В христианстве страдания всегда рассматривались as virtues. The suffering person is a person who has the special favor of the Lord, because the Almighty promises to reward something for worthy enduring suffering, if not on earth, then beyond the threshold of death in blissful eternity.
Commandments of Bliss and Suffering
Проповедь Иисуса Христа, запечатленная в Gospels, clearly focused on people not rich, oppressed and tolerate one or other bad weather. The word "suffering", which is synonymous in Christianity - the word "holy", refers to different categories of people by Christ. The so-called commandments of bliss speak eloquently of this.
In them the afflicted is the beggar, the weeping, the hungering anda thirsty, driven out for the truth, a man who is unjustly slandered. However, Christ does not say that God will immediately deliver from the suffering of the person who turned to him. Suffering can be tolerated from above and only patience, humility and resignation are imputed to merit. If suffering is suffered with resentment and anger, envy and anger, they become a source of curse, not blessings. This behavior suggests that a person did not pass the school of spiritual life and did not stand the test.
Suffering as a test of faith
On suffering, as a test, it is said inThe Bible is not already in the Old Testament. “Those who suffer” - the meaning of the word, as such, is determined by the basis of “strife”, which goes back to the common root with the word “to suffer,” that is, to endure pain, anguish and adversity. Such tests are sent or allowed by God in order for a person to establish himself before himself in his convictions and values. And besides, he was distracted from everyday fuss and, in the context of suffering, laid the care of himself on God, faithfully devoting himself to his providence. A suffering person is a person chosen for the highest award, unless, of course, he adequately transfers his fate. This idea is vividly illustrated in the book of Job - the textbook image of an unjustly suffering righteous man, who later, through a worthy endurance of trials, gained the highest mercy of God.
Suffering as punishment for sins
There is, however, a different view of suffering.It is also reflected in the Bible and is that suffering is interpreted as a punishment for the sins committed. From this point of view, the suffering is a sinner who redeems his guilt before God. At the same time, such an interpretation puts the image of the biblical God in an ambiguous position: the vengeful nature is not to the face of God, which is love. Punishment in order to educate a criminal is one thing, but a ruthless avenger sending a flood, incinerating Sodom, punishing the death of guilty (and not so) people creates some problems for Christian theology. How these problems were resolved is another matter. Some groups of believers consistently refused to recognize for God the role of the reformer and avenger for sins. Others, on the contrary, tried to develop this image to the extreme and were guided by it in their own actions. Ultimately, this issue is still waiting to be resolved and understood.
