Acts 14:22, commentary and pictures

Paul and Barnabas returned to the churches they had raised up at Lystra, Iconium and Antioch to strengthen the new believers, urge them to continue steadfast in the faith, and teach them that entrance into the kingdom comes through much tribulation. The kingdom is entered only through much tribulation, for the way is not easy convenience but conflict, warfare, self-denial and suffering that perfects character and fits souls for heaven. This means following where Christ leads and sharing His humiliation, cross and suffering rather than seeking an easier way, enduring hardship with gratitude and courage because He endured far more to save others. Trials are not failure or loss but refining furnace-work that calls faith into exercise, removes dross, develops strength in the Lord, and prepares believers to sit with Christ in glory as they partake of His sufferings. That confirming and exhorting work is the pattern for ministry today, to organize converts, advance into new fields, revisit and build up churches, train young workers, and meet increasing trial without fear, complaint or turning aside.

Missionary Setting and Return

In Iconium many Jews and Greeks believed while opponents stirred up hostility against the apostles, yet the apostles continued their work boldly and many accepted the gospel despite the resistance. After blessed labor at Derbe where many souls embraced the truth, Paul and Barnabas returned to Antioch, Iconium and Lystra. That return was in obedience to Christ's direction to flee when persecuted in one city, leading them back into fields of opposition, reproach and bitter persecution including the stoning of Paul.

They felt it their duty to visit again the places where many souls had believed, to strengthen and encourage the many believers and brethren left there who were exposed to reproach and bitter opposition. They were determined to bind off securely the work they had done so that it would not ravel out or unravel. At Lystra Paul had first been greeted as a god by the heathen and then, through falsehood and misrepresentation by opposing Jews who followed him, had been met with insult, abuse and a determination to kill him.

He came back to Lystra afterward to care for the fruit of his work there. This confirming and strengthening belongs to Paul and Barnabas's return to the churches they had established, where they strengthened the believers and prepared people for responsible service.

Strengthening Disciples to Continue

Understanding that entrance into Christ's kingdom comes through trial and suffering strengthens disciples in faith. Persecution does not have to intimidate them, but can confirm their faith. So it was at Lystra, where the converts were not frightened away by persecution. Their experience confirmed their faith and their hope of reaching Christ's kingdom through hardship, for entering God's kingdom requires passing through much tribulation.

Disciples need to be strengthened in faith and urged to continue in the faith. Believers may face reproach, bitter opposition, and coming trials, and they need encouragement and support to remain firm, steadfast, and faithful through them. This strengthening fortifies faith so it endures, so the work among believers continues, and so they can bear faithful witness to Christ in difficult times.

Kingdom Entered Through Tribulation

The way to heaven is narrow and seemingly inconvenient, not a road of inviting convenience but a path of conflict, trial, tribulation and suffering. As Captain, Christ hides nothing of the battles to be fought but openly maps the way, and the apostle echoes that same warning. The tribulation is real, yet it is not to be kept before the mind as only discouragement, because Jesus Himself leads through it.

Believers are now in the church militant, not the church triumphant, and their path to the Paradise of God is intercepted by the whole synagogue of Satan. That opposition aims to weaken faith by shutting out the rays of the Sun of Righteousness. The warning that entrance requires much tribulation was given so that depressed and discouraged disciples, almost ready to yield to despair, will continue in the faith. Even then they may still find light in darkness and perpetual streams of Christ's love poured into lives bound up with His life hid in God.

God's people pass through much tribulation, and becoming a Christian exempts no one from sorrow or trial. The present life is a time of warfare and trial, requiring faith to endure. That endurance rests on trust that God will not allow temptation beyond what His children can bear. Such faith can sustain through persecution and suffering and even death, with hope of eternal glory.

No one can enter Christ's kingdom in any other way than through much tribulation, with Christ crucified kept in view. This means following where Jesus leads rather than refusing that path, and doing the neglected work. It means fully meeting God's just and righteous requirements according to the grace and truth given, walking in the shining light lest received light turn to darkness. It means standing on the elevated ground truth has prepared, exhibiting union and oneness with Christ in character and works, answering for talents committed in trust, and advancing in knowledge and true holiness according to great light and unfolded sacred truth. For truth that has reached the understanding and illuminated the soul will at the last day judge and condemn all who turn away and refuse to be led by it.

To be with Christ in glory requires coming to Him through much self-denial and tribulation. That is suffering for Christ's sake by experience, bearing the cross after Christ and not shunning responsibility. Those who desire to be like Him and to have a place with Him in glory must not avoid poverty and crucifixion.

Entrance demands self-denial, the sacrifice of earthly riches, and the giving of all to Christ in order to obtain eternal riches and secure an inheritance that endures through all eternity. To treat earthly things as the chief good and spend life to gain worldly riches is a poor investment ending in eternal loss, when too late the trusted things are seen crumbling into dust. Therefore the Christian is constantly to war the good warfare, never laying down weapons until Christ bids rest.

That tribulation involves continual self-denial and self-sacrifice. It belongs to God's plan for spreading true religion and for the moral discipline of His blood-bought people. Christ Himself was made perfect through suffering, and His followers enter by that same path.

Trials can interrupt the path to eternal life and be used by the tempter to weaken faith, but they do not remove the promise of the kingdom.

Christ's Example and Companionship

Entering the kingdom requires passing through much tribulation, and those who follow Christ must be willing to share His humiliation and sorrow rather than seek an easier way into His kingdom. His life of toil, privation, humiliation and suffering to save others marks the path His followers must be willing to take. Self-denial is therefore required of all who follow Him, and no easier path than His can rightly be sought.

His followers should not expect to enter without trials and reproach and without sharing His humiliation. Nor should they expect a life free from toil and conflict, but are called to follow where Jesus leads. Hardship is to be endured with gratitude rather than complaint, for His cross and mediation make peace, joy and salvation possible. In affliction they should remember His compassion and that they cannot know how much worse their suffering would be without Him.

Hardships and trials are part of the Christian inheritance and must be met with endurance. Christ, the Majesty of heaven, came to demonstrate how to bear the world's rebuffs without fainting and without retaliation. Every trial borne wisely becomes a blessing that lifts up rather than casts down. Trying to shirk hard and stony places for an easier, pleasanter way brings disappointment and adversity, while bracing the soul for trial and duty and marching forward bravely in God makes the path of self-denial and self-sacrifice lead to honor and heavenly riches in the future, immortal life.

God leads His children through trial to perfect trust, giving tribulation in the world and peace in Christ. Followers of Christ will often be sorely tried and afflicted for obedience, virtue, integrity and witness. Joseph was maligned and persecuted for preserving virtue, David was hunted by wicked enemies, Daniel was cast into the lions' den for allegiance to God, and Jeremiah was cast into a loathsome pit for plain testimony. Stephen was stoned for preaching Christ crucified, Paul was imprisoned and finally put to death for carrying the gospel to the Gentiles, and John was banished to Patmos for the Word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Purpose and Refining of Trials

Entering the kingdom of God involves much tribulation, and trials call faith into exercise and develop strength in the Lord. Affliction is to be endured through God's power and through glorying in the cross of Christ. Suffering and purification remove what is wrong and fit people for heaven, so hardship can serve good rather than signal failure or loss.

There is no crown without a cross, for being fitted for heaven requires pruning and purifying and furnace work until the dross is consumed and the divine image is reflected. That process costs suffering and trial while the human will is not subjected to the will of Christ. Strength comes only by exercise, and strong faith comes only by being placed where faith is tried. Christ was tried in every possible way yet triumphed in God continually, and it is the privilege of believers to be strong in God's strength under all circumstances and to glory in the cross of Christ. They are therefore to continue in the faith instead of following inclination, judging by appearances, and complaining in discontent when apparent failure and great loss are in reality triumph and gain working together for their good.

Attaining perfection of character is not easy but a daily conflict, battle, and march, and entering the kingdom requires much suffering. Sitting with Christ on His throne requires first sharing in His suffering, following His own path of bringing many sons to glory by being made perfect through suffering and learning obedience by the things He suffered. Tribulation in this world is certain, yet trials met in advancing should not cause timidity and cowardice, nor repining and complaint, for Jesus gives all the help that is asked for and believed.

Ministry Pattern for Today

After preaching the gospel in new territory and teaching many, the work did not end with planting churches but continued in special follow-up labor by returning to Lystra and Iconium and Antioch, the churches already raised up, to confirm the souls of the disciples, exhort them to continue in the faith, and teach that entrance into the kingdom of God comes through much tribulation. That confirming and exhorting of young churches is essential missionary labor of great value to the churches, fulfilling the commission to teach all nations and to teach them to observe all things. The same pattern is to be carried out now by laborers together with God in the last days, advancing without set boundaries, enlarging influence and the circle of effort, educating more workers, keeping advancing to all parts of the globe, revisiting and strengthening the churches raised up, and returning to the sending church.

After a missionary tour the steps were retraced to visit the churches raised up in order to strengthen the believers and keep them firm in belief and urge them to hold fast. Ministers today are to labor in the same way by organizing new converts into churches and then passing on to other fields, revisiting the churches, and proclaiming the truth in the regions beyond and then returning to confirm the work already begun. From this example there are to be no idlers in the Lord's vineyard, but servants constantly enlarging the circle of their efforts until the work encircles the world and belts the world. In doing so they are to sanctify themselves so that others may be sanctified for successful work in winning souls to Christ.

On that return men were selected to unite with them in the work, and worthy young men were chosen to train as co-laborers for proclaiming the gospel. Educating young men for the gospel ministry was made part of the work by taking them on journeys so they gained experience that later fitted them for positions of responsibility, and by keeping in touch with their work when separated from them. This teaches experienced laborers today to train younger men and place burdens on their shoulders rather than trying to carry all burdens themselves, because it is God's desire that those who have gained experience in His cause train young men for His service. The example shows that God's servants should strengthen and build up churches and train others as fellow workers to work alongside them.

Meeting Trials with Courage

Entering the kingdom of God involves much tribulation, and the Christian life is a daily conflict and march, not an easy path to perfected character. Those who will share Christ's glory must also share His suffering, and this calls for meeting trials with courage rather than fear, complaint, or repining. Because Christ has overcome, trials can be faced without fear, complaining, or resentment. The way to perfection of character is a daily conflict and struggle, and those who will share Christ's throne must also share His suffering. Trials refine character and prepare believers to do and suffer for God, being acts of grace intended for eternal good rather than needless blows meant to destroy.

Attaining perfection is not easy but a daily conflict, battle, and march, and all who reach the standard enter heaven only through much tribulation as partakers of Christ's suffering in order to sit with Him on His throne. That lesson is learned day after day while awaiting Christ's soon appearing with power and great glory to take those who have received Him to the mansions He has gone to prepare. It requires keeping the armor on and living in habitual communion with God abiding in Christ, individually experiencing what was true of Him. Trials met in advancing should not make anyone timid or cowardly, but trials and persecution are to be met without timidity, cowardice, repining, or complaint, trusting Jesus to give all that is asked and believed.

Entering the kingdom requires going through much tribulation as faithful sentinels for God who do not swerve one hair from truth and righteousness. That tribulation is the near night of trial, the night of weeping, and the night of persecution for the truth's sake. Satan has come down with great power with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in every country to gain a foothold and hedge up the way. Famines are increasing, pestilences are sweeping away thousands, and dangers stand all around from powers without and satanic workings within, while God's restraining power is still being exercised.