“Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
This is a statement of hope for a Christian. Suffering and trials WILL occur whether a person is a Christian or not. If a Christian does strive to live a Christ-directed life, then that person will avoid many trials in life that come to people that do not live a Christian life.
But there is more to this than simply avoiding trials. If a Christian lives a life that is Christ-centered, in spite of the trials and suffering that occurs in this world, that person will receive the crown of life promised by God. It does not mean that a Christian will never stumble, but it does mean that the Christian continues forward due to his/her faith and love for the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Paul wrote in Philippians 3:14, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” This is the attitude that every Christian must have.
A Christian life is a life of hope and anticipation for the future. A Christian’s life does not end when he/she dies. In fact, life truly begins. Finally, there will be a sense homecoming and completeness that is totally beyond a person’s ability to understand or comprehend in this life. But when a Christian comes into the presence of absolute love and purity, all the struggles in this life will become irrelevant.
This is a statement of hope for a Christian. Suffering and trials WILL occur whether a person is a Christian or not. If a Christian does strive to live a Christ-directed life, then that person will avoid many trials in life that come to people that do not live a Christian life.
But there is more to this than simply avoiding trials. If a Christian lives a life that is Christ-centered, in spite of the trials and suffering that occurs in this world, that person will receive the crown of life promised by God. It does not mean that a Christian will never stumble, but it does mean that the Christian continues forward due to his/her faith and love for the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Paul wrote in Philippians 3:14, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” This is the attitude that every Christian must have.
A Christian life is a life of hope and anticipation for the future. A Christian’s life does not end when he/she dies. In fact, life truly begins. Finally, there will be a sense homecoming and completeness that is totally beyond a person’s ability to understand or comprehend in this life. But when a Christian comes into the presence of absolute love and purity, all the struggles in this life will become irrelevant.