Post by Sheila on Mar 26, 2024 15:29:46 GMT -5
Jesus never promised Christians would become rich, have perfect health, own their own home, drive a fancy car, or life would always be easy. Of course, he also never said Christians wouldn't or couldn't have these things. Nowhere does Jesus or any of the leaders of the early church guarantee complete happiness or the riches of the world. Instead, what they almost guarantee is the opposite. Any Christian who follows Christ will face persecution at some level. It won't get any easier. In fact, as time moves along, it will only get worse.
When Jesus sent out the twelve disciples to spread the gospel, he warned them, "Be on your guard; you will be handed over to local councils and flogged in the synagogues" (Matthew 10:17). The same warning applies today. When you stand on your beliefs and refuse to compromise, you may be arrested. While flogging is a punishment no longer used in the United States, it is used in other countries. In countries that don't use flogging or other torturous punishments, Christians could receive high fines or even jail time.
In John 15:19-20 Jesus says, "If you belong to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master'. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also." The disciples and other men who traveled to spread the gospel and the proper way Christians are to live faced persecution just as Jesus told them they would. So did the Christians they taught. Some had their property confiscated, some were beaten and jailed, and others paid the ultimate cost of following Jesus with their lives. Here are a few things that are happening today:
- Low level persecution: name calling, teasing, some censorship. Example: the media pushing their belief that simply standing on one's beliefs is "Christian extremism" or the Christians are terrorists.
- Mid-level persecution: law suits, losing a job. Example: a cake decorator was sued for not creating a gay wedding cake because the decorator believed doing so was against their beliefs.
- Extreme level of persecution: death. Example: many Christians in countries with established state religions do kill Christians for refusing to give up their faith and beliefs.
Jesus does give his followers a wonderful promise. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:11-12). He isn't saying persecution will be easy to deal with and we won't have grief and sadness. What he's telling us is we should remember, that in the end, we'll be rewarded for facing the persecution and still standing on his truth and promises.
* All quotes are from the New International Version of the Bible.
When Jesus sent out the twelve disciples to spread the gospel, he warned them, "Be on your guard; you will be handed over to local councils and flogged in the synagogues" (Matthew 10:17). The same warning applies today. When you stand on your beliefs and refuse to compromise, you may be arrested. While flogging is a punishment no longer used in the United States, it is used in other countries. In countries that don't use flogging or other torturous punishments, Christians could receive high fines or even jail time.
In John 15:19-20 Jesus says, "If you belong to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: 'A servant is not greater than his master'. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also." The disciples and other men who traveled to spread the gospel and the proper way Christians are to live faced persecution just as Jesus told them they would. So did the Christians they taught. Some had their property confiscated, some were beaten and jailed, and others paid the ultimate cost of following Jesus with their lives. Here are a few things that are happening today:
- Low level persecution: name calling, teasing, some censorship. Example: the media pushing their belief that simply standing on one's beliefs is "Christian extremism" or the Christians are terrorists.
- Mid-level persecution: law suits, losing a job. Example: a cake decorator was sued for not creating a gay wedding cake because the decorator believed doing so was against their beliefs.
- Extreme level of persecution: death. Example: many Christians in countries with established state religions do kill Christians for refusing to give up their faith and beliefs.
Jesus does give his followers a wonderful promise. "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:11-12). He isn't saying persecution will be easy to deal with and we won't have grief and sadness. What he's telling us is we should remember, that in the end, we'll be rewarded for facing the persecution and still standing on his truth and promises.
* All quotes are from the New International Version of the Bible.
Copyright © 2024 by Sheila Rae Myers