"Is Christianity hard or easy?"I think a simple answer like "It's easy" or "It's hard" wouldn't be enough.
If we say it's easy, we might sound like antinomians, quietists, and/or easy-believists, who forget the Christian side of hard obedience, costly discipleship, discipline, and suffering. On the other hand, if we say it's hard, we might be suspected as legalists and/or masochists, who ignore the Christian's freedom, joy, grace, peace, and rest.
The truth is: that there is a sense in which Christianity is hard and there is a sense in which it is easy.
Consider these two passages for example:
And he said to all, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. (Luke 9:23,24, ESV)
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry." (Matthew 11:28-30, NET)
The first one obviously shows the difficulty. We gotta give up everything or we'll lose everything. The second one says it's easy. It speaks of the rest and easy burden we have with Jesus.
How then do we reconcile the two seemingly contradicting ideas? Let's start with the hard side.
I guess, aside from the scriptures, the greatest proof would be experience itself. It's not easy to invest your time, energy, money, and everything for other people in discipleship. On top of that, we have struggles outside and inside of us. Trials and persecutions on the outside; the flesh on the inside.
Christianity is tough. Sometimes we feel like giving up. Sometimes we grow weary. And when we do, how do we get over it? Answering this question would help us connect the "easy" part.
1) Look at those who have gone before you
When we are overwhelmed by our problems, we tend to think we got the heaviest load. But that's not true. Try looking at the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11: "There were others who were tortured... faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated... wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground." (vv. 35b-38)
Have you ever experienced all of those sufferings? Most of us don't. Hence, the same author stated that in our struggles "against sin, [we] have not yet resisted to the point of shedding [our] blood." (12:4) Before grumbling about your circumstances, try digging the riches of church history and take a look back at those who endured so much pain without complaining.
2) Look at who Christ is and what He has done
Secondly, look at the unmatched sufferings of Jesus. From eternity past, He is the Lord of the universe, completely self-sufficient, that even the most glorious angels find themselves unworthy before Him. But he set aside the full expression of His deity and assumed humanity - such an incredible humility all for the sake of proud sinners like us! Not only did Christ become one of us, but he also lived as the lowest among us. We should be reminded over and over again that when He came down to announce His kingdom, it was in the form of a servant - born in a lousy place, had an unwealthy family, walked under the heat of the sun, helped the helpless poor, healed the sick and demon-possessed, called and ate with sinners, rejected several times by people to the point of being threatened to death, and suffered under the hands of Roman soldiers whose expertise is to pour out the greatest excruciating pain that human body could feel. But greater than all of that is the fact that Christ while hanging upon the cross for three hours, bore the wrath of God for our sins, which takes us eternity in hell to suffer (1 Pet. 2:24; Rom. 5:6-11; Jn. 3:36).
Has any Christian or any human ever suffered that? None! And no one else will because no one else can.
3) Look at the powerful grace available to you and at work in you
Thirdly, it's not as if God has left us to bear the difficulties of Christian life on our own. It's not as if grace was given to us when we were forgiven, so must repay him for the grace he has given in the past. That's not it! That would make Christian life legalistic. Grace has brought you from the beginning and grace will make you persevere to the end:
"For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." (Jn. 1:16)
"he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 1:6)
"...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, because it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." (Phil. 2:12-13)
"...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Heb. 12:12)
The Christian life is not about how much we give to Christ but how much God has given us in Christ. All that you've done so far as a Christian - your thoughts, emotions, and actions for God - do not make us more accepted than when we first repented. Your justification (when God declared us righteous in the sight of God) in Christ is not being improved by your sanctification (where God actually and progressively makes us righteous) in Christ. Both of them are of God's grace that He lavished on us through the cross. They are undeserved.
Sure, God would certainly reward our obedience (2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 9:4-27; 2 Timothy 2:5), but if we'll consider the authority of Christ in our lives as well as the grace that accompanies it, all we can say in the end is:
"We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done." (Lk. 17:10)
4) Look at the overwhelming glory that's ahead of us
Finally, try comparing our present, temporary suffering with the eternal, future glory.
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (Rom. 8:18)
"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." (2 Cor. 4:17)
Most of the time, trials and sufferings make us myopic. We only see the greatness of the pain that we currently feel, we only see the conflicts that we presently undergo. And they look too big to handle, making us grow weary. We feel like we want to quit.
During times like this, the Scriptures command us to raise our heads and look up to what awaits us. Christ Himself has been the example: "Jesus... who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross". Christ looked forward to the glorification after His sufferings. We too should.
If only we could grasp what Paul means when he said "it's not worth comparing" and "far outweighs", we can joyfully endure every trial that we'll face here. It's just like skipping one meal for an eat-all-you-can, forever-free feast later. It's like trading your most precious gadget to own the manufacturer of it. It's just like... ah... any comparison falls short actually! The point is that we wouldn't mind what we lose here if we remember the greatness of heaven, where there is no more pain, no more sin in us, and where we have an eternal fellowship with God. We gotta get this perspective always.
Conclusion:
Perhaps, you've experienced a lot, and I would be a liar if I'll say that I understand every pain you're undergoing. But God in Christ does (Heb. 4:15). And yet He was the one who called the burdens we have "light". If we will be mindful of these four truths, the weight we feel will be lifted, the seemingly big trials will be just minute and trivial, and Christianity would be light and restful and enjoyable. Do you feel like growing weary? Pause for a while and consider those truths.
I guess, aside from the scriptures, the greatest proof would be experience itself. It's not easy to invest your time, energy, money, and everything for other people in discipleship. On top of that, we have struggles outside and inside of us. Trials and persecutions on the outside; the flesh on the inside.
Christianity is tough. Sometimes we feel like giving up. Sometimes we grow weary. And when we do, how do we get over it? Answering this question would help us connect the "easy" part.
1) Look at those who have gone before you
When we are overwhelmed by our problems, we tend to think we got the heaviest load. But that's not true. Try looking at the Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11: "There were others who were tortured... faced jeers and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were put to death by stoning; they were sawed in two; they were killed by the sword. They went about in sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated... wandered in deserts and mountains, living in caves and in holes in the ground." (vv. 35b-38)
Have you ever experienced all of those sufferings? Most of us don't. Hence, the same author stated that in our struggles "against sin, [we] have not yet resisted to the point of shedding [our] blood." (12:4) Before grumbling about your circumstances, try digging the riches of church history and take a look back at those who endured so much pain without complaining.
2) Look at who Christ is and what He has done
Secondly, look at the unmatched sufferings of Jesus. From eternity past, He is the Lord of the universe, completely self-sufficient, that even the most glorious angels find themselves unworthy before Him. But he set aside the full expression of His deity and assumed humanity - such an incredible humility all for the sake of proud sinners like us! Not only did Christ become one of us, but he also lived as the lowest among us. We should be reminded over and over again that when He came down to announce His kingdom, it was in the form of a servant - born in a lousy place, had an unwealthy family, walked under the heat of the sun, helped the helpless poor, healed the sick and demon-possessed, called and ate with sinners, rejected several times by people to the point of being threatened to death, and suffered under the hands of Roman soldiers whose expertise is to pour out the greatest excruciating pain that human body could feel. But greater than all of that is the fact that Christ while hanging upon the cross for three hours, bore the wrath of God for our sins, which takes us eternity in hell to suffer (1 Pet. 2:24; Rom. 5:6-11; Jn. 3:36).
Has any Christian or any human ever suffered that? None! And no one else will because no one else can.
3) Look at the powerful grace available to you and at work in you
Thirdly, it's not as if God has left us to bear the difficulties of Christian life on our own. It's not as if grace was given to us when we were forgiven, so must repay him for the grace he has given in the past. That's not it! That would make Christian life legalistic. Grace has brought you from the beginning and grace will make you persevere to the end:
"For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." (Jn. 1:16)
"he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." (Phil. 1:6)
"...continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, because it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." (Phil. 2:12-13)
"...looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith" (Heb. 12:12)
The Christian life is not about how much we give to Christ but how much God has given us in Christ. All that you've done so far as a Christian - your thoughts, emotions, and actions for God - do not make us more accepted than when we first repented. Your justification (when God declared us righteous in the sight of God) in Christ is not being improved by your sanctification (where God actually and progressively makes us righteous) in Christ. Both of them are of God's grace that He lavished on us through the cross. They are undeserved.
Sure, God would certainly reward our obedience (2 Cor. 5:10; 1 Cor. 9:4-27; 2 Timothy 2:5), but if we'll consider the authority of Christ in our lives as well as the grace that accompanies it, all we can say in the end is:
"We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done." (Lk. 17:10)
4) Look at the overwhelming glory that's ahead of us
Finally, try comparing our present, temporary suffering with the eternal, future glory.
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." (Rom. 8:18)
"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all." (2 Cor. 4:17)
Most of the time, trials and sufferings make us myopic. We only see the greatness of the pain that we currently feel, we only see the conflicts that we presently undergo. And they look too big to handle, making us grow weary. We feel like we want to quit.
During times like this, the Scriptures command us to raise our heads and look up to what awaits us. Christ Himself has been the example: "Jesus... who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross". Christ looked forward to the glorification after His sufferings. We too should.
If only we could grasp what Paul means when he said "it's not worth comparing" and "far outweighs", we can joyfully endure every trial that we'll face here. It's just like skipping one meal for an eat-all-you-can, forever-free feast later. It's like trading your most precious gadget to own the manufacturer of it. It's just like... ah... any comparison falls short actually! The point is that we wouldn't mind what we lose here if we remember the greatness of heaven, where there is no more pain, no more sin in us, and where we have an eternal fellowship with God. We gotta get this perspective always.
Conclusion:
Perhaps, you've experienced a lot, and I would be a liar if I'll say that I understand every pain you're undergoing. But God in Christ does (Heb. 4:15). And yet He was the one who called the burdens we have "light". If we will be mindful of these four truths, the weight we feel will be lifted, the seemingly big trials will be just minute and trivial, and Christianity would be light and restful and enjoyable. Do you feel like growing weary? Pause for a while and consider those truths.
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