One often hears it insinuated that a godly life is free from care and sorrow, but those persons do much harm who would cheat people into becoming religious by any such delusive hopes. All have troubles, but it makes a very great difference whether we sorrow with God or without Him. Let us now consider some of the sorrows of righteousness and compare them with the no less certain sorrows of unrighteousness. We divide the sufferings of the Christian into, first, those which spring from his struggles with outer things; secondly, those arising from his own nature-the world within. Every one knows how the first professors of Christianity had to suffer when that religion was in its infancy, and paganism or indifferentism was the creed of respectability. They were tortured, thrown to wild beasts, “butchered to make a Roman holiday.” The men of noble aims find their lot a sad and lonely one still. They are smiled at as enthusiasts, sneered at as hypocrites. And then there is the pain which is felt by every one who bravely contends against the besetting sins of his inner life. Oh, who can escape from himself-this slothful, vain, selfish, lustful, envious self? To conquer this is indeed a struggle. But do not fancy for a moment that the sorrows of unrighteousness are at all less real. Suppose a man did gain the whole world at the trifling cost (as he might think it) of his own soul, what then? We know that Alexander was troubled because he had not another world to conquer, and is there not such a thing as satiety, monotony of success, and the want of not having a want? Ruined homes and cursed lives proclaim the penalties of unrestrained passions. The sufferings in this world of the murderer, thief, evil-doer, with death for wages, are at least as great as those of the Christian to be followed by God’s gift of eternal life. Certainly it is difficult to resist our unholy natures, to tame rebellious passions; but there is one thing even more difficult, and that is to endure the misery which their unrestrained indulgence invariably brings along with it. Suffer we all must; but surely it makes a great difference whether God’s love is seen through our sorrow, or we have the additional misery of feeling that we are in rebellion against our Heavenly Father, and that, therefore, the whole constitution of the world is against us. (E. J. Hardy, M. A.)
The character and privileges of a Christian
I. His character.
1. A Christian is one who fully and cordially believes the testimony that is given concerning Christ.
2. A Christian is one who permanently obeys the commandments of Christ.
3. A Christian is one who receives his faith and holiness, and his desert in them, by the Spirit of Christ.
II. His privileges.
1. A Christian is justified from the guilt and condemnation of sin.
2. A Christian possesses friendship and constant inter course with God.
3. A Christian possesses the certainty of victory over death.
4. A Christian has the prospect of perfect and immortal happiness and glory. (J. Parsons.)
The Christian described
I. The origin of the name (Act_11:26).
II. The commonness of the appellation.
1. In one aspect this commonness is astonishing, and should be convincing. “This is the finger of God.”
2. In another view this commonness is reasonable.
3. In another view the commonness of the name is lamentable. The word Christian was once very significant and distinguishing. But, alas! in numberless instances now, it is not distinguishable at all.
III. The real import of this title.
1. A Christian is one who has a relation to Christ; not a professed, but a real relation-not a nominal, but a vital relation-yea, a very peculiar and preeminent relation, arising above every other you can mention; spiritual in its nature, and never ending in its duration; and deriving the possession and continuance of every enjoyment from Christ.
2. A Christian is a lover of Christ’s doctrine.
3. A Christian is a lover of Christ’s person.
4. A Christian is a copier of Christ’s example.
5. A Christian is a dependent on Christ’s mediation.
6. A Christian is expectant of Christ’s coming. (W. Jay.)
Glorify God on this behalf.-
The pious sufferer exhorted to glorify God
I. What is implied in suffering as a Christian.
1. To suffer in the character of a Christian. Where piety has its seat in the heart it will appear in the life, to be seen and identified by all (Mat_5:13-16).
2. To suffer for discharging the duties of a Christian. Christianity frees its possessors from the slavery of custom; they are governed by the high principles of religion.
3. To suffer in the spirit of a Christian (Luk_21:19).
II. Why characters who thus suffer should not be ashamed.
1. Because they suffer innocently.
2. They suffer in a good cause.
3. They suffer from the purest motive.
4. They suffer for a blessed Master.
5. They suffer in imitation of the brightest examples.
III. Their duty under suffering circumstances, viz., to “glorify God on this behalf.”
1. Devoutly acknowledging Him and His gifts (1Ch_29:11-12; confessing Him “worthy to receive honour, glory, might, and majesty” (Rev_4:11). The very circumstance of their suffering should prompt them to this.
2. By firmness in the day of trial. Let nothing shake their firmness (1Co_15:58); but imitate the example of the disciples, who continued with their Lord in His temptations (Luk_22:28-29).
3. By a faithful and patient endurance of suffering.
IV. To this act of glorifying God, they are encouraged from-
1. The declarations and promises He has made. These are many, great, and various (Isa_41:10; Isa_43:1; Isa_34:2; Isa_54:17; Mat_10:32; Jam_1:12; Rev_2:10; Rev_22:7).
2. The honour it will confer upon them.
Improvement:-
1. Let us examine our experience by this test.
2. Let us encourage ourselves in the Lord.
3. Let us pray for our persecutors. (Sketches of Four Hundred Sermons.)
