There is a biblical kind of suffering and an unbiblical kind of suffering. Peter wrote:

For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.(1 Pe 2:20).

And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing. 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 Pe 3:13-18)

But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. (1 Pe 4:15-16)

Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. (1 Pe 4:19)

I am sure you will agree that the kind of suffering Buddhism and the Emergent Church promulgate is not biblical and that was merely what I wanted to prove.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 says, “praise be to God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of compassion and the God of all comfort, comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”

Just one more verse . 1 Peter 5:10, “and the God of all grace, who CALLED (interesting word there, CALLED) you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”

These are just three verses . There are three verses that tell us why we suffer. I can give you 18 more. First of all we suffer so that when God comforts us because of that comfort we will in turn comfort others . Secondly we suffer so that God can make us strong and firm and steadfast as it says in first Peter. And thirdly we suffer to have the endurance to persevere in the faith. To show that we are genuine in our salvation. God allows suffering most of all to bring glory and honor to himself.

Now having said that, I would like to compare that with what you said about suffering . You said, “the only reason why God allows his saints to suffer affliction and sorrow is for the sake of his son and his gospel and not for the things we do that deserve affliction and suffering.” First of all I think you would agree that God does chastise believers . And he allows his children affliction and suffering to draw him closer to himself and show them the error of their ways. But what concerns me is that what you said about why Christians suffer affliction. These three passages of Scripture that I just quoted give you the reasons for suffering . Your idea of suffering might be partially correct but is not fully biblically sound. All suffering is to bring glory and honor to the father. Also our trials, produce endurance and perseverance . And trials which is suffering gives us an opportunity to comfort others as God comforts us. Trials come due to advisement. I totally agree with you about Hannah Hernard. I just think your idea of suffering is not biblically sound and accurate. I could keep going to so much more details but suffice it to say I think I’ve made my point .

And lastly, there is no allegory in Scripture. Let me repeat that the first thing a person learns in biblical hermeneutics is there is no allegory in Scripture. There is hyperbole and metaphor, but there is no allegory.

Thank you for allowing me to respond. And may God bless you.

Thank you for commenting and yes thank you for those comments under the Roger Oakland article that is valuable information indeed.

Stumbled upon your blog by researching the issues with Roger Oakland, left 2 comments over there about some new developments. The article about ‘not exposing Chuck Missler.’

Nice blog!
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Hi Johan,

I think the answer to your question “How is it possible that people still do not understand?” is here.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables. (2 Timothy 4:3-4)

Most people just love their ears to be tickled with lies and deceit while they happily roller-coast into hell. These highly educated professors, doctors and academics think they are the cat’s whiskers when they proclaim their “sophia” (wisdom) to especially the women.

Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning [and doing research on all kinds of silly things], and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Ti 3:5-7)