 | "Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel... By which also ye are saved... unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures" (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) |
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The Certainty of Persecution
By Henry Morris
"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2 Timothy 3:12)
This sobering prediction is placed in the context of the "last days," when "perilous times shall come" and "evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived" (2 Timothy 3:1, 13). All who determine to live a godly life in Christ are going to be persecuted.
This should not come as a surprise, for Jesus had said: "The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:20). "For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake" (Philippians 1:29).
In some places and times, this persecution may be physical suffering, even involving imprisonment or death. More often, however, it is more subtle--rejection and ridicule, job discrimination, slander, social discrimination, family and peer pressures, legal restrictions, and other means of rejecting the gospel and those who teach it. The Greek word dioko basically means to "pursue"--that is, to keep following after the one whose witness is objectionable until, by whatever means may be necessary, it is stopped.
One possible way, therefore, to avoid persecution is to stop giving a clear witness. It is those who insist on living a godly life and giving a godly witness who will suffer persecution. But such compromises, like Peter, deny the Lord. Instead, we should follow Moses, "choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season" (Hebrews 11:25).
Paul finished his course in martyrdom, but he had kept the faith until the end (2 Timothy 4:7). "For our light affliction," he said, "which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" (2 Corinthians 4:17). HMM
From the Daily Devotional Guide, Days of Praise, a ministry of The Institute
of Creation Reasearch.
For information, write: ICR, Box 2667, El Cajon, California 92021;
or call: (619) 448-0900.
Few live godly in Christ, because the flesh wants to be God.
That's how all the organized religions have become so plenty. People shop around for
the religion that will fit the image that they have created, they have placed themselves as the creator(strong delusion). Fullfilling the lust of the flesh. We can willingly lay down the things that pleases the flesh or wait until it's removed! A one world system will creat a condition where we lose all our material goods and when that happens then will people start crying to the Lord. With the material goods removed (aka the stumblingblock) then our eyes will open. God's children will then know that they are Spiritual Israel and they will repent for staying in the physical church. We have been told "come out of her
My people". Rev 18:4 God's children who stayed in there will have some real
tribulation. We were told "be ye separate" 2Co 6:17 The false Christions will turn on them and turn them in. Read Mic7:6 and Luke 12:53! Two thirds cut off and one third through the fire. Zec 13:8,9 The two thirds cut off will be the ones that assist in the martyring of the third. This two third will think they are doing God service. John 6:2
