Suffering and Sanctification...Even for our Kids?

When a person becomes a follower of Jesus Christ, their sins are forgiven and they are immediately justified before God. At that moment, the process of sanctification is begun. Sanctification is not only being “set apart for the dedication to God,” as Webster defined it, but it is also the “act of making [a believer] holy.” When we ascribe to the saving grace of Christ, we are instantly set apart for dedication to God. But the act of making us holy is an ongoing process that will culminate in perfection when we go to heaven.  A writer for Ligonier Ministries  stated, “The goal of progressive sanctification is the conformity to the image of Jesus Christ.”

To be a Christian who is being conformed to the image of Jesus Christ is to be a human being who suffers. Pastor Eric Mason said, “Suffering [is] one of the prime things that [God] utilizes to sanctify the Christian.” RC Sproul wrote: 

We are followers of Christ. We follow Him to the Garden of Gethsemane. We follow Him into the hall of judgment. We follow Him along the Via Dolorosa. We follow Him unto death. But the gospel declares that we also follow Him through the gates of heaven. Because we suffer with Him, we also shall be raised with Him. If we are humiliated with Him, we also shall be exalted with Him. Because of Christ, our suffering is not useless. It is part of the total plan of God, who has chosen to redeem the world through the pathway of suffering.

Suffering drives the believer straight to Christ and catapults him deep into his sanctification. The depths of God’s grace often cannot be known without the affliction he ordains. 

Seventeenth century clergyman Thomas Case said: 

Affliction is God’s forge where he softens the iron heart. You cannot work with iron while it remains cold and hard. Put it into the fire though, and make it red hot there and you may stamp upon it any figure or impression you please. Melted vessels are impressionable to any form, and so it is with the heart of man. By nature, it is cold and hard, and this is much increased by prosperity and the long-suffering of God towards sinners. The furnace makes the soul pliable to God’s counsel and sometimes God is forced to make the furnace heated seven times hotter to work out the dross that renders men so resistant to the ministry of the word.

But What About Our Children?

When my my firstborn was a baby, though I wasn’t truly a Christ follower at the time, I used to pray over his crib every night. It was actually more of a ritual than a prayer, a sort of verbal talisman meant to ward off something dreadful happening to him in the night. Because my biggest fear was losing him. Fast forward 36 years. Three kids, eight grandchildren, and a solid relationship with Christ later, and my biggest fear remains unchanged. And so I pray for all of them, though the prayers are actual and not ritualistic. 

In my prayer journal, my regular prayers are recorded. I pray that our children would “seek Christ daily, be selfless in their marriage and parenting, would find joy in Christ alone, would stay safe and healthy, and would thrive.” For my grandchildren, I included in that list “would be saved, and would grow in ‘wisdom, stature, and favor with God.’” Last year, I added, “would have courage” to both lists. Because, until then, I had prayed for nothing but safety for my children and grandchildren. I lamented their future and worried over what they might encounter should they, God willing, decide to embrace Christ.

When I added “would have courage” to my daily prayer for my children and grandchildren, it was out of a realization that my prayers for them have been selfish and antithetical to serving the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. My prayers were focused on their salvation, but not their sanctification. Did I really think when the core of my prayers for them centered around their safety that it was an accident they have been born at “such a time as this” (Esther 4:14)?  Who am I to try to stand in the way of their sanctification and potential ministries by praying that they stay safe? Who am I to hinder the Kingdom in that way, praying against what the Lord may have in store for these future saints?

In this life, I want nothing more than for my grandchildren to own their own faith in Jesus. But that prayer must also include a plea for their possession of courage. Because asking that these precious babies cling to Christ as they grow is praying for their suffering (2 Timothy 1:8, Romans 5:3-5, Matthew 16:24-26). It is praying for their self denial, for them to walk through fire for the sake of the lost. It is praying with the knowledge that their future may be filled with persecution, hatred, and rejection. Because the Savior I am asking that they follow has promised that the world hated him first, and so will go his followers (John 15:18). 

A Courageous Faith

During the Protestant Reformation, the persecution of Christians was abhorrent. I read one account of persecutors taking young children to the gallows, demanding that their parents deny Christ or watch their children hang. These blessed martyrs, in unimaginable anguish, ignored their tormentors and cried to their children, “We’ll see you soon!” And before they themselves were executed, they watched their children hang. What a joyous reunion that must have been in heaven! Do I have the courage and faith to pray for my children and grandchildren in such a way that I acknowledge what they may have to face? Do I have the courage and faith to cry “I’ll see you soon” while they endure what the Savior has promised? I hope I do. Because while to the world this is absurd, in God’s Kingdom it’s evidence of the embracing of a sure hope of glory and a great joy. It is the solid apprehension of, as John Piper preaches, “future grace.” That glory, that joy set before us, that future grace far, far outweigh any suffering our children might encounter as they follow Christ. This is the kind of faith I will now pray for my grandchildren and their parents. Even as I wish for their safety.

Royal Envoys in Hostile Territory

To pray for our children to follow Christ is to pray for their alien status on this earth. The moment they submit to God’s call, they denounce their citizenship on earth and transfer it to heaven. They will no longer feel comfortable here. They will always live with a sense of danger and rejection, and I suspect as their faith deepens they will encounter much more of it than I ever did in my lifetime. They will become royal envoys in a Kingdom that is adverse to this world, one in which they will be regarded as enemy operatives. They will serve a King who issues the weapons of love, charity, compassion, and grace to contend in a world that will be threatened by them. They will face a formidable enemy who knows his time is short, and will be vicious in trying to destroy them. This is what we are praying for when we implore God for our children to follow Christ. 

True Safety

I will still pray for my family’s safety. I will still hope that they never have to experience pain in their life. But my overarching prayer will be for them to follow Christ into the life he has chosen for them, whatever that looks like. Because I want to be with them in eternity, to watch them present their hard earned crown before their Savior, in their real home, where they truly will be safe in a world where love and light prevail in the secure arms of Christ. 

A Conversation with Kyle Hoffsmith from The Word in Youth Ministry Podcast

Kyle Hoffsmith is the Pastor of Family Ministry at Old North Church in Canfield, Ohio. He also serves on the board of directors for the Center for Parent/Youth Understanding, and hosts The Word in Youth Ministry Podcast.

Recently I had the privilege of sitting down (well, Zooming) with Kyle and his colleague, Josiah Rios, CPYU Fellow and Youth Pastor at Old North Church, to discuss my book, Broken Children, Sovereign God. It was wonderful to examine ways in which youth leaders in the church can minister to children and families who are navigating childhood mental illness. Click here to listen to the episode.

Our Hope is Built on Nothing Less

I’m a conservative Republican. I align (mostly) with the policies of the right side of the American political aisle. I’m pro-life, pro-traditional marriage, pro-small government, pro-school choice, and pro-American energy independence and sovereignty. I hate what the media, social and professional mainstream, says about folks like me. (I also hate what the media, social and professional mainstream, says about folks on the other side of the aisle.) But of all the concerns I have about America’s current political climate, my most pressing comes from some of my fellow Christians on social media. I’m talking about the elevation of a candidate to the level of someone who is anointed by God to save us all from the evils of our political and cultural enemies. 

On July 13, Donald Trump was almost killed by an assassin’s bullet. History will long remember the striking photo of a man raising a fist in defiance, blood streaming from his right ear, the American flag behind him, stark against a brilliant blue sky. It was moving, and I admit, I admired his courage that day. It stirred something in me. 

The very next day, however, a post appeared on social media that was both alarming and frustrating. I’m not sure of its origin, but it was shared many times. The post read: 

In the Bible, the concept of blood on the right ear (Leviticus 8:22-24 and 14:28) serves as a visible mark of consecration, signifying that the person is dedicated to God’s service and has been set apart for a specific purpose. This act represents a physical and spiritual transformation, preparing the individual for their sacred role. Here’s a breakdown of the significance: 

Right ear: The right ear represents hearing and obedience. In ancient times, the right ear was considered the most important ear, as it was the ear that heard the words of God. 

Blood: Blood represents life, sacrifice, and atonement. In this context, the blood is a symbol of purification and consecration. 

Consecration: Consecration means to set something or someone apart for a specific purpose, making it holy and dedicated to God. In this case, the blood on the right ear signifies that the person is being set apart for a sacred task or role. 

Priestly consecration: In Leviticus 8, the blood is applied to the right ear of Aaron and his sons, consecrating them as priests. This act sets them apart as mediators between God and the people. 

Purification: In Leviticus 14, the blood is applied to the right ear of the person being cleansed, symbolizing their purification and restoration to the community. 

Context

This post is alarming and frustrating because it represents a flagrant contextualization of the Bible by ignoring the historical and religious context of the time in which Leviticus was written. It diminishes and distorts the significance of those strange and bloody rituals performed in the Old Testament, namely, the explanation and foreshadowing of the role of the blood of Christ in the salvation of man. Derek Allen, pastor of First Baptist Church near Mobile, Alabama explained: 

This is an example of gross mishandling of Scripture. When one small part of something kind of fits something that supports something we want, we run with bad interpretations and applications of Scripture. Those of us who believe the Bible is the infallible and inerrant Word of God often criticize liberal interpretations of Scripture that take the same approach. We have to guard ourselves from letting our emotions take us to such places.

I become alarmed and frustrated when God’s Word is used like a Ouija board or tarot cards, conjuring mysteries from the text, or assigning to events and people significance that ignores context crucial to the understanding of the passages. Allen outlined the actual context of the misused passages in Leviticus: 

The blood placed on the earlobe of Aaron, his sons and cleansed lepers came from a sacrifice made at the Tabernacle and later the Temple. It did not come from the person being ritually purified. The whole point was that something else had to die for the person to be purified and set apart.

The blood was placed on the right ear lobe, the right thumb and the right toe of priests and cleansed lepers under the Mosaic Covenant. That is obviously not what happened to Donald Trump. He is not a priest. He is not a cleansed leper. He is not a Jew living under the Mosaic covenant. The blood was on the top of his ear and his face.

The blood used in purification under the Mosaic Covenant points to the substitutionary atonement accomplished through Jesus’ death. It does not point to an American presidential candidate. The only blood that can cleanse Donald Trump or any of us is the blood of Jesus.

God’s Sovereign Authority

Of course it is right to acknowledge God’s intervention in sparing Donald Trump’s life. Zac Reno, a Birmingham, Alabama pastor wrote:

It is absolutely right for Christians to celebrate the fact that former President Donald Trump survived an attempted assassination. I believe it is also right to credit God for His protection since every good and perfect gift comes from God.

This would be true for anyone in this same situation, regardless of what political party they represent. However, we must NOT use this situation to misrepresent Scripture. There is already enough in this story to thank God for without having to read anything else into it, especially by wrongly applying Scripture that has nothing to do with the situation.

Certainly, as a conservative, I am unhappy with Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and many of the things they stand for. What their platform endorses is repugnant to me, and even in some cases, evil. But I can’t ignore the moral failures and offensive speech of Donald Trump, either. Biden, Harris, and Trump are all morally flawed. So was Reagan, my favorite president. As were all presidents in my lifetime (and before), from JFK to Nixon to Carter to Bush to Obama to Trump and Biden. We must remember that all of these men were placed in the Oval Office by God to fulfill his purposes. And if Harris wins the election, that will be God’s doing, too. If God is sovereign over all, then this conclusion must follow. And if it is true that God, in his good sovereignty, places our leaders, our first response should not be to condemn them, but to pray for them, even as we condemn their policies. 

God’s purposes on his earth will not be thwarted, and his methods and choices are above approach. Because he is God. And his Word is given to us not to satisfy our agendas, no matter how righteous they may be, but to give us the only hope we have: the spilled blood and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to cleanse the world of sin. He did not come to endorse any one political party or candidate. No matter who is in the Whitehouse, their role will be to fulfill God’s purposes for this time in history. Christians must not read anything else into it. 

Romans 13:1 tells us: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.” Of course we should fight for righteousness. Certainly we must resist and speak out against evil. That is, any ideology that rejects or distorts what God has established for his world. But at the same time, our speech and conduct must reflect our obedience to God, and our hope in his Son Jesus alone. The world is watching. Followers of Christ have a golden opportunity, not to mention a biblical obligation, to, as my school’s athletic slogan admonishes, “represent Jesus well.” 

Derek Allen aptly summed it up by saying: 

We have so much hope and truth in the gospel. There is no need to reach for a far-flung interpretation of an obscure passage of Scripture misapplied to our current situation to find hope. Jesus is King! Jesus has conquered death! Jesus forgives repentant sinners and brings them into God’s family! Jesus is returning to rule and reign for all of eternity!

Followers of Jesus Christ should not waste one moment fretting over the outcome of this election. Instead, we should be praying for all those involved. And more, before we post anything, we should prayerfully examine our own hearts, that our handling of God’s Word and our speech would align with his will, as his ambassadors in a world that so desperately needs him. 

Wait for It

A few weeks ago, I sat on a beach in Cancun very early in the morning, anticipating the sunrise. As I arrived at the shoreline, I was a bit disappointed to find a thick cloud bank hugging the horizon, obscuring the view of the hoped-for orange ball peeking up from the ocean. The initial light was pale yellow, not the bright salmons and pinks I had gotten up early to see. As the sky slowly brightened from behind the cloud bank, a woman rose from her lounge chair nearby and huffed off the beach, grousing loudly,  “Well that was a complete fail of a sunrise!” 

I stayed, and I’m glad I did.  Because after about five minutes, the top of the cloud bank began to glow a vibrant yellow, almost appearing as though someone traced it with a cosmic highlighter. Several seconds later, radiant beams burst in every direction through thin breaks in the bank. The effect was stunning. For several moments, the sky boasted an eruption of color and light. If only that woman had waited!

Behind the Cloud Bank

God’s people are a waiting people. Jesus came to earth once, and before that, those in ancient Israel waited for his arrival. Like the promise of a sunrise, God delivered. It took thousands of years, and heaven knows the cloud bank of oppression and trial obscured the promise. Still, year after year, God’s people waited, monitoring the prophecies, living every day in vigilant expectation. King David was among them. He sometimes became frustrated, wondering if the day would ever come. He wrote in Psalm 13, 

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me? Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, lest my enemy say, “ I have prevailed over him,” lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken. 

David longed for the consolation of Israel. He anticipated the Messiah’s coming every single day. God had promised it. But sometimes the circumstances in the waiting, like a cloud bank at sunrise, obscured the promise. However,  David never stopped at lament. He finished the Psalm with, “But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.” David did not storm off the beach of God’s promises. He stayed. He had to wait for heaven to see the Messiah, but see him he did, and while he waited he remembered God’s steadfastness, holding fast to the promises God gave. Even as he stared into the horizon at a pale yellow sky and a thick and frustrating cloud bank, David waited in faith that eventually God’s promise of a Savior would be fulfilled. 

As Sure as the Sun Rise

Now we Christians are a waiting people too. Christmas is the time of year when we remember and celebrate the marvelous sunrise of Christ’s incarnation. Jesus came once, fulfilling every single prophecy that told of his coming.  Isaiah prophesied, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone” (Isaiah 9:2).  Roughly seven centuries later, that light burst onto earth’s scene, heralded by the light of a star (Matthew 2:2) and illuminated by a “company of angels,”  lighting up the night sky with the “glory of the Lord”  (Luke 2:9 and 13). The long awaited Messiah had, indeed, come, just as God promised. 

And now we wait for his return. After Jesus ascended to heaven, the cloud bank returned to hug our horizon. We live in the agony of waiting in a world of hatred, death, and varying degrees of trial.  But we will not storm off of the beach, calling the promises of God “complete failures.” Though for now, trials and suffering obscure the anticipated promise of Christ’s return, we do not join with the “scoffers,” quipping, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation” (2 Peter 3:4). Like David and all of the ancient Hebrews, we lean into God’s full assurance that, as the sun rises each and every day, bathing human beings in the warmth of his common grace, Jesus will return. 

For those of us who have put our faith in Christ, his return will be the apex of delight. Our steadfastness in the waiting will be rewarded, as the light of Christ bursts through every morsel of darkness that remains on the earth. But for those who stormed off the beach, the regret of rejecting the truth of God’s promises will be the apex of disappointment and pain. C.S. Lewis said, “Jesus produced mainly three effects: hatred, terror, adoration.” Hatred from those who want to go their own way, terror to those who are caught in that final sunrise without the covering of Christ, and adoration from those of us who have long awaited that sunrise, basking in its glow and collapsing with relief at its finally appearing. “O Come Let Us Adore Him” will be our response to the radiance of his coming! 

Worth the Wait

If you have not put your faith in Christ, if you are among those who reject this strange, but true, doctrine, I urge you to rethink your choice. Because Jesus is coming. Like the sunrise, his light will burst forth, suddenly, spectacularly, and most assuredly. It’s only a matter of time. Stay on the beach. Watch the horizon. “For to us a child [was] born, to us a son [was] given; and the government [is] upon his shoulder, and his name [is] called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). God’s promises have not and will not fail. Though for now,  the cloud bank stubbornly clings to the horizon, it will be worth the wait.