- O.T. Scriptures were written about and to hurting people who were in the chains of slavery
- N.T. Gospels recorded Jesus' words to Jews living under the cruel rule of Roman Gentiles.
- N.T. Epistles were written to Gentile churches whose congregations often contained many slaves.
- In the 1st century believers were targeted for persecution for their faith in Jesus Christ, being martyred at the hands of Jewish religious leaders. No matter where they went they suffered greatly.
"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."
--James 1:2-4
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead....Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ." --1 Peter 1:3,6-7
So how do we deal with great pain? --Grow out of it. We are to increase our intake of the Word and be doubly careful that we are "not fashioning our[selves] according to the former lusts in [our] ignorance." --1 Peter 1:14
In the epistles Peter and James used these words often to counsel their scattered flock of believers: "know" "knowing" "knowledge" "known" "remember" "remembrance" "mind" and "grow". Our problem is we do not know Him and His Word well enough to know His ways.
God's inspired Word will always tell us what is right. It is the only infallible source of truth. It accurately contains "all things that pertain unto life and godliness." --2 Peter 1:3
[Excerpts from Jim Berg.]
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