I have had to struggle with what the scriptures would mean saying the Son of God suffered to learn obedience. I have heard this being used to justify suffering for us as believers to be what we cannot escape from referring to the issues of life. I knew deep within me that this is not about suffering in the context of going through some very unpalatable experiences.
“Although he was a son, he learned obedience
through what he suffered” Heb 5:8
First, let me explain that learning here is
not the act of trying to know about a thing. Jesus wasn’t just trying to learn
obedience. He is God Himself. It refers to the act of being in the habit of or
accustomed to which is usually expressed in a way to mean learning by use and
practice. So, we can safely rewrite it to mean that “He proves the act of being
in the habit of obedience through what he suffered”.
So, let’s go to the suffering which is our
main focus. In the context of going through tough experiences, we have a sure
guarantee of victory already so this would not be about the challenges of the
world which we go through. And these would not have been a way to learn
obedience because didn’t go about trying to get a job or a wife.
“I have told you these things, so that in me
you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart I have
overcome the world” John16:33
Living a successful Christian life is
dependent on mastering obedience. If there is then suffering that will help me
learn (proof or show me worthy of) obedience, it would be important to pay much
attention to it.
“But if you stay in me and obey my commands,
you may ask any request you like, and it will be granted” John 15:7
Obedience is central to being in Him to
receiving His fullness. So, what exactly is the suffering that we must go
through to be certified obedient? Jesus’ life is an example of how we are to
live ours, so, if He had to suffer to learn (prove) obedience, it’d be
important we also take this serious to know what we are to suffer so we suffer
well.
Jesus never had any earthly need that wasn’t
met. We saw where they tried to get him to fall for their gimmicks asking about
payment of tax. He and his disciples were asked to pay tax and all he did was
instructing His disciples to locate the fish where the currency needed to pay
for their tax was found.
Suffering in this scripture is not the
suffering of having to go through some physical hardship. From its Greek
transliteration, it means to endure in this context. He is the Son of God. He
had the power to do all that He wishes to do. He had Angels at his command. He
is seated on the throne with the Father and He is the only one who had seen the
Father. However, He chose to come to this world in human flesh and was treated
as a man.
He endured what it meant to bring down His
glory and acted as though He is a sinner. He became a man. That was the height
of the suffering of Jesus. The Devil fell to this: he wanted to be equal with
God. However, in the contrast, Jesus had to endure what it meant to have all of
the power but choose not to use it because of greater glory. The suffering is
the denial of one’s self to fulfilling the will of the Father.
“Your attitude should be the kind that was
shown us by Jesus Christ, who, though he was God, did not demand and cling to
his rights as God, but laid aside his mighty power and glory, taking the
disguise of a slave and becoming like men. And he humbled himself even further,
going so far as actually to die a criminal’s death on a cross” Phil 2:5-8
That scripture above is the summary of the
suffering of Christ which was proof of obedience. He denied himself of who He
truly is just to fulfill the will of the Father here on earth.
Now, how does this apply to you and your race
in faith? You will be confronted many times with situations that will demand
that you either stand for the will of God or do otherwise. There are many
things you deserve but you will need to say NO just because you have to stay in
God’s will.
Joseph and Daniel and his friends come to mind
easily. Joseph could have used Potiphar’s wife as his answered prayers. Daniel
and his friends would have eaten the king’s meal and it would not have been a
sin. But, they knew what it meant to suffer, for God. Sometimes, the suffering
would mean waiting when you think you know what you need to do.
Friends, your suffering is not in those gory
stories of not being able to meet your financial needs, praying for a job, and
all of the issues of life. The true suffering of a believer is seeing
opportunities that you are due for slip away because God said NO! It is being
embarrassed because you chose to stand with God.
How much can you let go for God?
“But whatsoever things were gain to me, those
things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ” Phil3:7
Are you suffering at all?
You need to suffer!
Be Innovated
Olufemi Ibitoye
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