The Hope of Glory- Part 1
The Fellowship of Christ’s Sufferings and the Prize of Reigning with Him
[Study Aired November 8, 2026]
Introduction: Christ in You, the Hope of Glory
Col 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Col 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.
Paul reveals the great mystery of the gospel: ‘Christ in us, the hope of glory.’ This hope is not merely the expectation of a future reward. It rests upon Jesus Christ, who is working within His people to accomplish the Father’s purpose.
The glory is still ahead of us, but the work that leads to that glory is taking place now. God is working in His people to bring them into conformity with the image of His Son. He teaches them to put off the old man, walk in the Spirit, endure trials, and depend upon His strength rather than their own.
Why Suffering?
This brings us to the central question of this study: Why is suffering connected with the hope of glory, and why does Scripture connect suffering with Christ to being glorified with Him and reigning with Him?
The answer involves the relationship between Christ’s work within us now, the fellowship of His sufferings, the transformation of our character, and the future inheritance God has promised.
The Scriptures establish a connected pattern: Christ is our hope, God is working in us, suffering accompanies our walk of faith, and the glory to come is associated with the calling He has prepared for His people.
We must understand this pattern carefully. Suffering does not purchase salvation, and pain by itself does not produce holiness. God is the Author and Finisher of our faith. The purpose of our present calling is not to boast in hardship but to be brought into conformity with Christ.
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
- Christ Is Both the Beginning and the Completion of Our Hope
Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
The Christian life is not simply an attempt to imitate Jesus through natural strength. It is a life in which Christ works within us, changing our hearts and bringing our thoughts and actions into agreement with His Word.
Paul describes himself as crucified with Christ.
The life he now lives is a life “by the faith of the Son of God.”
This agrees with Colossians 1:27. Christ is our hope because the work of salvation and transformation depends upon Him. We cannot produce spiritual life through our own willpower.
Php 2:13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
God works in His people both to desire His will and to carry it out. Even our growth in obedience and love depends upon His working within us.
This does not make obedience unimportant. Rather, it reveals the source of our obedience. When we repent, forgive, endure, turn away from sin, and show love toward others, we should give God the glory for the work He is accomplishing in us.
Hebrews 12:2 calls Jesus “the author and finisher of our faith,” while Philippians 1:6 expresses confidence that He who has begun a good work in us will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
God does not abandon the work He begins in His people. Through His Word, Spirit, correction, and the circumstances of life, He continues His work according to His purpose.
Therefore, the hope of glory begins with Christ’s work within us and points toward the glory that will be revealed in the age to come.
- Present Suffering and the Glory to Come
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
Rom 8:18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Paul directly connects suffering with Christ to being glorified with Him.
There is a present experience and a future fulfillment. In this present life, we encounter trials, weakness, correction, opposition, and the painful exposure of our sinful nature. Yet the glory God has promised has not been fully revealed.
Romans 8:18 does not deny the reality of suffering. It confirms that suffering precedes His glory.
Some trials bring deep grief, and we may not immediately understand what God is accomplishing through them. Scripture does not require us to pretend that pain is pleasant or that every circumstance is easy to explain.
Instead, we are called to trust God even when we do not understand every detail.
Philippians 1:29 teaches that believing in Christ and suffering for His sake belong to the calling of His people:
Php 1:29 For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;
Act 14:22 likewise speaks of entering the kingdom of God through much tribulation.
Act 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.
These passages show that suffering is not necessarily evidence that we have done something wrong. We must not automatically interpret another person’s hardship as punishment for hidden sin. The account of Job warns us against making such assumptions.
At the same time, Scripture distinguishes suffering for righteousness… from suffering that results from our own wrongdoing… Not every painful experience should be assigned the same spiritual meaning.
The important distinction in Romans 8:17 is that Paul speaks of suffering with Christ.
Rom 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.
The issue is not simply how much pain a person experiences, but whether Christ is working in that person as he or she endures trials and remains faithful to Him.
Our present suffering must be understood in the light of the glory to come.
- The Fellowship of Christ’s Sufferings and the Death of the Old Man
Php 3:10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
Paul wanted to know Christ not only in the power of His resurrection but also in the fellowship of His sufferings.
To share in Christ’s sufferings is to participate in the pattern of His life: obedience to the Father, faithfulness in trials, rejection by the world, and the surrender of our own will to God’s will.
This fellowship can involve opposition because of our faith, the inward struggle against sinful desires, and the correction and training through which God teaches us His ways.
Romans 6:6 explains the connection with the old man:
Rom 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
The old man represents our former life under the dominion of sin. In that life, we seek our own interests, trust our own wisdom, and resist the will of God.
When Christ works within us, He exposes these things. We begin to recognize our pride, anger, selfishness, fear, and desire for control. Trials can bring these attitudes to light and show us how deeply we need God’s grace.
Romans 8:13 teaches:
Rom 8:13 For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
Notice that it is through the Spirit that we put to death the deeds of the body. We do not overcome sin by our own strength apart from God.
The death of the old man is therefore not a reason for boasting. It reveals our dependence upon Christ. We are being taught to turn away from the works of the flesh and walk according to the Spirit.
God’s correction produces the peaceable fruit of righteousness.
Hebrews 12:9–11 explains that the Father’s correction is for our profit, so that we might become partakers of His holiness…
Heb 12:9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?
Heb 12:10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.
Heb 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.
Correction can be painful because it brings us face-to-face with attitudes and actions that must change. Yet the purpose is not pain for its own sake. The purpose is holiness and righteousness.
God’s discipline must not be confused with the assumption that every tragedy is a specific punishment for a particular sin.
The passage teaches us to receive His correction and to allow His Word to instruct us.
The fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, therefore, is connected with the transformation of our lives. The Christ who is our hope is also the One working within us to bring us away from the ways of the flesh and into obedience to God.
- Why Suffering Is Connected with Reigning with Christ
2Ti 2:11 It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:
2Ti 2:12 If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
This passage gives one of Scripture’s clearest connections between suffering with Christ and reigning with Him.
Why would God connect these things?
The answer begins with the character and example of Christ Himself. Jesus was obedient to His Father even when that obedience brought rejection, humiliation, and death. He did not place His own will above the Father’s will.
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Christ endured the cross and is now seated at the right hand of God’s throne. His path to glory included suffering.
Scripture presents a similar pattern for those who are called to follow Him. Those being prepared to reign with Christ must be taught His ways. They must learn humility, patience, mercy, faithfulness, and obedience. They must learn to depend upon God rather than their own natural strength.
This does not mean that suffering automatically produces these qualities. Some people become bitter through suffering, while others learn to trust God through it. Pain itself does not save us or guarantee spiritual maturity. God is the One who works in His people.
The connection is not that we purchase a throne through suffering. Rather, God is preparing His people for the calling He has promised.
Suffering with Christ belongs to the present process of being conformed to Christ, while reigning with Christ belongs to the future glory associated with that calling.
- The Character of Those Who Reign with Christ
In Mark 10:42–45 Jesus contrasts the rulers of the Gentiles, who exercise authority over others, with the way greatness is understood among His disciples…
Mar 10:42 But Jesus called them to him, and saith unto them, Ye know that they which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority upon them.
Mar 10:43 But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister:
Mar 10:44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.
Mar 10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Christ’s rule is not based upon selfish ambition. His life reveals obedience, service, and the willingness to lay down His life for others.
This gives us insight into why the character of Christ matters in the preparation of His people.
If Christ is preparing people to serve under Him, they must learn the character of their King. They must be brought away from pride, selfishness, and the desire to exalt themselves over others.
Trials can expose these things. They can reveal whether we seek God only when circumstances are pleasant or whether we remain faithful when obedience is costly.
The purpose is not merely to give believers a future position of honor. It is to prepare them to participate in the purposes of Christ.
The kingdom of Christ is not a continuation of the world’s pattern of selfish superiority. His example teaches us that true greatness is inseparable from service.
This is why the transformation of our character is central to the study. The One who is preparing His people for glory is also teaching them to reflect His character.
- Suffering, Comfort, and the Ability to Help Others
Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
Christ’s experience of suffering is connected with His ability to help those who are being tempted and tested.
The One who helps us is not indifferent to suffering. Christ endured trials while remaining faithful to the Father, and He is able to help those who are tempted.
Paul also describes how the comfort he received from God enabled him to comfort others…
2Co 1:3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
2Co 1:4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
2Co 1:5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
God’s comfort does not necessarily remove every trial immediately. However, the comfort we receive can become a means of helping others who are passing through distress.
When we have experienced our own weakness and learned to depend upon God’s mercy, we may become more understanding toward those who are struggling. We can encourage others with the comfort that we ourselves have received.
This principle fits the service associated with reigning with Christ. His kingdom concerns participation in God’s work, not selfish superiority.
We should not conclude that everyone must experience every kind of suffering before being able to help another person. Nor should we assume that all painful experiences are necessary or that we can always identify God’s particular purpose in a trial.
The clear principle is that God can use our trials, His Word, and the comfort He gives us to make us instruments of comfort to others.
The character of Christ is revealed not only in enduring suffering but also in ministering to those who suffer.
- Grace, Good Works, the Inheritance, and the Prize of the High Calling
Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;Eph 2:8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Eph 2:9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
These verses establish an essential foundation for understanding suffering, obedience, and reward.
Salvation is a gift of God’s grace, not a wage earned by our works. We cannot place God in our debt through suffering, sacrifice, or personal effort.
We will pause here and continue this analysis in our next study.