Ac 14:22 Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.

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It is the office of the ministers, not only to teach, but also to confirm those that are taught, and prepare them for the cross. (Geneva Bible Commentary)

We know that Paul was a persecuter of the church and a murderer. He deserved nothing but hell. When his free will was taking him directly to hell, God interfered and saved Paul and Paul was saved by grace alone. We too fall into the same category, we too were on the way to hell, as our free will is to sin against the Lord, then one day God regenerated us and saved us by grace alone.  Now we are soldier for Christ.  A soldier does not creep into a corner and live idly, if he does the enemy will kill him.  Soldiers life is not a comfortable life as they have to adopt to all situations because they are in a war.

Here we see how Paul and Barnabas returning to the churches which they have taught before.  Why did they return? The word of God is not only instructions to the believer but also confirmation of their faith.  The word confirm here is to strengthen and establish.  Those that are converted need to be confirmed in their faith. They will go through hardships and trials in Christ. Whatever planted need to be rooted.  The goal of the pastors is to awaken the sinners and to establish them to hold strongly to the faith.  Paul and Barnabas returned on this in mind. 

They exhorted them to continue in the faith.  The word exhort means to encourage, advise, and to warn.  Paul said, that we must go through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.  It means the Christian must go through much affliction, much anguish, much trouble, much hardship, much burden, much pressure to enter to the kingdom of God.  This was their advise to the church.

How many kinds of afflictions are there? There are two kinds of afflictions. 1. Eternal. 2. Temporal. The eternal is for the wicked, for the disobedient, the torments of body and soul. This is an everlasting torment in hell, in the lake of fire, unquenchable fire, it is like a worm that dieth not, everlasting death as the torments will be everlasting, they experience dying, always dying, but never be dead, always to die and never to be dead. The scriptures say, “Their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched.” (Mark 9:46-48) What is the reason for this punishment? Or is it necessary for this kind of punishment? Yes, the reason is that they have committed sin against God who is infinitely good, and he demands an infinite punishment and satisfaction, God’s justice have to be satisfied.

All the others are temporal afflictions. There are temporal afflictions for the godly and ungodly, as even the ungodly experience afflictions of sickness, poverty, wars and other miseries of life. In reference to our subject when Paul said, “we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.” He is referring to the afflictions where the godly will endure on carrying the cross.  I personally see there are four kinds of afflictions for the godly on carrying the cross.

 Mr 8:34 And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

 35 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it.

 36 For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

 37 Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

 38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.