Why Suffering Is A Part Of Sanctification

Common Questions

One of the most common questions Christians or non-believers ask one another is why do bad things happen to good people? This is a reasonable question, but I do believe it has clear answers.

First, good is a relative term. When compared to a murdered, I would consider myself "good". When compared to the awesome holiness of God, I am the lowest, the worst, the most evil of all. The question is, what is your standard? If we use God as the standard (and we should), then there really are no good people. Then, the original question becomes why do bad things happen to people?

Second, we live in a fallen world. In the early chapters of Genesis, we see when sin enters the world. At this point, everything changes and the world no has evil, sin, death, and suffering as a part of its order.

Lastly, suffering potentially has a purpose in God's will for us. This is the part of the equation that we will discuss here in more detail. I believe that suffering plays a role in the process sanctification.

What Is Sanctification?

Traditionally, sanctification refers to the process of being separated or set apart. Practically, most Christians refer to sanctification as the process of becoming more like Jesus Christ. Upon conversion, the Holy Spirit comes into our lives, changes us, and begins a process of sanctification that will continue until we die.

God brings about holiness, growth, and change in our lives through his Holy Spirit. If you see no change in your lfie over time, you should question your conversion. Read in James that faith without works is no faith at all.

Where Does Suffering Come Into Play?

The below sermon is fantastic. It is by Eric Mason and he goes into detail regarding the relationship of suffering and sanctification. One of the best points of his sermon is that God's will for us, above all other things in our life, is to make us more like Jesus. He will move towards that goal at any cost. That cost can sometimes be viewed in our earthly minds as "suffering".

And indeed there is such a thing as loss in this world. Losing a loved one to cancer is a form of suffering. There are countless examples. As Mason describes, we all go through trials and sufferings, so we should not expect an easy life simply because we're Christians. Jesus never said we would experience this.

The reality is that God uses all kinds of circumstances, including suffering to achieve his goal of sanctification, of making us more like Jesus. I encourage you to watch the sermon below for more insight into this concept.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH ERIC MASON ON THE ROLE OF SUFFERING IN SANCTIFICATION