One of the great themes preached by Charles Haddon…

One of the great themes preached by Charles Haddon Spurgeon was that sin is always worse than suffering.

You will often see his words quoted like this:

“Suffering is better than sinning. There is more evil in a drop of sin than in an ocean of affliction. Better burn for Christ than turn from Christ.”

Spurgeon did not craft this as a single clever quote. It reflects a truth he preached again and again. The worst thing that can happen to a person is not suffering. The worst thing is sin.

That idea did not start with Spurgeon. It comes straight from Scripture.

Hebrews 11:25 tells us that Moses chose:

“To suffer affliction with the people of God, rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.”

Faithful believers throughout history have said the same thing in different ways.

Thomas Watson wrote:
“There is more evil in the least sin than in the greatest misery.”

Martin Luther said:
“It is better to lose the world than to lose Christ.”

Polycarp, when commanded to deny Christ to save his life, answered:
“Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He has done me no wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who saved me?”

This is the mindset of biblical faith.

Comfort is temporary.
Pleasure is temporary.
Even suffering is temporary.

But faithfulness to Christ is eternal.