Suffering for Christ's Sake

"Peter penned the most sublime language of any of the apostles." Thus said Joseph Smith, and a close look at these letters reveals a deep doctrinal message as well as a sophisticated rhetorical style. Peter addresses these epistles to the converts that Paul baptized in Asia Minor, who were facing a difficult situation. His main theme is the value of suffering for Christ's sake.

Early Christians quickly became objects of persecution for several reasons. Because Christians met in the evenings, called each other brother and sister, and greeted each other with a kiss, their neighbors mistrusted them and suspected them of secret conspiracies. Their refusal to honor the local deities made them easy scapegoats any time there was a natural or even man-made disaster. (Nero blamed them for the burning of Jerusalem, when in all probability he started the fire to clear space for a new palace.) Their odd beliefs, especially their representation of the sacrament as literal manifestations of the blood and body of Jesus, made them vulnerable to accusations that ranged from incest to cannibalism. In some instances, merely to acknowledge oneself as Christian meant certain death. Peter confronts this terrifying reality by recalling the suffering of Jesus in a stirring homily.

As Christians, what are we willing to suffer for righteousness' sake? The lesson here is, perhaps, to act is such a way that we do not bring persecution upon ourselves, but when the challenge comes, to be ready to respond with quiet courage. "But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect." 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)

Heaven is For Real

Peter refers, almost in passing, to a marvelous occurrence, the Savior's mission to the world of spirits during his three days in the tomb: "By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison…" (1 Peter 3:19) Through modern revelation (especially D & C 138) we know much more about this question that is perhaps the most interesting to every person living, namely, where do we go after we die? Many experiences have been recorded of interaction between those who have died and those who are about to do so, or "near-death" experiences. One that is quite moving was recorded by Wilford Woodruff. After his young wife Phoebe passed away, he was inspired to administer to her and rebuke the power of death. He wrote of the incident:

“Her spirit returned to her body, and from that hour she was made whole; and we all felt to praise the name of God, and to trust in Him and to keep His commandments.

“While this operation was going on with me (as my wife related afterwards) her spirit left her body, and she saw it lying upon the bed, and the sisters weeping. She looked at them and at me, and upon her babe, and, while gazing upon this scene, two personages came into the room … One of these messengers informed her that she could have her choice: she might go to rest in the spirit world, or, on one condition she could have the privilege of returning to her tabernacle and continuing her labors upon the earth. The condition was, if she felt that she could stand by her husband, and with him pass through all the cares, trials, tribulations and afflictions of life which he would be called to pass through for the gospel’s sake unto the end. When she looked at the situation of her husband and child she said: ‘Yes, I will do it!’

“At the moment that decision was made the power of faith rested upon me, and when I administered unto her, her spirit entered her tabernacle …” (Leaves From My Journal, 4th ed., The Deseret News, 1909, pp. 59–60.)

We chose to be here, we each have a mission to fulfill, and we are not alone in this world. We are surrounded by helpers who know us and love us, and assist the Savior in leading us home. Peter takes this as his premise, and he encourages us to face our trials with courage and grace. "Happy are ye," he says, "if ye suffer for righteousness' sake." 

What Do Our Works Show?

          Martin Luther famously described the Book of James as a "an epistle full of straw, because it contains nothing of the gospel." OK, tell us what you really think! This, of course, made me curious about Martin Luther and why he felt so grumpy about a perfectly wonderful book of scripture, and I was interested to read about his background as an over-zealous monk. Determined to be the most obedient monk on the planet, he nearly killed himself with fastings, vigils, and self-denial. His epiphany about grace while reading Paul's letters to the Romans and to the Galatians caused him to swing the pendulum the other direction, and to get positively rabid about anything that sounded like it overlooked Christ's saving power in favor of, well, fastings, vigils and self-denial. So James, with his practical suggestions on how to live a Christian life, sounds all wrong to him because he doesn't say much about that grace that had become the life line for Martin Luther. But it's all in there. James simply pre-supposes that we have "felt to sing the song of redeeming love," and now need a little instruction on how to retain that remission of our sins. Really, Martin should cheer up and cut him some slack.

          The whole discussion about grace and works can become counter-productive. C.S. Lewis resolves the whole issue in one sentence: "Christians have often disputed as to whether what leads the Christian home is good actions, or Faith in Christ. I have no right really to speak on such a difficult question, but it does seem to me like asking which blade in a pair of scissors is most necessary.”

So rather than beat that same old drum, we focused instead on what our works show. James says, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faithwithout your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." (James 2:14-15 NKJV) Obviously we are all busy doing something every day, and the things we do show where our faith is centered. Faith in Christ leads to certain actions, and faith in money leads to others, and faith in social progression or ambition leads to others, etc. Each day brings a series of decisions with it. Where will we spend our precious time? How will we use our allotment of energy and money and influence? What we choose to do each day shows where our faith lies.

          Making these choices can be perplexing, and we had a good discussion about how we learn to balance all of the competing demands on us. One sister shared how, in a time of illness, she prayed every day to know the most important thing she could get done with the very limited energy she had. Invariably the answer was to gather her children around her for scripture study and prayer. Another shared the idea that taking time for personal study (such as our class) was good, only if she then shared what she gained with her family. Taking time for ourselves is important, but the point is to have something to share at the end of that fulfilling time.

          James offers us some of the great scriptural gems, including the verse that sent young Joseph Smith out into the grove: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him." (James 1:5) As I read this familiar verse I was struck by the fact that it is usually what we lack that sends us to our knees in prayer. God does not reproach us for that though; he stands ready to give us whatever we are able to receive. Though Martin Luther nearly killed himself with diligence, he felt empty and unhappy, and that put him in a place to receive God's guidance. His reformation was a great step forward for faithful Christians. Joseph Smith felt uneasy about the religious options available to him. He lacked wisdom, and his simple question to God, "Which church should I join?" opened the heavens. 

          So maybe we shouldn't be so angry with ourselves about what we lack, whether it is talent, or perspective, or even a sunny disposition. God uses us just the way we are, and hopes that we will recognize what we lack and go to Him for help. Looking at what happened to Martin and Joseph, it makes you wonder what wonderful things might be in store if we have the courage to do so. 

The Resurrection and the Life

     
         Why do we need a Savior? There are so many reasons, but here are three of the most important: We need to be saved from sin. We need to be saved from death. We need to reach our divine potential. The atonement opens the door to all of those great possibilities. As we examine the pivotal moments of the atonement we might imagine ourselves as onlookers at Gethsemane, on Golgotha, and at the empty tomb. Here are a few things we might notice.

           Gethsemane is taken from the Hebrew word Gat (press) and Shelem (oil) and it is said that some of the Olive trees in that grove are over 2000 years old. That means they may have been there when Jesus entered with his disciples that night, after the final supper with the twelve. Jesus, the anointed one, becomes himself the "oil beaten for the light," pressed down by the weight of our sins. Mark tells us that Jesus began to "be sore amazed," and the note adds, "astonished." Neal Maxwell comments, "Imagine the creator of the universe, astonished." The weight of the world was on his shoulders, literally, as Jesus took upon himself not only the sins of the world, but the consequences of sin being in the world. This means that whatever is wrong with us, from addictions to phobias, can be helped through the atonement. The stress of our sins and shortcomings caused his capillaries to burst, until he bled at every pore, a condition known as hematidrosis. And that was only the beginning.
          "And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people… he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities." Alma 7:11-12

          Golgotha means the place of the skull. Crucifixion was used by the Romans as a deterrent, and thus was made as tortuous and as publicly humiliating as possible. When Pilate offered to release a prisoner to the crowd, he offered them the choice between the Savior and  Jesus bar Abba, known to us as Barabbas. The name means Jesus, son of the father. Satan seems to come up with these counterfeits at every turn. Matthew's text could actually be translated, "Which Jesus do you choose?" Jesus made seven statements that we know of while on the cross, beginning with the plea for forgiveness for the soldiers who crucified him. Most heartrending is his cry to the Father, "Why has thou forsaken me?" Melvin Ballard postulated that the Father had to withdraw his Spirit from his son in order for Jesus to choose the moment and manner of his death. He gave up his life. It was not taken from him.

             "In that hour I think I can see our dear Father, behind the veil looking upon these dying struggles until even he could not endure it any longer, and, like the mother who bids farewell to her dying child, has to be taken out of the room, so as not to look upon the last struggles, so he bowed his head, and hid in some part of his universe, his great heart almost breaking for the love that he had for his Son. Oh, in that moment when He might have saved his Son, I thank him and praise him that he did not fail us, for he had not only the love of his Son in mind, but he also had love for us. And so this is what it cost, in part, for our Father in Heaven to give the gift of his Son unto men."

            Resurrection is a familiar term to us, but we must remember that it had never happened before, and it came as a complete surprise. (In fact, Peter could not believe that Christ was resurrected until he saw the folded burial napkin. No thief would fold burial clothes!) Biblical scholars through the centuries have tried to explain away the resurrection by claiming that Mary and the disciples so desperately wanted Jesus alive that they imagined it. Theologian Luke Timothy Johnson responds that every encounter with the risen Lord showed quite the opposite to be true. The disciples were dazed and confused, and completely shocked by the Lord's sudden entrance. The Lord emphasized his corporeal reality with every appearance, showing his body, and eating and walking with his disciples. In no case did anyone interpret these experiences as symbolic ~ it was literal. 

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              Jesus referred to himself as both "the resurrection and the life." His atoning sacrifice and his resurrection offers us not only life after death, but a greater abundance of life in our daily existence. Entropy, that 2nd law of Thermodynamics, is overthrown in Him. When we have His spirit, we are more alive, more aware, lighter, and full of His creative power. As Easter approaches, how thankful we are for Jesus, the Life, the Light, our Lord.

Come Boldly to the Throne of Grace: Hebrews

        “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”                                          

                                                                                                 Hebrews 4:15-16

 

         “Hebrews is the most Christ-centered of all the books of the New Testament,”  said Joseph F. McConkie. In it Paul presents a brilliant review of Old Testament history in the light of Christ's fulfillment of the Mosaic law. He shows us how faith is at the center of every great Bible story, and how Jesus and his atoning sacrifice are foreshadowed in the Mosaic rituals. Paul focuses on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) and movingly portrays Jesus as the "great High Priest." Whereas the Jewish High Priest must return every year to enact the ritual sacrifices that cleanse the Jewish nation. Jesus's was the offering that was eternally binding. "For this he did once, when he offered up himself." (Heb. 7:27)

         There are some big ideas in Hebrews. To begin with, Christ and the Father are one, and we, as their offspring, are heirs to their divine nature. In every way Christ fulfilled the law of Moses and supersedes it. The temptation both Jewish and Gentile converts may have felt to go back to the security of the Mosaic law, or the temptation we may feel to rely on a set of rules rather than on the grace of Christ, must be seen for what it is: a choice of a dead law over a living Savior. This required a seismic shift in thinking for those new converts; it requires a rebirth of the Spirit for all of us.

          "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins." (2 Ne 25:26) These words beautifully describe Paul's valiant service, and these stirring epistles we have studied. Do they also describe us? How often are we talking about Jesus, and preaching about Him, rather than the less important rules and regulations of the law? When times are tough, do we prophesy about Him to our loved ones? Joseph Smith said that the "testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy" so bearing testimony of Him counts as prophecy. Are we the ones who remind others to look for the hand of the Lord in our challenges? And when that hand is manifest, do we write these miracles down so that our children will know where to look when they need help? 
         Paul reminds us that we have, in our Savior, the greatest source of power, comfort, and healing in the universe. And as a result, "we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us, which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil."
         

Letters from Prison

The "captivity letters" (Colossians, Philemon, Philippians, Ephesians) have a different feel to them. Calmer, more measured and focused than Paul's earlier epistles, they come at the end of a long life of serving and suffering, and reflect the time for reflection that years of prison provided. As Nelson Mandela said, "In prison, everything stands still." Scholar Luke Timothy Johnson summarizes these epistles thus:

"Taken as a group, the letters are connected thematically by a concern for fellowship in communities, especially when disparities in social standing or human competitiveness threaten to destroy an ideal of equality and unity in Christ. The Letter to the Ephesians stands as the best expression of these concerns and the most mature reflection in the Pauline tradition on the meaning of the church." (The Apostle Paul," The Great Courses, Outline p. 42)

Some of the most familiar passages in these epistles have to do with the potential of the church to become, in microcosm, what the world will become during Christ's millennial reign. "Now therefore," Paul asserts, "ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;" (Ephesians 2:19) Dealing with the mind-boggling challenge of uniting Orthodox Jews with converted Gentiles and several disparate groups in-between, Paul simply chooses to create a larger nation, "the household of God," to which we all owe first allegiance. If the church is not a model of unity in diversity, it fails in its central mission, namely, the perfecting of the saints.

Refusing to be drawn into debates about the finer points of the law, Paul appeals to our finer natures, encouraging us to adopt the "mind of Christ," rather than just try to tally up a list of do's and don'ts in defining the Christian life. He warns us to avoid corrupt communications, which are defined by one commentator to include criticism, blaming, anger and lying. There is hardly a day, (perhaps hardly an hour) when most of us do not fall into at least one of these communication traps. How do we raise our level of discourse to more Christlike communication, particularly with loved ones who are most vulnerable to being harmed by harsh words, and also most likely to set them off?

M. Catherine Thomas reminds us that Christlike communication is not a matter of "assuming a virtue though we have it not," but is instead an exercise in making contact with our divine center: 

“We do not have to make ourselves feel love or think happy thoughts; we do not have to pretend love. Rather, we find that quiet, neutral place in our mind, our state of simple being, and there we set up our gentle intentions to be compassionate to all – even when our expectations are not met.” (Light in the Wilderness: Explorations in the Spiritual Life)

So, how are we doing in our daily communication? Are we able to respond to malice with mercy, to criticism with curiosity and a willingness to change, and do we curb our natural defensiveness in the moments that matter most?  Paul (a bit of a firecracker himself) seems to understand how difficult this can be, and ends by assuring us that whatever we can do is enough, as Christ's boundless grace will come in and take up the slack, healing and helping in every situation, 

"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." (Ephesians 4:13)

On a lighter note, I invited our class to wear stripes in honor of our discussion of Paul in prison, and here is a sampling of how stylishly we would approach incarceration!

The New Law: Romans

Romans is the only one of Paul's letters that was written to a congregation that he had not established. The Christian group in Rome probably started with pilgrims that visited Jerusalem and experienced the miraculous Day of Pentecost. It would have been composed of Orthodox Jews mixed with Gentile converts, as were the other "house churches" scattered throughout the region. Paul hoped to use the Roman group as a springboard for a mission into Spain, and writes of his intention to visit them soon. When Paul finally did reach Rome, however, it was as a prisoner, and he never made it to Spain. But this letter (the longest of his surviving epistles), in which he gives his most complete statement of the Christian ethic, stands as one of his two great masterpieces. 

It has also been the source of more debate about what it means to be a Christian than any other book of scripture. Martin Luther used the first seven chapters as the basis of his doctrine of justification by faith (rather than through Catholic rites) and John Calvin drew on chapters 8-10 as the basis of his doctrine of predestination. Evangelical Christians use its chapters to show that only faith in Christ is necessary for salvation. Yet close reading of the book reveals a deeper, more profound doctrine than any of these interpretations encompass. Paul is sketching, in broad strokes, what it means to be a follower of Jesus. Putting Christ at the center of our lives is less fussy, yet more demanding than any particular set of rules. Instead, it involves a daily striving toward what Paul calls "the mind of Christ." Living by the spirit is servitude of a new kind. We have either served sin or the law, and these we forsake for our new master, the Spirit of the Lord Himself, who teaches us everything from what to pray for, how to behave, and even how to die. It represents a whole new way of thinking for Jews, Gentiles, and all of us in between.

Paul shows his intellectual and spiritual brilliance here, using a rhetorical style known as a diatribe (a passionate argument riddled with rhetorical questions) that demands our attention with its emotional strength. He refutes the idea that the Mosaic law is essential to salvation by going back a thousand years before Moses to the story of Abraham, and showing how, by obedience to the spirit rather than a set of rules, Abraham was righteous in the sight of God. If following the spirit worked for him, it will work for all of those who enter the kingdom after the fulfillment of the law. Thus, circumcision and the 613 commandments of the Torah are not binding on those who are not born in that tradition. 

Well, if not the law of Moses, then what law should govern the lives of Christians? The Holy Spirit is the new sheriff in town. To rely on divine revelation for guidance is a complete departure from both the pagan and the Jewish tradition. Paul sketches it out for us using legal and judicial jargon that helps us see our place in the scheme of things. Finally (lest we be too overwhelmed by the challenges ahead) he assures us that no power can separate us from the love of God. Chapter 8 is transcendently beautiful and full of hope and closes with this promise:

"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present 
nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, 
will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." 
(Romans 8: 38-39 NIV) 

Amazing Grace: 2 Corinthians

Second Corinthians was written in a difficult time for Paul, and its tone is emotional and personal. Paul speaks of his afflictions and trials, and this brought us to a discussion of suffering. Why do we suffer? How shall we find meaning in the seemingly random events that can be so traumatic? A handful of brave ladies shared personal experiences of  receiving an outpouring of grace to help them through a time of trial.

Spencer W. Kimball (who knew a great deal about suffering) said, "“Being human, we would expel from our lives physical pain and mental anguish and assure ourselves of continual ease and comfort, but if we were to close the doors upon sorrow and distress, we might be excluding our greatest friends and benefactors. Suffering can make saints of people as they learn patience, long-suffering, and self-mastery."

There is a lesson for us in the story of Jesus and Lazarus. Jesus knows his friend is ill, and he does not come. He knows Lazarus is dead, and still stays away. When he finally arrives and sees Mary and Martha, grieving for their brother and wounded by the seeming neglect of Jesus, He weeps. Though he must allow us to suffer, it pains him. He feels our pains and sorrows, and weeps with and for us.  Lazarus is raised, joy returns, and everyone is changed by the experience.

Suffering may not feel like a friend, but most of us would agree that it has been our greatest teacher.  Do we remember to reach out to Jesus for help and grace in hard times? Prayer brings revelation, healing blessings bring relief and comfort, the temple brings perspective, and angels stand unseen but oh, so near. Christ's grace is all around us, shoring us up in every kind of trouble. In chapter 4, Paul sums up how, no matter what we suffer, grace can make the difference in what life looks like when viewed through an eternal lens:

8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair;

9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;

10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body.

11 For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;

18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.