Is suffering always a result of our own sins as some believe? Would God allow a righteous believer to endure misery or even martyrdom? Let’s look at Job 2.
What did God say to the devil about Job and his upright life?
Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord. And the Lord said unto Satan, From whence comest thou? And Satan answered the Lord, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it. And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. (Job 2:1-3 KJV)
How did the devil answer God’s description of Job’s life of integrity?
Satan answered Yahweh and said, “Skin for skin! Yes, all that a man has he will give for his life. However, send forth Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh; he will curse You in Your face.” So Yahweh said to Satan, “Behold, he is in your hand, only spare his life.” Then Satan went out from the presence of Yahweh and struck Job with terrible boils from the sole of his foot to the top of his head. And he took a potsherd to scrape himself while he was sitting among the ashes. Then his wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die!” But he said to her, “You speak as one of the wickedly foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept calamity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. (Job 2:4-10 LSB)
Did Job have friends who could have been a great comfort to him?
Now when Job’s three friends heard about all this adversity that had come upon him, they came, each one from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and comfort him. When they looked from a distance and did not recognize him, they raised their voices and wept. And each of them tore his robe, and they threw dust over their heads toward the sky. Then they sat down on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights, with no one speaking a word to him, for they saw that his pain was very great. (Job 2:11-13 NASB)
If we must share in suffering like Christ did, do we look forward to sharing His glory?
Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. (Rom 8:17-19 NIV)
What did Jesus say about a man born blind when his disciples wanted to blame someone?
Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. (John 9:3 NKJV)
Is suffering always a result of our own sins as some believe? Would God allow a righteous believer to endure misery or even martyrdom? You decide!
