THEREFORE, I ENDURE ALL THINGS FOR THE ELECT’S SAKE.

DISCOURSE ANALYSIS
There are two words and two phrases which are very important to be defined, namely:
 “THEREFORE”,
 “ENDURE”,
 “ALL THINGS”, and
 “ELECT’S SAKE.”
A. THEREFORE: - is a word in the verse which introduces the result of what Apostle Paul had previously mentioned about being a “good soldier of the Cross,” just as Jesus Christ showed us a perfect example of suffering and endurance, and for all Christians to share in Christ’s suffering, using three analogies of Soldiers, Athletes and Farmers’ dispositions.
B. ENDURE: - actually, this is to experience and deal with such painful or unpleasant dispositions associated with the three jobs mentioned above without any complaint. This is having the ability to continue doing painful or unpleasant works for the benefits of others; enduring physical, emotional, mental or spiritual pains, such as insults or molestations and mockery; suffering loss of wealth joyfully, sharing with others or overlooking other people’s wrongs against you (Luke 9:23; Acts 2:44-46; 4:32, 34-36; Phil.2:17; I Thess.2:8; I John 3:16).
In other words, endurance is synonymous with the terrains in the
Narrow Way (Matt.7:13, 14).
C. ALL THINGS: - are words which point to the fact that Christians have many things to suffer loss of or over look, both materially and emotionally and also some physical trauma in order to bear, edify and carry other Christians along in faith and love, as the trial which believers are called upon to endure. All the facets of temptations, trials, loses and what have you, to be compared with Apostle Paul’s aspects of sufferings and perils (I Cor.4:10-13; 2 Cor.11:23).
D. ELECT’S SAKE: - are words which represent the members of the Church whom God has called, chosen, sanctified and justified for salvation with eternal glory (Rom. 8:28-30) enduring sufferings on behalf of the Church as Christ did (John 15:13; Phil.2:17; I Thess.2: 8; I John 3:16).
PREAMBLE
This theme is very interesting because it affects Christian women mostly, in that we are known for endurance of pains right from the Garden of Eden as regards birth pangs or labour (Gen.3:16; John 16:21, 22) which thereafter brings joy because of life that is brought into existence. This process compares favourably with spiritual birth in Galatians 4:19. Christian women have the Marks of Christ by having the power of God as the Israel of God and in sharing the sufferings of Christ in our bodies (Isaiah 44:5; 2 Cor.1:5-7; 11:23-ff; Gal. 6:16, 17).
Endurance is another figurative theme for salt which has the qualities of preservation. Long potency, purification and healing. Basically, the theme is a focus on our sacrifices and services for other people’s spiritual and material benefits, demonstrating love which is not self-seeking nor keeping records of wrongs, taking genuine interests that will build people’s minds.
Medically, endurance is a psychological therapy and the antidote remedial to sufferings and worries which cause many incurable diseases and undermine health. Spiritually, endurance is a godly and leadership virtue which is divinely acceptable and goes a long way to bring to fruition the divine promise of comfort, especially, the work of the Holy Spirit (Matt.5:4; John 14:16, 26).
Factually speaking, if there is no pain, there will be no gain. So, it is God’s Will for all Christians to suffer for Christ, for righteousness sake and for the Church. We incur sufferings through our services to God and so, it is part of Christians’ obligations. The endurance of sufferings is a discipline and means “Going to Christ” (Luke 9:23).
WHAT TO ENDURE FOR THE CHURCH
Endurance is an embodiment which consists of patience, longsuffering, tolerance, forbearance, overlooking faults with love, perseverance and temperance. It is the spiritual virtue of a good leader (Prov.16:32; 17:27). Faithful Christian women endure Reviling, Affliction, Injustice, Poverty, Grief, Harm, Hardship, Tribulation, Humiliation, Hatred, Loss of Life, Renunciation of Worldly Treasures, Loss of Reputation, Imprisonment, Emotional Pangs and Loss of Material Riches; Scruples, Flaws or Qualms of the weak and persecution (throughout history, people have been persecuted for their religious beliefs).
As Servants of God and Soldiers of the Cross, Christian women are to share in the sufferings of Christ who died for the Church that we may be saved (Eph.5:25; Phil.3; 2Tim.1:8; 2:3, 9; Heb.12:2). We are to display sacrificial love as the bond of perfection (Rom. 5:6, 7; Col.3:14). Christians are vulnerable to the reviling and mockery of unbelievers because of their beliefs. They are unjustly and spitefully treated because they are not of the world, but they bear all patiently.
Every Christian woman owes the Church the labour of fervent prayers for divine interventions (Col. 4:12; Note – 2 Cor.11:28).
REASONS FOR ENDURING SUFFERING FOR THE CHURCH
The reasons why Christian women are to endure all things for the Elect’s sake are:
a. It is the Will of God, commendable or acceptable to Divinity (I Pet. 2:15, 20; 3:17; 4:19). To all faithful Christians, endurance is the solution to suffering as “all who must live godly must suffer persecution” (II Timothy 3:12).
b. Christians are identified as belonging to Christ because they patiently bear their sufferings without complaint or giving up. They bear the marks of Christ in their bodies (2 Cor12:7; Gal.6:7; 2 Tim.3:10-12). Christians face persecutions in the world where majority of the people are evil and are ruled by Satan (John 7:7; II Corinth. 4:4).
c. Christians are severely persecuted because they are not of this world. They bear these persecutions with joy because through them, they lay treasures in heaven (John 15:18, 19; 17:14; Matt.6:19).
d. They endure sufferings so that weak and new converts may be encouraged and learn from it (2 Tim.3:10-12). So, it is a Christian virtue which is attractive to the weak as the model of emulation (Col.1:10, 11; Jas.5:7-10; I Pet.2:21-23, 3:18). We are commanded to “Bear one another’s burden and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal.6:2).
e. Endurance sharpens and sharpens Christians’ faith and trains us spiritually to grow and attain maturity; and for others to obtain salvation in Christ with eternal glory (2 Tim.2:10; Heb. 2:9, 10; 5:7-9, 14).
f. We must endure the loss of many things we posses in order to work out our salvation with godly fear and trembling because, without pains, there will be no gains (Phil. 2:12; 3:7-9, 13-15; Acts 2:44; 4:34-36 cf. Matt.19:21-23).
Sisters in the Lord, there are many great rewards awaiting all Christians who persevere and bear pains patiently. We endure suffering for God’s grace to abound.
THE ATTITUDINAL DEVELOPMENT OF ENDURANCE IN CHRISTIANS
There is a developmental process of endurance in a Christian’s life. It is gradual and attainable by spiritual knowledge, prayer and by the Holy Spirit (Col.1:10, 11; 2 Tim.1:8. 2:7). Christians are instructed to rejoice always (Phil.4:4). We are:
a. To rejoice in tribulation or to glory in tribulation (Rom.5:3; Jas.1:2-4).
b. To rejoice in hope. Patient in tribulation and continuing instantly in prayer (Rom.12:12). That is spiritual joy and hope in Christ.
c. To spend and be spent on others’ behalf as Apostle Paul had affirmed (2 Cor.12:15; Heb.10:32-36). These are the way of serving others with our Time, Energy, Money, Properties and Intellects (Gal.5:13) et cetera.
d. We owe the Church the duty of self-sacrifice and the services of caring for her growth and developments in knowledge, edification, benevolence, prayers, visitations, evangelism, fastings, taking advantage of all life’s opportunities to see that these are accomplished (Luke 19:13) and in helping to transform the lives of members (Rom. 12:2); in giving cheerfully as good stewards of the manifold grace of God (Acts 20:35; I Pet.4:9, 10).
e. We have duty to the weak to tolerate their flaws and scruples, even to treat them nicely with knowledge, not minding their inabilities (Rom.12:10; 14:1, 21-23; 15:1, 2). Soldiers do not leave their wounded comrades behind when running away; they carry them along, dead or alive.
f. We have the duty of sympathetic and unselfish living towards all members of the Church for edification (I Cor.10:24, 33; 13:5).
g. We have the duty of being charitable, constancy and perseverance (Phil.2:4, 21). This also shows onwardness (a military term). So, the attitudinal process in Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-4 and I Peter1:6,7 is to rejoice in our sufferings of any kind, knowing that they produce “perseverance or patience; perseverance produces character or experience; character produces hope and hope does not disappoint because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given to us.” The character or experience is that we become “Fools for Christ,” in order to make others wise; we are to be weak for others to be strong, et cetera (I Cor.4:10 -13 Read on).
ADVANTAGES OF PATIENT ENDURANCE
The advantage of patient endurance implies:
i. Enduring sufferings tend to multiply divine grace. God’s grace abound to those who suffer, which in turn is a blessing and Fellowship with the LORD (Phil. 3:10).
ii. When we endure sufferings, it will produce a harvest of peace and righteousness (Heb.12:11; Jas.3:17, 18; Isa.32:17-20). This is purely the personal advantage one derives.
iii. Enduring sufferings means waiting for the coming of the LORD with His great rewards (Rev.22:11, 12; Jas.5:7, 8).
iv. When we endure sufferings, we are blessed abundantly in due season (Matt.5:10-12). We are blessed presently in this life and in the world to come (Mark10:29-30; I Tim.4:8).
v. Our endurance for the Elect makes them to obtain salvation with eternal glory (2 Tim.2:10) because by it Saints will learn to persevere and remain faithful.
vi. Endurance is a discipline whereby we exercise ourselves in godliness as we patiently bear pains, discomfort and the unpleasant things in this parting life and for the fact that God shall wipe away our tears (Rev. 21:4). God is aware of our sufferings and plights. He cares and provides for us. So, we learn to be humble, obedient and dedicated to God. In view of the hope, glory and joy (bliss) set for us in heaven, we endure all things.
GOOD EXAMPLES OF GREAT ENDURANCE
“Going to Christ” means to bear the disgrace or reproach which Jesus Christ bore for salvation (Luke 9:23; Heb.11:26; 13:13, 14).
a. Our Lord Jesus Christ endured the pains of the Cross and death for us, so we have to share in it (Phil.2:8, 9; 3:10; Heb.2:9; 12:2).
b. Job, in the Bible, endured material loses and physical trauma but did not give up (Job 1:21, 22; 2:10; 42:10, 12-17; Jas.5:11). His patience and perseverance brought greater blessings at the end.
c. Apostle John suffered and endured deprivations on the Island of Patmos because of God’s Word and for the Testimony of Jesus Christ. He suffered and bore the pains of banishment and material destitutions with all fortitude and boldness (Rev.1:9). The immutable promises of the divine are that John’s reward is reserved in heaven.
d. Pregnant women in labour pain at birth endure the pangs and rejoices when she gives birth (John 16:21-22). There is always a happy end to our endurance. A life is reproduced.
e. Farmers, Soldiers and Athletes toil and labour patiently (I Cor.9:7, 24; 2 Tim.2:3-7; Jas.5:7-11). Farmers, especially, smile at the time of harvest after waiting patiently for the former and later rains.
f. Apostle Paul suffered and endured many afflictions, tribulations, persecutions, ship wreck, et cetera. All for the Saints to keep up their faith in Christ and grow through sufferings to maturity (Acts 9:15, 16; 20:23; 21:11; 2 Cor.6:4-10; 11:23-27; 2 Tim.3:10, 11).
BEING CLINICAL, INDIFFERENCE OR NEGLIGENCE OF THE ELECT’S
Some Christian women may be indifferent to other Christians’ plight while God asked that we should be our brothers’ keepers. One can be religiously indifferent in spirit (Matt.18:28-33; 22:5; Matt.24:12, 48-51). Also, one can religiously indifferent in service to other Christians (Acts 28:2-10; Luke 9:51-56; 3 John 9:10).
To be clinical or indifferent is to feel unconcerned and to be uncaring for the welfare of the Church, and this uncouth attitudes may result to opposition, criticism, backsliding, cold-war, in-fightings or schisms in the absence of brotherly love (Gal.5:15; I Cor.12:25, 26; Rom.12:10).
In this lesson and through this lesson we are soliciting seriously for all hands to be on desk to lift the Church to higher levels. We should endeavour at all time to shun selfishness.
CONCLUSION
According to 2 Cor.6:4-10, all Christian women are to commend themselves as Servants of God in every way - in great endurance, in troubles or affliction, et cetera.
In response, recipients of help should reciprocate these virtues so as not to defraud and demoralize others. The Church is a “support group” and the sacrifices and services are the altar of good offerings to help broken members, imperfect members, dependent saints, teachable members, forgetful members, troubled members and even lost members. We are sent to lead. We are to show the world how to live as lights, et cetera.
As we meditate upon these words and are determined to be led by God’s Word, may He in His infinite mercy give us the grace to be more practical than theoretical in Jesus name!
Thank you and remain blessed!
Script by:
Evangelist Hilary Johnson Chukwuma Chukwurah
(Minister) Township/Campus Church of Christ
14 Agbugwu Lane, off, University/Market Road.
P.O.Box 351, Nsukka. Enugu State, Nigeria.
E-MAILS: hilaryjohnsonc@yahoo.com
hilaryjohnsonc@gmail.com
PHONE: 234-08039596919