1 Thessalonians 3:4

“For verily, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction; even as it came to pass, and ye know”

“Verily”: “Indeed” (NASV). “When we were with you”: “The tense of the verb indicates that Paul had repeated the lesson several times, which would not be surprising in view of the constant attacks made during his visit” (Marshall p. 92). “We told you beforehand”: The importance of preventative teaching is often stressed in Scripture (Galatians 5:19). “Suffer affliction”: Carefully note that the affliction in this passage is not such things as disease, illness, car problems, natural disaster, or death, because everyone, Christian or non-Christian suffers such things. The affliction under consideration is affliction that comes because one is. Christian. Today we often think that we are really suffering and or enduring, when we just suffer the things that everyone else suffers, yet when was the last time we suffered because of our faith?

The fact that Paul had repeatedly forewarned them is proof that he had not deceived them. Paul had not promised them. life of ease, neither had he covered the true costs of being. Christian, rather, when he preached, everything was up front and out in the open. When these people became Christians, they had counted the cost, for the cost had been clearly proclaimed (Luke 14:26 ff).