We learn obedience through what we suffer. That is one reason why God allows us to suffer. He is teaching us to trust and obey Him. However, this is not the way most of us think. When we are made to suffer, the first thought is, “What have I done wrong?” (or we know what we have done wrong….)

We think God makes us suffer because of our sin. To be sure, we DO suffer because of our sin. How many relationships and heartaches have we brought unto ourselves and others because of our sin? However, that doesn’t mean that all of our suffering is due to our sin. We could’ve lived a perfect life, and yet God will allow us to suffer so that we will learn to trust and obey Him.

Jesus was made to suffer for this reason. He was made to suffer so that he would learn to obey God and made perfect. What? Jesus had to learn to obey God and made perfect? Yes. Not my words, but the Bible’s!

“Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him.” Hebrews 5:8-9. 

These are certainly perplexing words. Why would the perfect Son of God need to learn to obey and made perfect? Isn’t he already perfect? Isn’t he already perfectly obedient? Why then does he have to learn to obey?

There is a theoretical and an actual perfection. Before Jesus’ suffering, he was theoretically perfect. But after the cross, he was actually perfect. An example of this would be a bridge that is constructed to withstand earthquakes. Theoretically, it can withstand the earthquake.  However, only when the actual earthquake happens, it would finally be proved that it can withstand it. Jesus “proved” his perfect obedience when He went through the suffering on the cross. He was never imperfect or sinful. He simply proved that He really was perfect and sinless by being tested and passing it with flying colors.

Application. If the Son of God had to “learn” to obey through suffering, how much more the likes of us who are imperfect and sinful?

If you are child of God and suffering today, know that He is teaching you to obey and trust Him.

PH