PART TWO:

6. Believers suffer as a testament of faith to others (Hebrews 11 – Living by Faith: “Now without faith, it is impossible to please God, since the one who draws near to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him”).

7. God allows people to suffer so they will turn to Him in repentance and not perish for eternity (Luke 13:1-4 – Two Options…Repent or Perish: Jesus said in verses 3 & 5 – “I tell you, unless you repent, you will perish as well”).

8. Christians suffer so they can be conformed more closely to the character of Christ (Romans 8:28-30, James 1:2-4 – “Consider it a great joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you experience various trials, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing”).

9. Believers suffer so they can know Christ more fully (Philippians 3:10 – “My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death, assuming that I will somehow reach the resurrection from among the dead”).

10. To prepare followers of Christ for the glory of Heaven (2 Corinthians 4:17 – “For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory”).