Reward Over Suffering (Revelation 21:4)

One of the most challenging questions to mainstream Christianity today is “Why is there suffering with a God who is all loving?”

I guess to answer this question, we need to get our terms right. First, suffering is problems here on Earth, but problems that can continue into the next life. Suffering is the state of undergoing pain, stress, or hardship.

We certainly do have a God who is all loving, in fact, it is His foremost trait! Recall that 1 John 4:7-8 says “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

God is love, simply put. But love (in our modern society) is not God. God is not an “all excusing” God, He is a God of all justice. A God who will not excuse eternal suffering if you violated His commands.

Love is love, but only because God is God. God is patient with us. He wishes that none may perish (2 Peter 3:9). But God gave us a way out- therefore, you must take it. If you do not, then there will be consequences. There is justice within his love, and you cannot say that He won’t allow you to suffer in the next life just because He loves you.

As for suffering in this life- for the non-Christian, there is no relief. There is no way out. For the Christian, however, there is suffering. The Christian is, in fact, told to expect trials (James 1:2-4).

The difference between the Christian and the non-Christian is that as Christians, we have our way out. We have Jesus, who cleansed us with His blood, and set us free.

We have reward over our suffering, and it is what John writes in Revelation 21:4- “and He (God) will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.” 

 Let us prayerfully consider how fortunate we are as God’s people, to have our ticket out of the fires of Hell: Jesus.

Written by: Mason MacDonald

Bibliography

New American Standard Bible: 1995 Update (La Habra, CA: The Lockman Foundation, 1995)