Title: Suffering is a sign of the saints
2 Corinthians (46) Suffering is a sign of the saints (2 Corinthians 11:16-27)
<Paul who boasts of suffering>
There will be times of hardship in your life. Then the saints should rejoice. 1 Peter 1:6 says this: “I was compelled to be grieved for a little while because of the various trials, but on the contrary, I rejoice greatly.” Why do we rejoice in trials and tribulations? Because there is an eternal hope for tomorrow through heaven, and through suffering we become stronger. Just as fire cannot burn gold and destroy it, so the fire of suffering cannot burn the saints who are like gold, but only removes impurities. In that sense, suffering can be said to be the pride of the saints.
Paul was well aware that boasting is foolishness, but in order to show how trivial the spiritual boasting of false teachers is, he tells us not to look foolish even if we boast a little (verses 16-17). In the end, there is a rebuke as to why they fall for the tricks of false teachers who so foolishly boast of their spirituality.
At that time, false teachers boasted that they were 'workers of Christ', but they were only glamorous workers. But the apostle Paul was a true servant of Christ. Because he worked hard to death for his mission and suffered countless hardships. By looking at such a practical life, it is necessary to know who is a spiritual person and who is a true worker. At the same time, the apostle Paul proves by his life that he is a more excellent servant of the Lord and a true apostle (verses 23-27). After all, the true mark of the apostle is not ‘victory’ but ‘suffering’.
< Suffering is a sign of the saints >
The life of Jesus was the life of the cross, and he completely devoted his life to the will of God and gave his life completely for those who lost the way to heaven. That is why he embraced the world that was stained with violence, hatred and conflict with the great love of the cross. Jesus did not blame or hate anyone, but had compassion on them, and showed the poor soul the way beyond death. Confronting hate with hate and fighting violence with violence is the path of death. It is the cross that breaks that vicious cycle.
Now, don't just praise the cross, take up the cross. When we take up the cross of the Lord, the Lord gives us true great freedom. After all, the cross is not a sign of burden, but a sign of great freedom. Paul grabbed the cross and realized that everything he had sought for so long was dissolved in the cross. Paul nailed all lust and lust to the cross and finally found a way, saying that he had nothing to boast about except the cross. Like that, take up the cross and become blessed souls who find the way to happiness and blessings.