I was just reading an excellent apologetic book by Tim Keller last night, “The Reason for God” and he said the exact opposite. Jesus suffered terribly at the cross, and yet, we are above that? Oh right, because the resurrection brought heaven to earth. NOT!
What the resurrection did was use the perfect sacrifice for sin on the cross, to bring us salvation. Not happiness, health or wealth. Jesus didn’t die so we would escape the physical things of this world. He died because of his love. And that meant taking on our misery, and suffering. Jesus is “God with us” Immanuel - even in our worst sufferings. That is my hope. Not some fictitious “happy” world, where no one is miserable. It is eastern religions and the New Age movement that deny suffering and pain. In Buddhism, suffering is an illusion. Once you can totally live that, then you are enlightened.
That is also what Joyce and the other Word Faithers are doing. They are telling us to pretend that sorrow, death, pain and suffering do not exist. Or, if they exist, deny your feelings and be happy. This has nothing to do with Biblical Christianity. This world is a veil of tears. Our hope is in the next life. When there is a new heaven and earth, and sorrow and sighing are really gone, not just denied.
Jesus speaks of when he returns to earth as a palingenesis.
“I tell you the truth at the renewal of all things, (Gr. palingenesis) the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne.” Matt 19:28
Jesus insists HIS RETURN will be with such power that the very material world and the universe will be purged of all decay and brokenness. All will be healed and all the might-have-beens will be!
Embracingh the Christian doctrines of the incarnation and the cross bring profound consolation in the face of very real suffering. The doctrine of the resurrection can instill us with a powerful hope. It promises that we will get the life we longed for, but it will be infinitely more glorious than if there had never been the need for bravery, endurance, sacrifice or salvation.
This is the ultimate defeat of evil and suffering! It will not only be ended, but so radically vanquished that what has happened will only serve to make our future life with Christ and joy infinitively greater. Is this the “miserable” that Joyce is talking about? I didn’t think so!