Does Salvation Guarantee A Problem Free Life?

One major reason believers backslide today is hardship.

Problems are not what most sign up for, so the moment their faith boat hits some turbulence, they opt to throw in the faith towel.

This is a typical response given the brand of modern-day gospel we've subscribed to.

Modern-day altar calls are no better. They often sound like adverts for a tropical vacation.

A typical altar call today goes something like:"Come to Jesus and you'll be blessed or your marriage will thrive or you'll land your dream job or your business will grow or all your problems will be over."

So, hyped, many hop on the faith bandwagon with the false assumption that Christianity is all sunshine and rainbows —a stark contradiction of what the Bible teaches.

In truth, the advertising is wrong, which explains why so many are quick to abandon ship when their newfound faith doesn't pan out as advertised in the "salvation brochure."

One minister said, "I used to get very depressed when I listened to other believers' testimonies. Someone would stand up and say I came to Jesus, and all my troubles came to an end, and I would think, why is my testimony the complete opposite? When I was born again, my troubles began. I got baptized in the Spirit a few years later, and my troubles got worse. I have been in more trouble in the last ten years than in the previous thirty years."

What's interesting is that his experience is the one that fits Scripture.

It's the same narrow and rugged road all the disciples in the Bible walked without exception.

Nowhere in the Bible do we see the disciples' lives becoming easier as they followed Christ.

Yet we are so adamant about selling people this narrative of come to Christ and your life will be a bed of roses, which is the total opposite of what the Scripture says.

Today, salvation has been cheapened to a get-out-of-jail-free card.

No wonder many believers are left stunned and disappointed, even angry with God, when salvation doesn't solve all their problems and the going gets even tougher.

In truth, they subscribed to a watered down gospel instead of the true gospel.

According to Scripture, salvation does not guarantee a trouble-free life. 

On the contrary, it promises the exact opposite!

In John 16:33, the Bible says:

"In the world, you will have many problems, but take heart, I'm on top of it." 

These are words straight from the lips of Jesus.

In Matthew 10:24-25, Jesus says:

"A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. Students are to be like their teacher, and slaves are to be like their master. And since I, the master of the household, have been called the prince of demons, the members of my household will be called by even worse names!"

Jesus is simply saying that, as a true disciple of His, you should not expect to have it easy if He didn't. If anything, the road may be even rougher for you as His follower.

The more you look like Christ, the more you will suffer like Him (if not more) and vice versa.

Now, there are three things that every believer needs to know about suffering, problems, troubles, or storms.

1. They are normal

One of the greatest differences between the early church and the modern church is that while suffering was regarded as normal in the former, it is regarded as abnormal in the latter.

This explains why deliverance services are so popular today. 

We are hell-bent on getting out of trouble as soon as possible or avoiding it altogether.

However, according to the Bible, problems for the believer are normal.

Infact, they're a believer's staple diet if they're truly following Christ.

Paul says in Acts 14:22 that we must suffer many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.

There is a reason our faith is associated with a cross.

A cross is not an instrument of pleasure, comfort and happiness. It's an instrument of pain, distress and suffering.

So, storms are a given for every true follower of Jesus.

Suffering is the mark of a true Christian.

Jesus and all His disciples preached a gospel of adversity.

We must understand that we live in a fallen world, and believers are not promised immunity from troubles, sickness, accidents, disasters, miscarriages, barrenness, joblessness, inflation, and all these problems that plague this world.

One thing we often overlook in the parable of the wise and the foolish builder is that the storm beat on both houses regardless of their foundation.

So even the house on a rock, which speaks of a disciple, will have its run-ins with storms.

In fact, four books in the New Testament are written sorely for believers going through adversity.

These include 2 Corinthians, Hebrews, 1 Peter, and Revelation.

The book of Revelation is basically a manual for martyrdom.

Once you understand that storms are a given for a true follower of Christ, you can get rid of any sense of entitlement, which is the idea that God owes you a good, comfortable & trouble-free life just because you are a Christian.

He doesn't.

This misguided belief is one of the reasons believers get angry or disappointed with God.

They assume that simply being God’s children means a life without issues, so when difficulties come, they feel abandoned or let down.

But the truth is, following Christ does not exempt us from life’s challenges. We must come to terms with that reality.

That is not to say God cannot shield you from some of them or counter them, but He is not obligated to do so, and you have no right to demand that He do that for you. 

If He does, He is God. If He doesn't, He is still God, and we praise Him regardless of how things pan out.

 2. They are more for the believer

According to Scripture, a believer should expect to suffer more than an unbeliever.

A believer will have more run-ins with storms for two main reasons:

• We are misfits - We simply don't belong (1 Peter 2:11). Therefore, we are swimming against the tides of this world. So Christians don't just suffer because we are in a fallen world, but because we are not of the fallen world.
  

• We have an enemy that hates us - The devil lives for nothing else than to destroy that which God loves. So, as a follower of Jesus, you will have a lot of run-ins with the devil.  If you do not encounter the devil in your Christian walk, it's probably because you are moving in the same direction — living in conformity and compromise, a reality all too common among many believers today. Many Christians not swimming against the world's tide but in favor of it. They look so much like the world; we cannot tell the two apart.

  
  

  They have become friends of the world, which, according to the Bible, automatically makes them enemies of God. (James 4:4)  But Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6:17, come out from among them and be separate!

  
  

  We are not called to fit in. We are called to stand out!  So suffering is not just normal for true followers of Jesus; it is greater for them, and this is the truth of the Bible.
  

  3. They are necessary

Contrary to popular belief, the Bible teaches that suffering for the believer is a plus and not a minus.

Hard times make you hardy.

Paul says in Romans 5:3:

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love."

In Romans 8:17, Paul continues that if we want to share in His glory, we must also share in His suffering.

The ultimate benefit and joy of suffering is sharing in Christ's glory when He returns.

Sadly, the very things that God permits as a test of our faith, the devil uses to get us out of faith.

But we must see through the devil's scheme.

As believers, we need to grasp these truths so we stop thinking there’s something wrong with us—that we’re abnormal, cursed, or in need of deliverance just because we face challenges in life.

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If that were true, then Jesus, Paul, and all the other disciples would have needed deliverance too, considering the troubles they endured—troubles that ultimately cost most of them their lives.

But that’s not the case at all.

They understood suffering was normal for a believer, so much so that they considered it a privilege.

The Bible says in Acts 5:41:

The apostles left the high council rejoicing that God had counted them worthy to suffer disgrace for the name of Jesus.

 In Philippians 1:29, Paul says:

"For you have been given not only the privilege of trusting in Christ but also the privilege of suffering for Him."

When was the last time you thanked God for the privilege of suffering for Christ, or are your prayers always centered on asking Him to deliver you from them?

A true story is told of a church that gathered to pray for believers in some of the most hostile nations. One by one, they prayed, each asking God to deliver those suffering churches. Then it came to an old lady’s turn, and she prayed, “God, why have You given them this honor and privilege of suffering for their faith, but not us?”

Her prayer changed the entire viewpoint of the rest. 

You see, in their eyes, those churches were at a disadvantage, but according to the Bible, they were at an advantage, and this old lady understood that and wished they were the ones that had been accorded that privilege. 

Now, i'll give two disclaimers as far as suffering goes...

1. The suffering must not be self-imposed or deserved

This means we must not suffer because of our own evil actions. 

The suffering must be undeserved. 

1 Peter 3:13-14 says:

Now, who will want to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don't worry or be afraid of their threats. 

In Verse 7, he says:

For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

There is no glory for Jesus in suffering for evil. 

If you go to jail for corruption or theft or because you robbed or killed someone, that is deserved, and it is not suffering for Jesus. 

If you lose your job because of misdemeanors or incompetence, that is not suffering for Jesus.

Our troubles must be in our pursuit of righteousness, not unrighteousness.

Jesus said blessed are those who are persecuted for doing the right thing. (see Matthew 5:10)

We need to ensure that when we experience troubles, it is not because of our own fault; otherwise, there is no glory or reward for that.

  2. The suffering must be overcome

Like Job, no matter what men, life, or the devil throw at you, you must overcome it and come out on top by the grace of God; otherwise, your suffering will have been in vain.

The Bible says only those who endure to the end will be saved, so backsliding and forsaking the faith when the going gets tough is not an option for the child of God.

We must fight the good fight, run this tough race of life, and ensure we come out with our faith intact, just like Paul and many others did.

The good news is we are not in this alone – God is with us.

There is sufficient grace for every storm of life (2 Corinthians 12:9). 

Paul says we are more than over-comers in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:37)

Bottom line, anyone can worship when the bills are paid, their stomach is full, the job is stable, the kids are healthy, and the blessings are pouring.

But will you still bow your knee and say, “Jesus is Lord”, in the midst of life's storms?

It’s not the comfortable who are crowned, it’s the faithful. (Revelation 2:10)

Life is hard and being a Christian doesn’t make it easier.

Expect the fire, endure it, keep the faith and never let go of Jesus no matter what.

God bless you.