NO PAIN, NO GAIN

“No pain, no gain” is an expression usually associated with working out. The idea is, if you are not feeling any pain, then not much gain is happening, especially when it comes to building muscle mass. Did you know that a similar expression was made by a rabbi in the second century? He taught that when there is no pain in doing what God commands, there is no spiritual gain.

Some have the false idea that being a Christian takes little effort, just like some think that walking to the dinner table and lifting the fork to their mouths is a great workout. The Bible tells us that living the Christian life is difficult. Jesus said:

Matthew 7:13” Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it.  ¹⁴ “Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

 Jesus also said:

John 15:20 “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

Do you get any indication from what Jesus said that living the Christian life will be easy?

God’s Word teaches us that we must walk in the light, press forward to the goal of heaven, run, be steadfast, be doers of His Word, and be faithful till the day we die. When we live for the Lord and live according to His Word, we will feel the pain and reap the spiritual gain.

For example, Paul was one of the hardest-working apostles, and he did great things that helped the kingdom of God grow, but he had to endure great hardship just as Jesus said He would, as he spoke these words to Ananias about Paul:

Acts 9:16 “For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”

I want you to consider this summary of the pain he had to go through in order to be a Christian.

2 Corinthians 11:23 Are they ministers of Christ? -- I speak as a fool -- I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.  ²⁴ From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one.  ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;  ²⁶ in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren;  ²⁷ in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness --  ²⁸ besides the other things, what comes upon me daily: my deep concern for all the churches.

Paul had to endure a lot, but he never regretted his decision to be a faithful servant of the Lord because he understood the idea of “no pain, no spiritual gain.” Paul taught:

1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.  ²⁵ And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.  ²⁶ Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.  ²⁷ But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

When we become Christians, we begin our race. If we want to cross the finish line and receive the crown of life, we must run with determination without ever looking back, as Paul said in:

Philippians 3:13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead,  ¹⁴ I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

We must not allow the pains this life can bring to keep us from pressing forward. Instead, we should allow the pains of this life to help us grow spiritually. As James said:

James 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,  ³ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  ⁴ But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

With all this in mind, let us never forget this expression, “no pain, no spiritual gain.”