“At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him. But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” (Hebrews 2: 8b-9, ESV)
As we look at our world today it seems that we in the midst of chaos no matter how hard we try to think everything is normal. It is not. Evil is on the rise across the globe with widespread persecution of Christians as well as violence from terrorists. The United States was once socially, morally, and spiritually rooted in Biblical Christianity and Biblical values. This is no longer the case. Sin, selfishness, and sexual immorality are widely accepted as normal and even legal. People have become spiritually bankrupt, their consciences seared, having little respect for others. This has resulted in mass shootings and widespread violence.
In addition, many Christians have abandoned God’s Word in favor of human ideals and institutions. Many churches now teach a gospel of self-centeredness, relativism and universalism rather than salvation by faith in Christ alone. These are attempting to be open-minded and nonjudgmental in order to attract people to church. In reality, they are leading others astray, bringing upon them God’s judgment as well as a host of physical troubles and emotional turmoil. They are also ignoring or minimizing the power of sin.
The solution, as the writer of Hebrews presents is to heed the words of God in Christ Jesus. He rules all things and has defeated the powers of darkness and death. Yet some may object that evil runs rampant throughout the world. Why do evil men create such havoc? Why do we still have pain, sickness, persecution and death? The writer of Hebrews presents us with a stunning explanation by affirming the truth of the Incarnation. The man Jesus is God Almighty. With this magnificent portrait of Christ, the writer lets us know that all our suffering here on earth is within the plan and purpose of God. Our oneness with Jesus means that we receive the glory and salvation He achieved but it also means that, like Him, we suffer. Our suffering gives glory to God as part of His plan for the triumph of His kingdom and His sovereign will. At the same time our suffering helps us to grow into the image of Christ. And because Jesus endured pain and temptation, He can help us to persevere because He knows what we are going through. We must never forget this no matter what He calls us to endure. Our trials and suffering can bring us closer to Him if cling to Him as our constant source of strength, comfort and peace.