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Sermon #3170

The Problem of Suffering

A Sermon on Romans 8:17

Originally preached March 24, 1961

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Scripture

Romans 8:17 ESV KJV
and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (ESV)

Sermon Description

The urgent problem for the Christian faith in times past and still today is to reconcile trials, tribulations, and suffering with the exceeding great promises of glory that await the children of God. This is the foundation of Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones’s sermon on Romans 8:17 titled “The Problem of Suffering.” The Christian must remember, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones, that Paul is no professor of theology, but a profound theologian with a pastoral heart. The apostle Paul is concerned with Christian assurance and when suffering threatens this security. But, Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues, suffering confirms the promises of the gospel. When rightly understood, far from raising doubts or questions, suffering is the proof of the truth of those promises. The doctrine of union with Christ is important for the pastoral task of understanding suffering, says Dr. Lloyd-Jones. As joint-heirs with Christ who suffered, the Christian’s suffering is absolute proof that they belong to Him. Moreover, this suffering is part of the preparation for the glory that awaits the believer. In their current state, counsels Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the Christian is unprepared for glory. But thanks to God that He is preparing them for it and Christians must remember that it is He who is doing so.

Sermon Breakdown

  1. The apostle Paul introduces suffering in Romans 8:17 to provide practical help to Christians facing difficulties.
  2. Suffering is a common theme in the New Testament used to encourage Christians. Nearly all the epistles deal with suffering in some way.
  3. Jesus predicted his followers would suffer like he did (John 15:18-21). The book of Acts shows the early church suffering.
  4. Suffering proves our salvation and heirship with Christ (Romans 8:17). The devil uses suffering to make us doubt, but it actually proves our faith.
  5. Jesus suffered because he was the Son of God (John 5:43). The world hated him because he exposed evil (John 3:19-20).
  6. We suffer because we belong to Jesus. The world treats us like it treated him (John 15:18-21).
  7. Paul lists many sufferings he endured in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28. Suffering was a normal part of his ministry.
  8. Many passages teach that suffering proves our faith (2 Corinthians 1:3-7, Philippians 1:28-29, 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5, 2 Timothy 3:10-12, Hebrews 10:32-34).
  9. Suffering prepares us for glory (2 Corinthians 4:17, Philippians 3:10, Colossians 1:24, Hebrews 12:10). It purifies our faith like fire purifies gold (1 Peter 1:6-7).
  10. We should rejoice in suffering for Christ (James 1:2, 1 Peter 4:13-14). If we live godly lives, we will suffer (2 Timothy 3:12).
  11. Suffering is a privilege allowing us to share in Christ's sufferings (Philippians 3:10, Colossians 1:24). We learn things about Jesus through suffering we can't learn any other way.
  12. If we don't suffer for Christ in some way, we should examine our faith. All true Christians suffer for Christ's sake in some measure.

Sermon Q&A

What Does Christian Suffering Mean According to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?

Why does Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones introduce the topic of suffering in Romans 8:17?

According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the apostle Paul introduces the topic of suffering for two main reasons. First, Paul had "a great pastoral heart" and was concerned about helping people with practical difficulties. He realized that while he was describing the glorious inheritance of believers, many Christians were experiencing suffering and hardship in their daily lives. Paul wanted to address this apparent contradiction before it became a stumbling block to their faith. Second, suffering actually serves as "one of the strongest and profoundest arguments for assurance of salvation," providing further evidence of our ultimate glorification with Christ.

How should Christians properly interpret the phrase "if so be that we suffer with him" in Romans 8:17?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that the proper translation is not conditional but affirmative. The phrase should be translated as "since we suffer with him" or "seeing that we suffer with him" rather than making our inheritance conditional upon suffering. He criticizes the New English Bible translation which suggests that "we are God's heirs and Christ's fellow heirs if we share his sufferings," which incorrectly implies that heirship depends on suffering. Instead, our suffering as Christians is evidence of our union with Christ, not a precondition for it.

What is the relationship between Christ's suffering and Christian suffering according to Lloyd-Jones?

Lloyd-Jones explains that our suffering as Christians directly flows from our union with Christ. Just as Christ was "a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief" and suffered because He was the Son of God, Christians suffer because they belong to Him. Jesus specifically predicted this in John 15:18-20: "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you... If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you." Lloyd-Jones summarizes this principle with the phrase: "All Christ's sheep are branded with a cross, and that not in the fleece only, but also in the flesh."

How should Christians view their suffering according to this sermon?

Rather than seeing suffering as evidence against their faith, Christians should view it as:

  1. Confirmation of their salvation: "If you are suffering as a Christian, and because you're a Christian, it is one of the profoundest proofs you can ever have of the fact that you are a child of God."

  2. Preparation for future glory: "This suffering that we undergo as Christians is a part of our preparation for the glory that is coming for us."

  3. A means of spiritual refinement: Like gold purified by fire, suffering removes impurities in our faith - "Your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ."

What warning does Lloyd-Jones give about the absence of suffering in a Christian's life?

Dr. Lloyd-Jones issues a sobering warning: "The only man who needs to go from this service tonight in any kind of trouble is that man or that woman who thinks that he or she is a Christian, but who knows nothing about this suffering for Christ's sake." He states plainly that "as certainly as you're a Christian, you'll have to suffer for it" and quotes 2 Timothy 3:12: "All that live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." The absence of any suffering for Christ's sake might indicate that one is not truly a Christian.

The Book of Romans

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.