1. Suffering? What Suffering?
1 Peter 1: 6-9
Suffering? What Suffering?

2. What was it like to live in the early church?

5. About 100 AD
Pliny
Trajan

7. 1 Peter c. 62 AD
Pliny to Trajan 100 AD
40 years

8. What sort of trials?
Sickness yes
But
Emphasis on suffering for the name of Jesus.

9. NT promises persecution

10. Alexander worships his god

11. They will cause us grief.

12. Suffering is only temporary

13. It is necessary

14. Why?
Element of submission
Not random but purposeful and meaningful
Precious like gold
Shows the real things

15. In AD 247 Emperor Decius blamed the Christians for a plague because they refused to worship the gods in the 1000 yr celebration of Rome. And so he launched an empire-wide persecution of Christians.

16. Persecution and Aftermath
Anyone without a “sacrifice certificate”—granted by sacrificing to a pagan god—could be imprisoned.

17. Persecution and Aftermath
What about church members who obtained false certificates?
CYPRIAN SAID …
DONATUS SAID …
These church members should be given a second chance; re-admit them to the church after they show the authenticity of their repentance through prayer and fasting.
These church members were never true believers; furthermore, if one of them had been a pastor, every baptism or ordination ever performed by that pastor was invalid.

18. Constantine Changes Everything
In 312 Constantine the emperor rules against Donatus
Image: © Andre Nantel
Emperor Constantine

19. Our faith is also refined

20. It results in Praise and glory
But whose?

21. Faith statement

22. Suffering will come.
It comes for a purpose
Don’t pretend
Think of it as special and precious because God is working in your life.
Take the long term view.
Going to take faith.