Christ Suffered for You

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Christ Suffered for You

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We are to be a new person with another attitude that wants to trust God in faith for everything. 1 Corinthians 5:7 ”Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us.” With the sins of the past issue out of the way, then the trust on God in faith issue is our new way—because Christ suffered for us.

It is everyone’s responsibility to learn what God’s divine power will do for them, when a trusting faith is placed on Him. Learning spiritual lessons of trust from God is the most important information we will ever receive. God wants to teach us these lessons—that is His responsibility; but we must be willing to learn them—that is our responsibility.

Because we begin life with a sinful nature that does not want to trust God for anything, it can take much training and many lessons to change our attitude to one that will trust God for everything. It begins with a willingness on our part to believe that God will do what He promises, and it continues with the power of God helping us stay in that faith/trust position.

The situation is the same now as it was then. Adam disobeyed God and listened to Satan—simply because he thought he could have what he wanted by himself. The world today strives and struggles to have things—hoping to find happiness, some contentment, or financial freedom—but separated from any trust in faith on God.

Every plan the world depends on—medical insurance, health care plans, retirement funds, Social Security, real estate investments, or state lotteries are things to trust—in the hope of finding financial security—but at the high spiritual cost of eliminating trust on God. We must know what God has promised in His Word, so we can claim those promises on the merit of Jesus’ shed Blood.

A believer in Christ should not go in debt for anything, because the world is in debt for everything. God’s plan is to rent a house, as the apostle rented a room to teach the gospel of Christ. Renting something keeps us in a position of trust on God for finances—an issue of major importance.

All insurance is based on unscriptural money—funds that are kept in reserve to eliminate trust on God—who alone is our Teacher, Supplier, Healer, and Protector. The world does not believe that truth, and will not accept that doctrine. The root of all sin is eliminating trust on God. The apostle says Ephesians 4:22 “ye are to put off concerning the former behavior the old man, that is corrupt according to the desires of the deceit.”

Every need; every insult, and any discrimination is to be placed in God’s hands in prayer, and left there. Psalm 103:6 ”The Lord gives right-eousness and justice to all who are treated unfairly [oppressed].” God will take care of any injustice—but letting Him do that is our responsibility. The world wants to get back, but the believer turns back to God and begins to trust Him for everything.

Psalm 146:8 “The LORD gives sight to the blind”—is a reminder to trust God to restore or improve our eyesight. We should not wear eye-glasses, contacts, or have laser surgery. God gave us sight in the first place, so Satan has no right to take that from us.

If we are discouraged, we should be encouraged that “the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down”—it is an opportunity for us to trust Him in faith for freedom from wrong thoughts. Being free from depression is a choice on our part to trust God in faith. “The LORD loves the righteous,” but we are right-eous only by a trusting faith on the shed blood of Christ.

A believer is not to borrow money for any reason, but to trust God in faith to supply all needs. We are not to avenge ourselves concerning injustices, but to get out of the way and let the Lord do His work. Romans 12:19 ”Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘It is mine to avenge; I will repay,’ says the Lord” [Deuteronomy 32:35].

Meeting such things right, by trusting God in faith, is producing spiritual fruit. When lessons of faith and trust on God are learned, it will not matter how we are treated, who insulted us, or what wrong is done to us—we just go on trusting God in faith and letting Him right our wrongs. It is the Spirit of God who enables us to meet things according to the Word of God.

Injustices are met to test our faith—we may be misquoted, misrepresented, misunderstood, wrongly blamed, or had personal information shared—that we did not want told. Whatever took place, and whoever was involved, God says that we are to place the matter into His hands and say nothing to anyone. That is a
spiritual lesson of trusting God in faith.

Jesus said self must die before fruit can grow, because John 12:24 ”unless the grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains what it was—a single grain; but that if it dies, it yields a rich harvest.” Praying instead of complaining is producing spiritual fruit—a harvest of Christ-like attitudes will result because we were willing to learn that lesson of trusting God in faith.

Meeting wrongs as Jesus said is staying connected to Him. 1 Peter 2:21 ”To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.” If we hold on to worldly ways—wanting to get revenge; striving for high-paying jobs; saving money for the future; buying a house in the suburbs; taking a loan on the mortgage, and then purchasing an insurance policy to protect everything we are holding on to—will eventually end in our losing everything, and losing eternal life as well—because of not trusting God in faith. Hebrews 10:38 ”The just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”

Jesus gave His life on the cross, so we would have a new attitude in our heart. John 12:25 "He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” A huge price was paid for our life—it belongs to Him. 26 "If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.”

We are not to accept praise for anything—God receives all the honor and glory for any success He enables us to enjoy. 1 Corinthians 10:31 ”Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” There can be no self in our heart, because some self means some pride or some resentment. Holding on to resentment will land us in the fire. Jesus said Matthew 6:15 ”If you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” To forgive from the heart is to erase from the mind.

If there is any resentment, spitefulness, anger, or revenge in our heart against anyone, for any reason, that bitterness will defile us Hebrews 12:15, and eventually send us to the flames—if there is no repentance to God and no forgiveness toward others. Matthew 18:35 "In the same way my Heavenly Father will deal with you, if you do not all of you forgive one another from your hearts."

Getting rid of resentment is a vital lesson of trust, so drastic measures are needed for God to reveal it, and remove it. The “pure in heart will see God” Matthew 5:8, but we are not pure in heart if we are resenting someone. When an unjust remark is made, or an untrue story told about us, resentment in our heart will be revealed—if there is any. Resenting means not forgiving. We must know it, so we can confess it.

If there is any unbelief in our heart, a serious oppression will reveal it. When we are attacked physically, it will show in whom we trust for healing. The world will immediately seek medical help, because it does not trust God, but Bible Christians trusted Him concerning any difficulty—whether being oppressed in body, persecuted by unbelievers, or lacking material needs.

There are more human plans and substitutes for help today than ever, but the divine principle of trust on God remains the same. Psalm 146:5-6 ”Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God, the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—the LORD, who remains faithful forever.”

Little Self; Big Mistake It is wrong to use a little self, because a little of the devil can corrupt our whole trust on God. Galatians 5:9 ”A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” Satan is constantly trying to have us use a little self, but a little self is a big mistake in the Christian’s life of trust on God. The Scriptures plainly state God’s will on any matter we encounter.

Owning a home is a major concern with people in the world, but God’s Word speaks plainly against having laid-up treasure on earth. This principle of truth was stated many years ago—but it has not changed to this day. Anyone who holds on to laid-up finances in real estate, a savings account, a pension plan, government assistance money, or any such treasure to trust on, would have no hope of receiving eternal life—unless they repent and transfer their trust to the living God alone.

We would not get as far as the next door-step toward heaven, but would go straight to the lake of fire as the rich man did Luke 16, if we do not repent of that idolatry, and put a believing faith in the Atonement Blood of Christ. Today is the day to learn spiritual lessons of trust on God.

Such spiritual lessons learned are more valuable than any treasure on earth. Eternity is too long, and the lake of fire too horrible, to miss God’s gift by being stubborn and rebellious. We must really know God, and what He wants to do for us—when we are willing to trust Him in faith. John 17:3 "This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent”—to suffer and die for us!

When we really know God, we will really trust on His divine power—to heal, deliver, protect, provide, avenge, and save—that is the spiritual lesson of trusting God in faith everyone has to learn. If God made the universe, and if He is by our side waiting to do anything for us, then it is to our great spiritual advantage to trust Him in faith, and receive what He has promised.

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