idea found in Romans 8:29: “those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Again, Calvinists interpret this to reinforce the concept that God causes evil and suffering and “gets just what he wants on behalf of his elect.”[7]

However, the purpose of being “predestined” is “to be conformed to the image of his Son.” Though he used different wording, Paul later corroborated this in his epistle to the Philippians: “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” (3:10-11 ESV, italics mine). Thus, an acceptable interpretation may be that God uses one’s suffering in life (“becoming like him in his death”) as a mold to fashion him into the “image of his Son” (or “attain the resurrection from the dead”).

This concept is found elsewhere in Paul’s writings. Addressing the persecuted brethren in Thessalonica, Paul sent Timothy back to the Thessalonians, “to establish and exhort you in your faith, that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined [κείμεθα: “appointed” KJV] for this. For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction” (1 Thess. 2:2-4 ESV, italics mine). This divine “appointment” was not limited to the apostles because the Thessalonians themselves “received the word in much affliction” (1:6). Further, Paul later stated that he boasted in the other churches for the Thessalonians’ “steadfastness and faith” in their persecution and afflictions they endured, adding a peculiar statement: “This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering” (2 Thess. 1:4-5).

Yet again, this idea is found later in Paul’s life in 2 Timothy:

Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful (2 Tim. 2:9-13 ESV).

As before, Paul attaches a “spiritual purpose” to pain.[8] Apparently Paul considered his own suffering to be a “continuation of the sufferings of Christ”[9] (cf. Col. 1:24; 2 Tim. 4:5). Also, Paul’s hymn of dying and enduring, living and reigning echo the above statements regarding Romans 8:17-28.

In short, Paul understood that God’s plan for Christian suffering serves as a catalyst for growth and fellowship, being one way He has “predestined” us. Though many view suffering as an unfortunate consequence, Paul (and the other apostles) saw it as an opportunity, being “granted” to “suffer for his sake” (Phil. 1:29-30; cf. Acts 5:41).

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[1] Metzger, Bruce, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, (New York, NY: United Bible Societies, 1975), 636-637.

[2] Milligan, George, St. Paul’s Epistles to the Thessalonians, (London: Macmillan & Co, 1908), 106-107).

[3] Whiteside, Roberston L. A New Commentary on Paul’s Letter to the Saints at Rome, (Denton, TX: Inys Whiteside, 1945), 188-189.

[4] Ware, God’s Lesser Glory, 192-193.

[5] McFatridge, F. V., “The Called According to His Purpose” in Review & Expositor 48 no. 4 1951, 416.

[6] Sanders, The God Who Risks: A Theology of Divine Providence, 122.

[7] See footnote in Ware, God’s Lesser Glory, 193.

[8] White, Newport J. D., “The First and Second Epistles to Timothy,” The Expositor’s Greek Testament, (New York, NY: George H. Doran Company, 1910), 163.

[9] Lipscomb, David, A Commentary on the New Testament Epistles, (Nashville, TN: Gospel Advocate Company, 1989), 267. Cf. Col. 1:24: “Now 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.”