The Christian life is no picnic. Granted, having a vibrant relationship with Jesus Christ is full of inexhaustible joy. But suffering and trials can push joy out and invite fear in. On the surface this seems inconsistent with Jesus' words, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10); unless, of course, we have misinterpreted the "fullness" of life in Christ. This brings me back to the so-called "health and wealth" gospel of the previous post. I've often heard John 10:10 used in the context of rewards for faithful service by health and wealth preachers. Their logic is simple: if you're in debt, Jesus wants to lift you out because that isn't life to the full. Or, if you have cancer you should have more faith when you pray for healing because living with cancer isn't life to the full. Whether the context is health or wealth the point is that God rewards faithful servants with good things in this life. So, if you're having trouble it must be due to some deficiency in your faith.
What are the present rewards for faithful service? Jesus affirms the exact opposite of the health and wealth gospel: "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). Jesus affirms at least three things: 1) the world is full of trouble, 2) you (his followers) will experience trouble and trial, and 3) he has triumphed over the troubled world. Troubles of the world such as job loss, debt, depression, cancer, and the like, are par for the course and not reflective of one's faith, or lack thereof. The point is not that Jesus will spare us from trouble but that he has defeated it on the cross.
Jesus suffered the cross in spite of his faithfulness and we too will suffer in spite of ours. Just like Jesus, cross-bearing is our lot in this troubled world. What are the present rewards for faithful service? Cross-bearing. Discipleship is not about being saved from the storms of life, it is about weathering those storms. The storms will come and our faithfulness determines how we will weather them. It's difficult to see God's glory, trust his plan, and feel his love in the midst of a turbulent storm but we trust Christ when he says he has overcome this fallen world. Although we do not see it we trust in his victory (Heb 2:8).
Many of us are in the midst of financial storms. Theses storms often make us question our faith. Why do I serve God? Why do I contribute at church? Why did I lose my job when that job itself was an answered prayer? Not that I'm God's greatest servant but surely I don't deserve to worry about where my next meal will come from. I don't deserve to fear not having enough money for rent. Why does trusting Christ seem not to pay off? These are honest questions and should be lifted up before God's throne in Jobian cries and laments. But one thing is certain, the NT does not promise economic rewards for faithful service. In this life the Christian is only promised that God will provide for basic material needs - daily bread.
Materialism = idolatry. To expect material rewards for faithful service is fundamentally opposed to the values of the kingdom of God. We live in an idolatrous world that sees wealth as the supreme sign of status. We must not cave in to the idolatrous materialism of our culture by adopting a health and wealth gospel. To expect financial blessing as a reward in this life is to reject Jesus' call to cross-bearing. Cross-bearing, suffering, persecution, however you want to label it, may extend to our finances if God deems necessary to transform us into the image of Christ. We are called to suffer for and in spite of Jesus' name (Acts 9:16; 2 Tim 3:12).
Jesus never promises his disciples economic affluence. He calls them to self-denial, sacrifice, cross-bearing, and even severe suffering for the kingdom of God. God will reward faithfulness in terms of the values of his kingdom and his righteousness which is opposed to the idolatrous kingdoms of the present world. Perhaps we need to be reminded of the painful process of transforming our minds in order to see the world's troubles in the shadow of the cross.
