Would you say…
- yes?
- No?
- Maybe?
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.”—Revelation 21:4
WHAT THAT CAN MEAN FOR YOU
Assurance that God knows about your suffering.
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:–1 Peter 3:18
Comfort from knowing that God knows what it is like to suffer.
From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.—Matthew 16:21
Hope that our suffering will someday end if we accept Christ.
For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:– 1 Peter 3:18
CAN WE BELIEVE WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS?
Yes, for at least two reasons:
God can fulfill the promise.
Numbers 23:19… God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?
God has the desire to fulfill the promise.
Titus 1:2… In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began:
God will soon end the suffering of each individual who has accepted His Son—Jesus Christ
2 Corinthians 1:3-5… Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. 5For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
If you refuse to accept His Son, you are destined to suffer continually–
2 Thessalonians 1:7-9… And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, 8In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: 9Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
In the meantime, God patiently waits for people to accept His Son, but He will not wait forever.
Isaiah 65:2-3… I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts; 3A people that provoketh me to anger continually to my face; that sacrificeth in gardens, and burneth incense upon altars of brick;
God allows suffering so that we will turn to Him for help.
Suffering is connected with sin.
Romans 5:12… Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Suffering ends in death, but it can be avoided by receiving a gift
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Do you know where you are going after you die?
You can know. You can call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ by saying something like: “God, I agree with you that I am a sinner. I know you don’t like my sin, and it keeps me from having a good relationship with you. I am asking you to forgive me. I am accepting the Lord Jesus’ payment for me. Amen!”