Just A Thought

If you haven't read Romans 8: 15-17 recently, I would definitely recommend it. I'm sure most people are familiar with Romans 8:15 that says:

For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba, Father!"

However if you read on, Paul continues:

The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.

I am not a theologian and might be interpreting this wrong (please correct me if I am), but the part that really tripped me up was the part that talked about suffering with Christ. Paul doesn't say suffer for Christ (which is something which Christians undoubtedly do) or suffer alone. He says suffer with Christ. That means that if I am suffering for the sake of the Gospel, Christ is suffering with me (it's His Gospel after all, right?)

That is so immensely encouraging to know that I don't ever have to enter into persecution or any kind of suffering for the Gospel alone. Christ will be suffering right along with me. What a privilege it is when God allows Christians to be persecuted, because we are then able to experience a sliver of what Christ went through.

Furthermore, I think a Christian life without any suffering for the sake of the Gospel, should be reexamined...

Just a thought.