Sufferings and Afflictions

Colossians 1:24  •  1 min. read  •  grade level: 10
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Q. Colossians 1:2424Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: (Colossians 1:24). Are the “sufferings” and “afflictions” of this verse the common privilege of all saints, or only peculiar to the apostle Paul?
R. M.
A.—To the devout Ananias it was declared by the Lord Jesus that Saul was “a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before Gentiles and kings and sons of Israel. For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake.” Taken out from among the people and the Gentiles, Paul was pre-eminently the suffering apostle of the nations.
He here rejoices in his sufferings for them (Gentiles even whom he had never seen!), and fills up that which is behind (or, lacking) of the afflictions of Christ in his flesh, “for his body's sake which is the church.” What these afflictions were we may learn in part from such scriptures as 1 Corinthians 4:9-139For I think that God hath set forth us the apostles last, as it were appointed to death: for we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men. 10We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honorable, but we are despised. 11Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwellingplace; 12And labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: 13Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the offscouring of all things unto this day. (1 Corinthians 4:9‑13); 2 Corinthians 11:23-2823Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 24Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 25Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 26In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 28Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. (2 Corinthians 11:23‑28); 2 Timothy 3:10, 1110But thou hast fully known my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, 11Persecutions, afflictions, which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; what persecutions I endured: but out of them all the Lord delivered me. (2 Timothy 3:10‑11).
For our sins the Lord Jesus suffered once for all on the cross, and in this He is alone, in which none can share. But if Isaiah 63:99In all their affliction he was afflicted, and the angel of his presence saved them: in his love and in his pity he redeemed them; and he bare them, and carried them all the days of old. (Isaiah 63:9) reveals the divine sympathy for His earthly people, how much more does Acts 9:4, 54And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. (Acts 9:4‑5) tell out His identification with the persecuted confessors of His name, the partakers of a heavenly calling. And as every Christian now suffers with Christ, if not indeed for Him, so should he take his share in affliction as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. We are called to be followers of the blessed apostle, as he was of Christ, and to “endure all things for the sake of the elect” (2 Timothy 2:3, 9, 103Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. (2 Timothy 2:3)
9Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound. 10Therefore I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. (2 Timothy 2:9‑10)).