But we have this treasure in earthen containers, so that the extraordinary greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying around in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who live are constantly being handed over to death because of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our mortal flesh. So death works in us, but life in you. But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written: “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will also raise us with Jesus, and will present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, so that grace, having spread to more and more people, will cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God. (vv. 7-15)

The core messages of Christianity are the Kingdom of God and eternal life—a new world and a new, everlasting life without sickness or suffering. The law, sin, and punishment were given to us so that we would eagerly wait for the Kingdom of God. Through all this, God wants us to understand the immeasurable depth, width, and height of His love for us.

For this reason I bend my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner self, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled to all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:14-19)

Those God loves, He gives them greater suffering on the earth. I am not lying and this is written in the Bible.

Because of the extraordinary greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. (2 Corinthians 12:7-9)

This is different from what most churches teach—that God will make people prosper on earth and bless them with wealth and children. The prosperity of the patriarchs shows the blessings we will receive when Christ comes. Abraham, Joseph, and Job received wealth after much suffering, but their earthly wealth is only a symbol of the eternal blessing in Christ.

Many churches claim that they do not preach the prosperity gospel, yet they praise members who have wealth and fame, whose children are healthy and successful in the world. Such people often take up leadership roles and hold authority in their churches. I rarely hear sermons about the Kingdom of God because their interests are earthly. False Christians are not interested in the Kingdom of God because all they care about is themselves and their possessions, including their children.

We cannot entirely blame them, because they have not been shown the hope of the Kingdom of God. God has not opened their eyes to see that the Kingdom of God is coming. Christians already live the life of eternity, even under the harshest conditions on earth. The body may perish, but our spirit lives forever with God.

People who are not given the wisdom to know and understand God through the Bible cannot have the hope of eternity. Any church that does not preach the Kingdom of God is false. The Kingdom is not the place you go when you die. The Kingdom will replace our world when Christ comes.

Those who are content in this world want to live forever in their bodies. With the development of AI, some even speak of eternal life through technology. But we look forward to the new world in the Kingdom of God. Our bodies must decay so that we may long for the Kingdom and for a new body that does not decay.

Those who suffer for the Kingdom will be greatly rewarded. Such suffering is not self-inflicted; only those to whom God has chosen can suffer for the Kingdom. Not everyone can become like Paul. We all work for the Kingdom according to the tasks given to us. We pray to God that we may do our best and not remain idle. When we suffer, we do not suffer for ourselves but because of our love for fellow Christians. And that love is not from us but from God.

Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer person is decaying, yet our inner person is being renewed day by day. For our momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. (vv. 16-18)