Text: John 8:31-36
Theme: Truth be told

*NOTE: The text is a combination of the written sermon with the transcript of the delivery

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 Intr – (Children’s message: Pastor has white board with an introductory activity. He hands an envelope to one of the elders.)

We have numbers 1-8 on this board, and we will work with them so that you choose only one to be inside the center circle. (He conducts the dynamic in a way that the number 4 is the one left. Then he asks the Elder to open the envelope which has the number 4 inside).

(Application for children: In life, we’re presented with many “paths” that supposedly lead us to truth. However, just as we had a spot for only 1 number here, so the Bible lets us know that Jesus is the only and one truth. Today we celebrate Reformation Day, when people stood up for the truth of the Gospel. He is the only one who fits at the center of our hearts and guides our steps. So, as we celebrate this day today, we can celebrate Jesus as the only Truth, the truth that sets us free and gives is a life of joy and confidence in Him!)

(Kids go back to their parents)

What just happened here? A pastor who can guess numbers in advance? Please, give me the lottery numbers!

What happened here is no magic, it is just that I have induced the kids’ choices in the direction I wanted them to go, which you may or may not have noticed during the process. The kids arrived at the number I wanted. Don’t panic if you didn’t get it, I’ll come back to it later.

Reformation Sunday is a date to remember the blessed work of the Reformers, especially Martin Luther, of helping the Church to see the essential teachings of the Gospel again. Sola Gratia Sola Fide and Sola Scriptura  – Scripture alone, through grace alone and by faith alone  – encapsulate what the Christian Church teaches, that Truth is a person: Jesus.

The problem is that it is not always easy to get to the truth especially in a world that has different ways of expressing truth, which is fragmented. It is hard to find Truth, what we mostly see is “truths”. Your truth, my truth. Actually, if you take the phrase “truth is relative” literally, you will have eight billion different truths in the world, one for each human being. I can be right, the other person can be right, even if we are speaking of different things. I say this is a pew and you say this is a car and another says this is a giraffe. Everyone can be right. Unless your truth goes against the current main cultural truths. In that case, you need to be cancelled.

Now, it’s easier when there is a blatant lie in front of us. For example, if somebody says that Jesus never existed, you reject it right away, for you know He existed. Or “There’s not going to be an end of the world.” Of course there’s going to be an end of the world. The Bible tells us so. “Muhammad wrote the Bible.” Of course that’s not true. God, the Holy Spirit wrote the Bible. The problem starts when you meet half-truths, seemingly plausible affirmatives, or when one starts with something that is true, but the conclusions distilled from it lead us to wrong places and wrong conclusions.

How do we find ourselves in this jungle of meaning trying to remain firm to God’s Word?

First of all, we are grounded in Christ, the Truth. As we are in Him, it is very helpful for us to continue to learn and grow, so that false winds of doctrine don’t uproot us and drive us away from him. We need to hold on to the objective Truth of the Gospel.[1]

However, we are not short of challenges to our faith. We live in a world filled with half-truths, or truths that become current in society and we might be tempted to accept as true, because they stem from an original good statement. Then we are led by a certain reasoning trick to a direction where others want us to go. There are claims, truths and half-truths that make their way into society which, if we don’t pay close attention, will sway us in unintended directions and consequences for our faith. Here’s some examples that bring it close to home.

 

“Faith is a personal matter.”

Initial truth: You are saved by your personal faith, not by the faith of others (John 3:16; Mark 16:16)

Affirmative 1: Therefore, organized Christian religion is unnecessary to one’s spiritual journey. Faith should not be expressed in public, since faith is a personal matter.

Affirmative 2: If spirituality can exist independently, then the teachings of Scripture are one more among many options. Any truth in spirituality is equally legitimate.

Conclusion: You can be spiritual without being religious.

 

“God wants to save everyone “

Initial Truth: God does indeed desire to save all people (John 3:16).

Affirmative 1: If everyone is saved, we don’t need to be too worried about mission and evangelism, for all religions will lead to God.

Affirmative 2: Since we will all be saved, we can live however we want without too much concern for sin or repentance.

Conclusion: Since God loves everyone, everyone will automatically be saved.

You know, God is love at the very end. His love will prevail and He’ll just save everybody at the end. It’s kind of logical coming from the first affirmative, right? You can get there. You see how I get there.

 

It’s important to have a positive outlook in life.”

Initial Truth: A positive mindset can improve mental health and well-being (Philippians 4:8).

Affirmative 1: Therefore, I should work on suppressing negative feelings or circumstances and focus on positivity.

 Affirmative 2: Since a positive outlook is essential, we should avoid  being confrontational about sin, and need for repentance. For example, not beginning the services with the negativity of the confession of Sins.

Conclusion: Don’t talk too much about negative things and feelings and focus on positivity.

 

“Love is all you need.”

Claim: The Bible says that Love is the highest Gift ( Corinthians 13)

Affirmative 1: Therefore, if you say you do something out of love, if needs to be accepted, regardless of its moral value or alignment with Scripture.

Affirmative 2: Since love is love, we should avoid discussing sin or moral standards. Any teaching or practice can be valid as long as love is present.

Conclusion: Love is love and should be accepted in whichever form it is purportedly manifested.

 

“Your experiences are true for you.”

Initial Truth: Everyone has personal experiences and perspectives that shape their understanding of the world (Philippians 2:3).

Affirmative 1: Therefore, all truths are equally valid, and what one believes is as true as what someone else believes.

Affirmative 2: Since everyone’s truth is valid, we should not talk about accountability or right and wrong.

Conclusion: All truths are equally valid –  what one person believes is as true as what someone else believes.

 

Again, the biggest danger is not so much the evident lie, the thing that you put your eyes on and say, “that’s not what I believe. That is not true.” The danger lies in the subtle conclusions that are drawn along the way, sometimes years, decades down the road, which move the church away from what originally was a true statement.

 

Jesus’ own time was filled with these half-truths and complete derailments of God’s word in the Old Testament. In the Gospel today He shows the path to Truth and to freedom because, in many ways, people at the time were induced to move away from God’s Word. Here are a few examples:

_The Messiah – From the true statement that Messiah would come to be the King of His People, in the end, they were expecting this big guy with his army, delivering them politically with human power, which was way off from the original promise.[2]
_Signs of God’s blessing – The other day, we were talking about the young, rich man who turned away from Jesus because he thought, “since I’m rich and I have blessings, it is a sign that God loves me, and I’ll be saved”. Possessions, which are indeed God’s blessings, were seen as sign of God’s favour and salvation. But when what you have lead you to think of God’s favour outside of faith in Jesus, it becomes a huge problem.[3]
_Ritualism without essence – People offered continued sacrifices, as prescribed by the Old Testament. Did God command all those sacrifices? Yes, they should be done, but with essence, with heart. At some point, the essence was lost.[4]

In the times of the Reformation, similar things were happening. We remember the Reformers as those who fought to bring back essential truths of Christianity because in many ways the Church had been led astray from them.

_Faith and works – Works are important for the Christian life. Indeed, we live our faith out in the world showing works of love. But in the end, the teaching had become that if you don’t have works, you are not going to be saved. Works need to be added to you saving faith.[5]
_Authority of the Bible and of the Church – The Church came to life before the New Testament was written. That is true. But down the road, the Church became the master over the Word. You cannot read your Bible for yourself; you need the magisterium of the Church to give you the only valid interpretation.[6]
_Presence of Christ in Holy Supper – Jesus said, “this is my body…this is the chalice of the new covenant”. Fast forward many centuries and now Holy Communion is both a transformation and a sacrifice offered by the priest. It’s not bread and wine anymore. (1:14:39) It’s just body and blood consecrated,[7] in a sacrifice that can be performed by an ordained minister.

Three out of many examples of how false affirmatives and conclusions, even when small, can become big problems after many years, resulting in a big departure from the Scriptures.  Truth can become half-truth. And then, ultimately, a completely false statement or belief.  We need the Truth from the Word, that you shall know the truth, which is Him and His word, and the Truth that shall set you free.

“Pastor, this can be hard in daily life.” Yes, it can. Sometimes it’s very tricky. Like when you can subscribe to 90% of what has been said, but there’s this 10% that can taint and contaminate the teaching of the truth. Here we see how important it is to go back to the Bible and study it. This is what discipleship is about. This is what spiritual growth is about. We study the Bible over again, going back to it, reading it, inwardly digesting it, so that we remain grounded in the Truth.

It is important to realize that we don’t always need to study every single teaching and religion that is out there in order to know the Truth. We can go directly to the source of the Truth to be firmly grounded in it. Here’s an illustration: It is told that a man once was hired to identify counterfeit coins, but he spent most of his days or all of his days and hours just studying the real ones. He would study every detail of the real coins. One day, someone asked him, “why don’t you ever study the counterfeit ones too?” To which he replied, “Because if I study the real ones long enough to get to know them well, the moment I get a counterfeit coin on my hand, I’ll immediately know it is false.” We can study all sorts of things, for sure, but we should not be drowned in the idea that you can only know the truth if you first go and study everything that is out there. We can start and end with our Bible. As we know the Truth in Christ, and as we feed our faith in Christ with Word and Sacraments, we become prepared. When other things come our way, we’ll be better prepared to examine them and say, “this may appear to be true, but it’s actually counterfeit.”

This is how we position ourselves before our culture whenever we have these types of situations. Speaking the truth in love, being loving and kind and respecting, but also stating what we believe.

Back to those examples from our own time, here’s how we can bring the Biblical Truth to address them:

“Faith is a personal matter”

Biblical Truth: That can work for some religions, but definitely doesn’t work for the Christian faith. Faith is personal but is lived in community. Not only did She start as a collective group, and not as isolated individuals; it is only because the Church is a group of believer that the Christian faith was passed down to us. The New Testament emphasizes the importance of community in faith (Hebrews 10:24-25).

 

“God wants to save all”

Biblical Truth: God’s love for all is demonstrated in Christ’s death, but salvation comes through faith in Jesus (Romans 3:22-24). This false conclusion denies the necessity of repentance and faith, central to Biblical Lutheran teaching on justification by grace, because of Christ, through faith alone.

This false conclusion denies the necessity of repentance when you say God will save everybody  in the end, no matter what, and repentance and faith central to the biblical and Lutheran teaching of our (1:18:28) salvation by faith. God wants to save all. How? Through faith in Jesus.

 

“You have to have a positive outlook in life”

Biblical Truth: While a positive outlook is beneficial, Scripture acknowledges the reality of suffering and encourages honest expression of emotions (Psalm 34:18; 1 John 1:8-9). True faith encompasses both joy and lament, allowing for healing and growth through God’s grace to be strengthened by Him.[8]

For example, if you want to come to church and be sad, because you’re sad, just be sad. Sit down and receive God’s Word. We can be joyful, we can be sad, we can be grieving. All sorts of feelings are welcome in the house of the Lord and in the Christian life.

 

“Love is all you need”

Biblical Truth: God is Love, and He reveals himself in Scripture Therefore, our concept of Love from the Christian Perspective must match what the Bible teaches. Love is grounded in truth and righteousness (1 Corinthians 13:6).  In that sense, Love is all you need, for when you are in God, who is Love, you have all you need.

 

“Your experiences are true for you”

Biblical Truth: Biblical teaching emphasizes that while personal experiences are valid, they do not determine ultimate truth. Scripture is the ultimate authority for truth (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and we are called to test all beliefs against God’s Word (1 John 4:1).

The objective truth of the Gospel provides the foundation for our faith and discernment, guiding us in love and humility toward one another.

 

Here’s important to listen the 4 steps Jesus gives us in John 8:31-32.

-Remaining in the Word
-True disciples
-We learn the Truth
-The Truth sets us free

From our Christian perspective, this is the way that we abide in truth. Is that when we abide in the word because we are disciples, we know Jesus being his disciples and then the truth shall set us free. This, by the way, it’s a verse that is misquoted all over the place. All sorts of people use “the truth shall set you free.” Everybody agrees with it, but if you change truth for Jesus, “… and Jesus shall set you free,” then the verse is of no use anymore. “This is not what we’re talking about.” But for us Christians, this passage is pointing to the reality that Christ feeds us, guides us and grounds us in Him. He is The Truth. So that when those types of affirmatives and conclusions come our way, we may be prepared; or if not, we can we go back and study again, or talk with Christian friends, or with your pastor, as we keep helping each other to grow spiritually and to be grounded in Jesus, and in Him alone.

Cc – Here’s the way I tricked the kids into arriving at the number I wanted them to. (Pastor wanted to have Number 4 at the end, therefore, whenever the children included #4 in their choice of numbers, that set of numbers stayed, and the others were eliminated)

Now, to conclude the sermon, I’d like to put a spin on the initial illustration and see it from a different angle: We live our lives working in different areas. We think we are making great choices and arriving at great results. We may think, “What a great result I have achieved!” But as proverbs 16:9 reminds us, “the heart of the man plans his ways, but the Lord establishes its steps”. When we walk in Christ, we know that, as much as our effort and discernment are important, ultimately it is His hands that guide us through the entire process. He establishes our steps and guides us in His Word. He gives us the Truth and set us free from sin and death. All in those 4 steps, which, truth be told, are a beautiful way to live our life: Remain in Christ, be a disciple, know the Truth, live in freedom.

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Extra topics:

1. “You Should Not Judge others”

Initial Truth: Jesus teaches in Matthew 7:1, “Judge not, that you be not judged,” which warns us against hypocritical or self-righteous judgment.

• • Affirmative 1: Therefore, all forms of judgment are wrong, and we should never evaluate anyone’s actions, choices, or beliefs. If we cannot judge others, we also don’t need to hold ourselves accountable for our actions or beliefs.
  • Affirmative 2: Since judging is wrong, we must accept all “truths” and behaviours as valid.
  • Conclusion: All forms of judgment are wrong, and we should never evaluate anyone’s actions, choices, or beliefs.

Biblical Truth: Discernment is necessary: While Jesus condemns hypocritical and self-righteous judgment, He does not forbid all judgment. In fact, Scripture calls us to make righteous judgments (John 7:24) and discern between truth and error (1 John 4:1). We are to lovingly correct our fellow Christians when they stray from God’s Word (Galatians 6:1), while remaining humble and aware of our own need for grace and correction.

• Judging actions vs. judging hearts: The Lutheran understanding clarifies that while we should refrain from judging the state of a person’s heart or their standing before God, we are called to evaluate actions according to God’s Law. This is not to condemn others but to speak the truth in love and call them to repentance and faith (Matthew 18:15-17), as they can and should also do the same with us.

 

2. “God has a plan for your life.”

Initial Truth: Jeremiah 29:11 affirms that God has plans for His people, plans for welfare and hope.

• Affirmative 1: Therefore, every individual has a specific, detailed plan laid out by God that guarantees success and happiness, which one can seek to discover through personal means.
• Affirmative 2: If God has a plan for everyone, then facing hardships shows that you are outside of His will.

Conclusion: Every individual has a specific, detailed plan laid out by God that guarantees happiness.

Biblical Truth: While God does have a purpose for our lives, it may not always align with worldly definitions of success. His plans often involve growth through trials (James 1:2-4) and require faithfulness in following His Word, not seeking personal revelation apart from Scripture. The true and certain happiness that God’s plan certainly brings is the eternal life in the New Earth and New heavens through faith in Jesus.

 

3. “Be strong.”

Initial Truth: The Bible encourages believers to be strong in their faith and reliance on God (Philippians 4:13; Ephesians 6:10).

• Affirmative 1: Therefore, we should strive to show strength and avoid showing weakness or struggles in our faith.
• Affirmative 2: Since we are called to be strong, we should strive to handle every situation to the best of our knowledge and strength, calling on God as needed.

Conclusion: Therefore, we must exhibit strength and avoid weakness or struggle in our faith.

Biblical Truth: While Scripture encourages strength, it also acknowledges our human frailty and the need for God’s grace (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). When we are weak, then we are strong (Corinthians). Repentance is a sign of weakness for sure, for it shows how we are weak and sin. But it leads to the true strength that comes from God’s Grace and presence. We recognize our limitations and rely on God’s power in our weakness. God is not only a “Co-pilot” in our lives, but He is the one guiding and providing purpose and direction to our hearts.

 

4. “Everyone can find God “

• Initial Truth: God is omnipresent, and His grace is offered to all.
  • Affirmative 1: Therefore, any spiritual path or belief system will lead to God. If all paths lead to God, then there’s no need for Christ or the Gospel.
  • Affirmative 2: Since everyone can find God on their own, community and accountability in faith are unnecessary

Conclusion: Therefore, any spiritual path or belief system will lead to God.

Biblical Truth: Jesus teaches that He is the only way to the Father (John 14:6). The Lutheran Confessions are clear that salvation comes only through the revealed Gospel of Christ, not through human efforts to find God on their own terms. This emphasizes the necessity of Christ’s atonement and the means of grace (Word and Sacrament). Everyone truly can find God: in His Word – In Christ.

 

5. “We are all God’s children.”

Initial Truth: 1 John 3:1-3 states that those who believe in Christ are called children of God.

• Affirmative 1: Everyone who has faith is automatically in the family of God, even if from a different religion.
• Affirmative 2: If we are all God’s children, there is no distinction between believers and non-believers in God’s eyes, and accountability and call to repentance are unnecessary.

Conclusion: Therefore, everyone is automatically a child of God, regardless of their relationship with Christ.

Biblical Truth: While God desires all to come to Him, only those who become part of His family through faith in Christ are His children (Galatians 3:26). This highlights the importance of faith in Jesus as the basis for our identity as God’s children. Every person is a creature of God, but only those who are in Jesus are called children of God.

 

6. “Suffering is a consequence of sin”

Initial Truth: The Bible teaches that sin entered the world through Adam and Eve, resulting in suffering and death for all creation (Genesis 3:16-19; Romans 5:12).

• Affirmative 1: Therefore, all suffering in a person’s life is a direct punishment for their specific sins.
• Affirmative 2: If every instance of suffering is due to personal sin, then those who suffer must be at fault for their circumstances and need to repent to alleviate their suffering.
• Affirmative 3: Since suffering is solely a consequence of sin, it implies that the faithful will not experience suffering if they live righteously. Suffering is a sign of lack of faith, or little confidence in God.

Conclusion: Therefore, all suffering in a person’s life is a direct punishment for their specific sins.

Corrective: While suffering can indeed be a consequence of sin in a general sense, Scripture also teaches that not all suffering is due to personal sin (John 9:1-3; Job 1-2). Suffering can occur for various reasons, including spiritual growth, testing of faith, and living in a fallen world. Lutheran teaching emphasizes that Christ has borne our sins and suffering, offering comfort and hope amid trials (1 Peter 2:24). Suffering is always an opportunity for reliance on God’s grace and a reminder of the hope we have in Christ.[9]

 

7. “Your truth is your truth.”

Initial Truth: Everyone has personal experiences and perspectives that shape their understanding of the world (Philippians 2:3).

• Affirmative 1: Therefore, all truths are equally valid, and what one believes is as true as what someone else believes.
• Affirmative 2: When Personal truth is the standard, objective truth like expressed in the Bible needs to be examined accordingly.

Conclusion: Since everyone’s truth is valid, we should not talk about accountability or rectifying concepts.

Biblical Truth: Lutheran teaching emphasizes that while personal experiences are valid, they do not determine ultimate truth. Scripture is the ultimate authority for truth (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and we are called to test all beliefs against God’s Word (1 John 4:1). The objective truth of the Gospel provides the foundation for our faith and discernment, guiding us in love and humility toward one another.

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[1]To that effetc. let’s analyze this “6 or 9” cartoon to help us to differentiate between angles and points of view from essential and unchangeable truth. This cartoon is often utilized to illustrate the point of “my truth”. We see things differently and both can be right.

However, what is often missed it that they both are looking to the same and unchangeable thing. A 6 that can be a 9 and vice versa. What if one of them was saying, “I see a 10?” Or “I see a horse”? Or “I see a 6, but I identify it as a house?” What we know is that this number can’t be a 6 and a 10 at the same, at least not in the decimal system. Here we need to establish the difference between the thing as it is – objective truth – from the angle we see it – subjective perception. A subjective perception is valid as long as it doesn’t go against the essence of the objective truth.

Jesus is the Son of God, the Saviour of the World. Objective truth. When it comes to subjective approaches to Him, we might say “he is my Saviour and friend”. Another person could say, “he is my Lord and Guide”. A Historian might say “He is a historic person from the 1^st century”. All those subjective perceptions don’t go against the objective truth stated. But if someone says, “Jesus was created by God the Father to be the redeemer of the World”, then you have a false statement. The sense in which we talk about Christian Truth in the sermon today is the objective sense, as we hold the Bible up as the Truth given by God.

[2] In Jesus’ time, many Jewish people held a variety of expectations about the Messiah. Some anticipated a political leader who would liberate them from Roman oppression, while others expected a spiritual figure who would restore Israel’s faithfulness to God. Jesus, however, revealed that the Messiah was not merely a temporal saviour but the incarnate Son of God who would suffer, die, and rise again for the salvation of all humanity. This redefinition challenged the prevailing half-truths and misconceptions about God’s plan for redemption.

[3] Many in Jesus’ time equated material wealth and social status with God’s favor, leading to the belief that prosperity was a sign of divine blessing. Jesus challenged this notion through parables and teachings that highlighted the spiritual dimensions of God’s blessing, emphasizing that true wealth comes from a relationship with Him and serving others. For example, the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) flipped the prevailing view, declaring blessed those who were poor in spirit, mourned, and were persecuted

[4] The religious leaders of Jesus’ time often focused on external rituals and traditions, losing sight of the heart of the law. Jesus confronted this legalism by emphasizing the importance of inner purity and love for God and neighbor (Matthew 23:23). He reminded them that God desires mercy, not sacrifice, highlighting that true worship is not merely about performing rituals but about essence, which will lead to embodying God’s love and grace in daily life.

[5] During the Reformation, the Church had become entangled in the belief that salvation could be earned by adding good works, indulgences, and rituals to faith. Reformers like Martin Luther proclaimed the doctrine of justification by faith alone (sola fide), emphasizing that salvation is a gift of God’s grace received through faith, not something that can be merited. This core truth reshaped the understanding of the believer’s relationship with God, shifting from a fear-based approach to one rooted in trust and assurance of salvation.

[6] The medieval Church held a monopoly on biblical interpretation, often placing church tradition and teachings above Scripture. Reformers argued for the authority of Scripture alone (sola scriptura), asserting that the Bible is the ultimate source of truth for faith and practice. This return to the Scriptures empowered individuals to engage with God’s Word personally and critically, challenging the Church’s authority when it diverged from biblical teachings.

[7] The medieval Church’s understanding of the Eucharist had evolved into a ritualistic practice, often viewed as a means of grace contingent on the priest’s actions. The Reformers reasserted the belief in the real presence of Christ in the Holy Supper but rejected the notion of transubstantiation as defined by the Medieval Church. They emphasized that Christ is truly present in the Sacrament with His body and blood but in and with the bread and the wine, and not as a reenactment of Christ’s Sacrifice, but as a gift for forgiveness of sins and life eternal.

[8] It’s not wrong, when somebody loses somebody, that you would say “be strong, have strength.” But we may be conveying an unintended misguided message: “Be strong. Don’t express your grief. Don’t be weak, you must be strong.” No, you don’t have to be strong. You can be weak; you just lost somebody. Feel free to be weak, to cry, to grieve; people will huddle around you to give you support and strength.

[9] Suffering as Part of the Human Experience: The Bible does not shy away from the reality of suffering; in fact, it acknowledges it as an integral part of life. Jesus Himself warned His followers, “In this world, you will have trouble” (John 16:33). This verse not only affirms that suffering exists but also indicates that it is expected in a fallen world. The presence of suffering does not negate God’s goodness; rather, it highlights our need for His grace and comfort during challenging times.

Suffering as a Means of Growth: Scripture often depicts suffering as a tool for spiritual growth and character development. Romans 5:3-5 teaches that “we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” Through our trials, God refines our faith, drawing us closer to Him and helping us grow in perseverance. This perspective shifts the narrative from viewing suffering solely as a burden to understanding it as an opportunity for growth and reliance on God’s strength.

The Mystery of God’s Will: God’s ways are higher than our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9). We may not always comprehend why suffering occurs or how it fits into God’s overarching plan. However, trusting in His goodness requires recognizing that our limited understanding cannot fully grasp His purposes. In moments of pain, believers can take comfort in the assurance that God ultimately works all things for good for those who love Him (Romans 8:28).

The Promise of Redemption: Christianity uniquely addresses the problem of suffering by pointing to the redemptive work of Christ. Jesus experienced suffering and pain firsthand, providing a model for how to endure trials with hope. Through His death and resurrection, He offers believers the promise of eternal life, where suffering will be no more (Revelation 21:4). This hope transcends earthly pain and reminds us that God has a greater plan beyond our immediate circumstances.

God’s Presence in Our Suffering: Instead of being distant during our suffering, God is intimately involved in our pain. Psalm 34:18 reassures us, “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” In our suffering, we are never alone; God’s presence provides comfort and peace, even in the darkest times. This assurance encourages believers to lean into their faith rather than abandon it in moments of difficulty.