The Church: Its Organization, Order and Discipline

Christ Suffers with the Church

So close is the union between Christ and his church that he recognizes their sufferings as his own. He is “touched with the feeling of our infirmities.” Hebrews 4:15. Paul spoke of his sufferings for the church as filling “up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church.” Colossians 1:24. Again we read, “Blessed be God, even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulations, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-5. The apostle expressed a desire to not only know Christ, but to know also “the power of his resurrection, and fellowship of his sufferings.” Philippians 3:10. COOD 18.2