I Peter 4

1 Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin

Following the logic that everything in the Old Testament finds ultimate satisfaction in the coming of Christ, so Christ satisfies every New Testament theme.  How can He not? Christ alone is the single hope of man, not just for the justification of sins, but also in terms of Christian maturity and growth.  Jesus, desiring His men to live up to their callings, famously said to them in their last moments together, “without me you can do nothing” (See John 15:5).  In other other words the Gospel of Christ is not merely a teaching on how people are saved, but it the only teaching the church has to equip the saved for their service to Christ.

Peter’s teaching on Christian suffering is no exception.  Jesus brought the gospel message through His suffering of which He could have taken almost any other route to avoid.  But in order to obey His Father, He must suffer so men might be able to escape the torment of sin.   His suffering was a sign of His submission and obedience. Though He knew what would lay ahead if He should obey the Father, still He did not turn away or accept one of Satan’s easy alternate routes.  For every other character in the Bible, obedience to God meant to be blessed, but for Christ, obedience to God meant to be cursed.  Still He suffered willingly.  Where have you a better assurance of God’s love?

So if God, who is willing to give everything including the suffering of His own Son, should we not be willing to suffer with Him?  Submitting oneself to suffering as a Christian is first an understanding that God is working to do good in a believers life.  Obviously “good” does not mean comfortable, at least not yet.   If anyone who is devoted to Christ, they will be equipped by God for service in Gospel work.  Suffering, as it was for Jesus, is a path to maturity and partaking in the work of Christ on the earth.