For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: (I Peter 2:21)
When we answer the call of salvation, we also answer the call to “partake in His sufferings.” When Christ came into the world at His incarnation, the world hated Him and crucified Him. When Christ comes into the life of a newborn believer at salvation, Jesus takes up residence in the believer’s life through His Holy Spirit. Jesus will be persecuted once again, but this time in the life of the believer. When we are partakers of the life of Christ we will also be “partakers of Christ’s suffering.”
I Peter 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
Our calling to suffer with Christ is the call of all believers throughout all the ages:
The prophets like us were called to suffer. “The Spirit of Christ” was “in” the prophets. They ministered to the world, the world saw Christ “in” them, and they “were partakers of Christ’s sufferings.” We share a calling with the prophets!
I Peter 1:10-11 “…the Spirit of Christ which was in (the prophets) them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.”
Luke 6:22-23 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
The book of Hebrews points us to a “great cloud of witnesses.” From the martyr Able to the present day, saints of all ages testify to us about running the faith race. “They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.” (Heb. 11:37-38)
When you “partake in Christ’s sufferings,” you have a shared experience with all your spiritual ancestors. Their testimony teaches us to look to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus was the prize and our example of suffering.(Heb. 12:1-3)
Our calling to Suffer for Christ Is a Calling To Fellowship With Christ:
In our calling to suffer with Christ, we are not alone. We have the witness and testimony of the prophets and saints, but most importantly, we have the companionship and fellowship of our Savior. We were called to suffer “with Christ.” To suffer for Christ is to suffer with Christ.
The Lord said about the Apostle Paul at his conversion that he would “suffer great things for my name’s sake!” (Acts 9:16), but Paul considered his great suffering with Christ far better than the prestige he enjoyed before his conversion. In fact, suffering with Christ was so much better than his former life; his former life was “dung” in comparison to his present “fellowship of suffering.”
Philippians 3:8-10 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Moses felt the same as Paul. Moses was “a partaker of Christ’s suffering.” He chose Christ’s reproach “greater riches” than all the “treasures of Egypt.” Moses had face-to-face fellowship with the Son of God and would not trade his relationship for all the tea in China. The “fellowship of His suffering” was better than anything Egypt offers!
Hebrews 11:24-26 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter; Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward.