What does it mean to suffer for Christ's sake?

Suffering has been brought up a few times and it got me to wondering on that.  I mean, Paul was in prison, beaten, shipwrecked.  Nearly all the disciples were brutally killed.  Stephen stoned, etc.  So I wondered if we have it right since we're not being beaten and stoned and imprisoned.  So I started looking into it and found one site that offered some pretty good insight I thought and would like to know what others think or if you know of any other scripture that might shed some light on this. 

The site is:  http://www.heraldmag.org/olb/contents/treatises/Smith%20WHAT%20IT%2..., and here are some excerpts.  This is just a small sampling as the article is quite lengthy, but I think they give plenty of scriptural reference that suffering doesn't mean we should all be imprisoned or have our lives endangered.  Some still do today, missionaries and so forth, but we're not all called to those positions, just as some were created for common use, etc.

WHAT IT MEANS TO SUFFER WITH CHRIST
Br. Ted Smith

Text: # Php 1:29, "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake."

A study of the life of Jesus and the apostles reveals that they endured much in the way physical suffering in the service of God, and also persecution. A study of our lives reveals a dissimilarity—should this disturb us? Are our lives supposed to be exactly the same as Jesus and the Apostles? Does the expression "sufferings of Christ" mean only direct persecution in God’s service?

After quoting # 1Pe 5:10 ("after suffering awhile") our Pastor made this remark—"We think that the suffering takes in all of the present life’s experiences." (4750:2-4) In our Pastor’s estimation, therefore, the meaning is—endurance of all hardship and difficulty necessary in maintaining our standing as New Creatures, and standing for the Truth. As to what this would mean, would vary according to each individual’s circumstances—THIS IS IMPORTANT TO GRASP. For instance we have the case of servants being subject to unjust masters—they endured injustice for the sake of their own New Creature development and so they will bring no reproach upon the Truth by wrangling for their rights in an unchristian manner. Peter is the authority for this—l Pet. 2:18, 19, -"Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully."

A knowledge of the original meaning of the word "suffering" is assistful. Consulting Strong’s concordance we find the definition as "something undergone, i.e. hardship or pain." Hardship of any kind, endured for the sake of the Truth or for God’s service or for the sake of ourselves as New Creatures is suffering with Christ.

A consideration of the Scriptures will give us a balanced grasp of what it means to suffer with Christ. We have divided our list of Scriptures into three categories: first, those which show us what causes our difficulties; second, those which give us examples, such as were endured by our Lord and the Apostles; and third, expressions of comfort and hope to those who suffer with Christ.

The first Scripture is # He 10:32-36 and has to do with being a "gazing stock," of being "companions" and "patient endurance." Here is how it reads: "But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance. Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." Now we will give an example of being a gazing stock" and of being "companions," and of "patient endurance." We all claim to be Christians, and do not follow any man; but those who do not understand how we use our Pastor’s writings to understand the Scriptures, are wont to call us "Russellites"—and in so doing, we feel the sting of their disapproval and contempt. We are "reproached" and are the companions" of one another in this "reproach" and we have to exercise "patient endurance" and refrain from returning evil for evil and feel pity for those who misunderstand our belief and our life of consecration. All this is part of the "sufferings of Christ"—hardship endured for the sake of being Christians. It is natural to want the approval of our neighbors and friends and neighbors and it is not easy to take the disapproval of those who have not taken the time and trouble to understand our position and belief.

Another interesting Scripture is found in # 2Ti 1:8, 12, "Be not thou ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner; but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; For the which cause I also suffer these things nevertheless I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day." Paul says here to be "not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord," and we can think of the interesting and delightful explanations of the types and pictures as explained in Tabernacle Shadows; and this has to do with the many animal sacrifices in connection with the typical atonement day and those which followed during the year. But some look upon all these typical sacrifices as "the bloody sacrifices" of the Old Testament, and great emphasis is placed upon the word "bloody", and the impression given is that we are dupes and fools to be favorably impressed and believe such things. Again we link this up with the "sufferings of Christ," because these sacrifices were commanded by our Creator, and so particular were the directions given that any deviation was punishable with death; showing that these typical sacrifices were intended to picture "better things to follow." We know all these pictures and types were important and we pay attention to them because they pictured "better things to come," giving us a more detailed grasp of God’s plan of lovingkindness.

Two other scriptures touch upon another facet of "suffering with Christ." They are # 2Co 1:5 and 6, and # Co 1:24, and they read as follows: "For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted (this caught my attention), it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation."

Another interesting line of thought is brought to our attention in # 1Pe 4:1-4—"Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin; that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts (desires) of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revelings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you." The very last part of this quotation is full of practical meaning to us—"they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you." Isn’t it true that after we consecrated ourselves to do the Lord’s will, our lives started in to be different? Our friends and associates would take note of this and make comments indicating that they think we are now "goody-goody" and accuse us of acting superior to them. But what can we say?—not too much, and we shall just have to wait until the "day of visitation" for mankind to understand the true meaning of the Christian life. A precise illustration of our change in living is in the matter of "evil surmising" and "evil speaking." How much the natural man indulges in this sort of thing; but we must come to an accurate understanding of what constitutes evil surmising and evil speaking, and avoid these as contrary to the Spirit of Christ. We must be different, and this difference will be detected and resented on the part of those who knew us before we became Christians—they will feel that by our refusal to join with them in evil surmising and evil speaking we are critical of them and acting self-righteously. Endurance of opposition for our adherence to the principles of righteousness is another part of the "sufferings of Christ," and is vitally important that we have sufficient moral courage to "live differently."

In # He 2:18 we read, "For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor them that are tempted." Jesus went through all kinds of experiences and this developed his character so that he was able to sympathize with others and give them comfort and encouragement; and he has provided his followers with comfort and encouragement all through the Gospel Age, by giving us the Word of God with its exhortations and promises. We too are required to go through many difficult experiences to develop us in the various Christian graces. As we pass through these experiences we may not know for sure their meaning to us in the way of Christian development. But later on, when we note others going through similar experiences, we can think back to what we went through and then reach out with sympathetic understanding to our brethren and give them encouragement. All this is a part of the Christian life and included in the "sufferings of Christ." We are not to think of the "sufferings of Christ" as meaning that we are in agony when we go through Christian experiences, rather the meaning is that of difficulties, hardships, conscientious efforts in connection with the Christian life. For example when anyone is preparing for a profession of some kind, he goes through a lot of things to the end that he may be schooled and trained for his profession. He is not in mental or physical agony when he is in training, but he certainly is expending great effort and enduring many hardships. So with the Christian—he is expending great effort and enduring many hardships in the preparation for his eventual profession of being associated with Christ in blessing the world of mankind when the Highway of Holiness is opened up for mankind. And he is given the opportunities to practice the various principles of the Christian profession in the present life.