Why Christians Should Never Suffer

By Stanley O. Williford
Director of Publications

This book has been variously titled Why Should Christians Suffer? and Why Christians Should Never Suffer. Because of the conflict in titles, the latter version is being offered for only a fraction of what it would normally cost. In fact, it is being offered for only $3 rather than the intended price of $12. But the content of both books is the same. The only difference is the title.

In his Introduction, Apostle Frederick K. C. Price establishes that his purpose is “to examine these concepts of suffering in light of the scripture.”

He writes in Chapter One, “We all need to know if, indeed, it is God’s purpose for Christians to suffer. After all, we want to be obedient, and if this is His intention for our lives, and if we benefit in some way from it, we should know that. But, by the same token, if these ‘concepts of suffering’ are not based on the Bible, or if they misrepresent what the scripture actually says, we need to know that too.”

Concept 1: “Nothing can touch the child of God without God’s permission, so we accept each hurt, each problem, each difficulty as from His hand, seeking to learn from it all that He would teach us using all the resources of God at our disposal and asking Him to turn it for our good and His glory.”

Apostle writes: “There are mixtures and error here . . . it is accurate to say that nothing happens without God’s permissive will, and we don’t have to limit that to Christians; it applies to the whole world.”

“But let’s analyze this concept a little deeper. What does the Bible say? Jesus, speaking in John 10:10, said. The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they [i.e. believers in Him] may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. The very fact that Jesus said ‘the thief’ and contrasted the thief with Himself, reveals there is a difference between what the thief does and what Jesus’ purpose is. Jesus negates all that the thief does and lets us know that what the thief does is not the decreed will of God for His children.”

“What does a thief do? He steals! Anything that steals from you is not the work of God, but rather the work of the thief. In other words, anything that steals your joy, your home, your job, your relationships, your health, your money didn’t come from God, but from the thief. But that’s not all. Jesus said that the thief’s purpose is also to kill.”

Concept 1: goes on for many pages, providing more than enough evidence to any doubter to question his unbelief. Actually, it is six pages of solid truth.

Concept 2: “The Bible and the history of the Church both demonstrate that God’s way for the suffering of the people has not always been the way of escape, but the way of endurance.”  

In other words, it is the Christian’s lot in life to endure, not escape troubles. Is that true? What does the Bible say? Look at First Corinthians 10:13:

No temptation [and that means trial or test] has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted [tried or tested] beyond what you are able, but with the temptation [trial or test] will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 

This book is so good, so logical, so full of godly truth that one cannot help but quote it. There is no need to interpret it because it is positively clear.

Continuing with the explanation of verse 13, Apostle Price writes:

“Notice that the verse did not say ‘common to Christians’ but ‘common to man.’  It isn’t only Christians who get cancer; sinners do, too. It isn’t only Christians who are on welfare; sinners are, too. It isn’t only some Christians who operate in fear; sinners do, too.

“Satan is a sadist. He does not like humans because God Created man in His image. But the devil’s children are already under his [the devil’s] domain, his authority. So Bible-believing, tongue-talking Christians really draw Satan’s ire because they are not under his control.

“The term no temptation means that there is not one person alive today who is going through anything new, and for whom God has not already provided a means of escape. Some misguided Christians think they need to die for Jesus. God needs you alive! There is nothing you can do for God dead.”

What teaching! In fact, this revelation on Concept 2 goes on for seven pages.

Concept 3: “Sometimes He [God] allows us to suffer so that we may grow spiritually.”

“You may hear people say, ‘I’m suffering for the Lord.” No, you are suffering because you are ignorant of the Word. What does the Bible say about this concept? In 1 Peter 2:1-3, we find:”

1. Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, 
2. as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,
3. if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

“How do you grow? By the Word. That’s why I teach – so that you can get the Word. You grow spiritually through the Word, not through suffering. Peter didn’t say ‘desire the pure milk of suffering,’ but of the Word.

“This requires work on your part. You have to dig deep if you want the mother lode.  You can’t just sit there and say, ‘The Lord put this on me, so I’m suffering to learn a great truth.’ No, God wants you to grow through the Word. Look at 2 Peter 3:18: but grow in the grace of and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen.  Peter tells us twice, then, that you are to grow in ‘grace’ and ‘knowledge.’ There is nothing in that verse about suffering, and it does not say anywhere that you should suffer to obtain knowledge. Notice, this is not an option, but a command: ‘but grow . . . .’”

There are nineteen concepts of suffering in this book, but we barely touched on three. We have not come remotely close to the first third of this book, but even so we are starting to understand that “suffering for the Lord” is a misused and unbiblical concept. Apostle Price is revealing another great truth. That is that He [Jesus] suffered for us. We don’t have to suffer for Him. 

To find this and other books by Apostle Frederick K.C. Price and Dr. Betty R. Price, go to www.faithdome.org/store. Then click on Shop. Lastly, click the down arrow for find Books. Otherwise, call the church at (323) 758-3777 and ask for the bookstore.