Christ also suffered

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison, - 1 Peter 3.18-19

Peter says a lot about suffering. In fact a lot of the New Testament talks about suffering. I think the reason is because suffering is going to be the norm for the church. In the forty plus years since I was saved I have never once had to suffer for the cause of Christ. At the very worst I have mocked a little bit, or laughed at, or maybe called names – but all of that has happened to me from within the church as well.

But I have never really suffered for Christ. Not really. It’s not like so many of my fellow believers around the world who suffer greatly every day just because they call themselves ‘Christian.’ So I hesitate to say much – I don’t feel qualified.

But, the day may come when I will face it. And I need to be aware that, as this passage points out, Christ suffered for us. His suffering was unlike anything I might face. He was perfect and sinless. His suffering was a case of the ‘just for the unjust.’ I am a sinner. I live in sin cursed broken world. People treat each other badly here for all kinds of reasons.

Jesus did nothing wrong – and yet He suffered too. He suffered for me. He suffered to bring me to God and He suffered to defeat the flesh with the spirit. He suffered to give me spiritual life.

I don’t know if I will be called on to suffer – but it will never measure up to what the righteous Christ did for unrighteous me. So whatever comes my way may I always remember the voluntary suffering He went through for me.