Contradictions: Peace or Suffering?

Every once in a while, you’ll come across texts in the Scripture that seem to contradict one another (though do notice that italicized word). What’s a good, Bible-believing Christian to do when they run into such a wall? Well, most walls have doors or gates if you know where to look.

Here’s an example from my own reading of late. Compare and contrast Philippians 3:8-11 and 1 Timothy 2:1-2, and pay particular attention to the words on suffering and peace. 

“For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Philippians 3:8-11).

“First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way” (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

Here we have two proposed ends that seem to be at odds with each other, do we not? On the one hand, we have Paul saying that he seeks to lay hold of Christ by the hand of faith, and thus to know not only the power of his resurrection, but also to share in his suffering. But on the other hand, we have Paul instructing Timothy to pray for all people, including those in governmental authority, to the end that Christians might be “left alone in the good way,” as one pastor has said it.

Which should we actually be seeking for? To share in Christ’s sufferings, or to lead peaceful and quiet lives?

BOTH/AND

Paul certainly knew how to be brought low and how to abound. All Christians are called to godliness and contentment, wherever they happen to be. This, we understand. But what we are trying to unravel is which end we should be asking for in our prayers: should we primarily be asking that we might know Christ by experiencing his afflictions? Or should we primarily be asking that we might live a life of peace and quiet to his glory?

When we encounter these sorts of puzzles, we have to heed Paul’s words: “Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything” (2 Timothy 2:7, emphasis mine). In other words, we are asked to employ all our intellectual faculties as we consider the words of Scripture, precisely because God is the one who gives us understanding as we read and consider and ponder. It’s not either/or, it’s both/and. We think, God gives. 

When we don’t know where to start with a riddle such as the one we’re thinking through, it can be helpful to begin with what we do know. So then, we might begin by considering the chief end of man, which is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. We know that we are to render God the praise which is due his excellency, and we come to praise him and treasure him more fully to the degree that we know him truly. We know God most fully through the Scriptures -- and to know and glorify the triune God is the greatest joy of humankind. He is the One who made our hearts, and he made our hearts for himself (thus said Saint Augustine). 

So then, this being established, how do we properly render praise to God? How do we glorify the name of God in a manner that is befitting his character and in line with the Scriptures? Though this is a gross oversimplification, of the kind offered by spray-tanned politicians on a regular basis, the answer to that question “just depends.” 

Let us take the apostle as an example, and seek to imitate him as he imitated Christ (and may God help us because that is a tall order). He once wrote that his aim was that Christ would be magnified in his body, whether by life or by death. So there are our puzzle pieces: Christ glorified, in the very body of a person, either by life or by death. If Paul was to remain in his body, then he would gladly plod away for the sake of the churches in order that Christ might be glorified amongst them all. If he were to die, then he would seek to show forth Christ as a greater treasure than even bodily comfort and ease. But the means by which he sought the end of magnifying Christ in his body simply depended upon what was actually happening to his body.

So we see that the biblically appointed means can vary depending on circumstances. When there’s plenty of food on the table, you glorify Christ by feasting on the bounty of the fields and giving proper thanks to the Giver of all good gifts and daily bread; when you’re shivering alone in a prison cell, you glorify Christ by refusing to bow the knee to Caesar in exchange for release. 

NOT EITHER/OR

But again, our question comes back to this: which one should we seek after primarily? Perhaps we ought to consider where God is ultimately leading all his people — to the heavenly city of New Jerusalem. Within the walls of that city, there will be no more tears or pain or loneliness. We will forever lead peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness. We will do our work free from the curse of thorns, and each person will sit under their own fig tree and sip on sweet tea unmolested. That is what the kingdom will look like in all of its fullness: peaceful and quiet, with the Lord himself shining out as the source of light. 

But in the meantime, we all endure suffering and sorrow to one degree or another. On this sin-ridden earth, it will never be a question of if we will suffer; it will be a question of when and how much? 

So when we think about it in these terms, an answer to our original question begins to emerge: we can pray both primarily, without getting lost in an either/or dilemma. We have found that we weren’t really even asking the right question in the first place. We should pray for both ends: we should pray that we might indeed lead peaceful and quiet lives; but when things go straight to hell instead, then we should pray that we might share in Christ’s sufferings.

And so it is that when we come to the seemingly contradictory texts of Scripture, we can think through what the passages say, and God will give us understanding. He may not give us perfect knowledge, but he will give us enough to make it through the day; he will guide us along the seemingly impenetrable wall and lead us to the gate.