Was Christ’s Suffering for You?
For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1Pe 3:18 ESV).
For
Why is there suffering in this world? The question reaches everyone and never goes away. The atheist wields it as the death knell to theism but offers no viable alternative or explanation. Peter isn’t interested in providing a direct answer; instead, he counsels his readers to welcome suffering that comes about from doing good. What for? Suffering unrighteously is the hardest pill to swallow. Everyone understands and expects suffering as a consequence for bad behaviour, but suffering for good behaviour?
Christ Also Suffered
Why would Peter consider suffering wrongfully (unrighteously) such a virtue? Because Christ did. The One who “committed no sin” (2:22) lived His life in the service of others, and was also rejected and scorned. His miraculous healings and wonderful teachings did not exclude Him from unrighteous suffering. In reality, His exemplary life seemed to arouse the abuse and insult of those around.
For Sins
There was purpose in His suffering. The short answer to the opening question, “Why is there suffering?” is, Because of sin. Sin is brutal and affects us all more deeply and completely than we care to admit. Sin always brings suffering; it is the reason for what besets us – death, disease, decay, disappointment, divorce, etc. We suffer because of sin. Christ suffered because of sin – certainly not His own – but more than that, He suffered for sins.
The Righteous for the Unrighteous
The suffering was substitutionary. As the sinless One (righteous), He was suffering not only the effects of sin in a fallen world as sinful human beings interacted maliciously with Him, but He was purposefully suffering in the place of the sinful (unrighteous). The cross of Christ was a colossal miscarriage of justice. Jesus’ innocence was recognized, yet He was crucified on the basis of expediency to placate the religious establishment in their hatred. He willingly and purposefully took the rightful place of the sinner – condemned and worthy of death – on the cross and suffered the sinner’s death!
That He Might Bring Us to God
Why would He suffer like this? What virtue is there in unjust suffering? It was in order to bring us to God. The only way we can be right with God is to have our sin taken out of the way. Isaiah reminds us that it is our sin that alienates us from God (Isa 59:2). Peter is teaching us a beautiful truth: Christ’s suffering as a sinless human being was actually a sacrifice for sin on our behalf. As a righteous Sufferer, He took the place of the unrighteous so that our sins could be removed and the way be made clear to God!
Has the suffering of Christ, the righteous One, brought you, the unrighteous, to God?
