Mr. White, the author of the article below asks the question; “Why are believers surprised that something Jesus guaranteed happens?”
Simply put because most are not true believers. The majority professing to be “Christians” or “believers” are Biblically illiterate. They have no real understanding or foundation on what is contained within the Word of God. Not harsh. Not judgmental. Factual. Based on many factors. One is just looking at what passes for the condition, beliefs, and practices of the general “Christian church” or “pastor” or person professing to be a “Christian.”
The majority professing to be believers are indistinguishable from anyone in the world that doesn’t believe — except perhaps for the precious metal or jeweled symbol of shame they wear around their necks that is what? Proof of their faith? Their knowledge and discernment of what is contained in the Word of God? Hardly.
The overwhelming majority have been fed unsound non-Scriptural doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ coming back more than a Second Time. They’ve been fed the non-Scriptural unsound doctrine that Jesus is going to come back and swoop them up and spare them any suffering, any discomfort, and testing of their faith, any trials of the Great Tribulation that swiftly approaches. And the majority adopted this unsound teaching because it was very appealing to them. No testing of their faith. No suffering. No being beheaded, slain, incarcerated, tortured, starved to death, on the run, and having to fight the good fight to the end placing the Lord Jesus Christ above all things. Including their own lives. As, if anyone bothered to open a Bible and read, meditate upon — that means deep thinking and coming to a clear understanding of — they would learn what it truly means to be a true believer. Not a pretender. A Sunday morning Christian.
Jesus, the apostles, the prophets. Throughout the Word of God, it is clearly taught that those who are truly children of God, true disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ are going to suffer. Endure trials, and the apostles, and in James were shown and told how they rejoiced for their suffering and trials for Christ, and to count all trials as joy! But no, the typical person professing to be a Christian today, especially in America, in the West only thinks of the here. Now. Not of eternity. They don’t REALLY believe, they don’t REALLY live out their faith, they don’t REALLY bear fruit. Not harsh. Not judgmental. Just look around. Just listen. Observe. Witness for yourself. Be objective and honest and unafraid to speak the truth about how things really are within what passes for Christianity in America, in the West in general. It’s an abomination. The body is seriously ill and refuses to obey or submit to the Head. Because they don’t ever bother to read the instructions for how to live. They don’t spend time in meditation within the Word of God!
Bible illiteracy is a deadly plague. And it is endemic among the overwhelming majority of those professing to be Christian. Unsound doctrines, false teachers, relativistic worldly New Age doctrines fill the pulpits and those professing to be Christian in these last of the last times.
Before suffering, trials, the testing of one’s faith, the Great Tribulation, a tribulation unlike any the world has ever witnessed and never will again. Because it ends with the Lord’s Second Return. His Second Return. There is no third one as has been taught and believed.
If you can’t endure? If you can’t stand? If you don’t believe?
Perhaps today is the day to finally, truly turn to the Lord, turn to the Word and seek the strength, the wisdom, the understanding necessary.
Because none of us has seen anything yet. What is coming? If God does not shorten the days even the elect would be decided, weaken and fall.
So it would behoove everyone today and from this day forth to gird themselves. Put on the whole armour of God. Enjoin the battle, this escalating spiritual war, and make ready. Prepare to fight the good fight to the end. Or be among the lost.
Simple as that.
Clear as that.
Whatever suffering, whatever the trials here, for however long they are nothing — NOTHING — compared to eternity and an eternity in heaven.
Thnk you can toughen up, learn what you need to, seek the Lord and the whole truth of the Word and endure whatever may come? Or are you too afraid, too weak, too enamored of this world, too taken by its beliefs and practices already?
If so, you will also have an eternity ahead. And if you tremble and quake in fear of suffering here? Trials to come? The Great Tribulation and what that will mean for a true believer?
Well, that is going to be a cakewalk compared to the eternity lying ahead for the lost, the walking dead, the lukewarm, the unbelieving that profess to believe and can’t stand, don’t really believe.
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Preparing for Persecution
Why are believers surprised that something Jesus guaranteed happens?
Thursday, March 17, 2022
By Matthew White
Reprinted from American Family Association
Looking through the first few chapters in the book of Acts, we observe in the life of the early church that the apostles and new believers were met with little to no opposition.
In fact, in many ways, we could say they had been experiencing pure bliss.
They had received an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, people were being saved and experiencing new life in Christ, powerful sermons were being preached, amazing fellowship was taking place, true worship characterized the body, and they were witnessing the miraculous.
Indeed, God was at work, and that truth could not be denied.
As is the case, though, when a move of God begins to take place, we can be sure our enemy will rear his ugly head in an attempt to derail God’s work.
Satan’s plans to disrupt come in many forms, one of which is persecution, and that is what we find taking place in Acts 4.
It still happens today, and it certainly happened with the church in its infancy.
Persecution is not a pleasant subject, but as believers, it is something we must be aware of and prepared to deal with.
As the Lord allows, over the next few articles, I hope to share a number of thoughts we would do well to consider in regard to persecution.
First, I’d like to briefly discuss:
The Reality Of Persecution
I’m not sure where this modern idea originated that suggests the Christian life is one of ease and that following Jesus will lead one into the lap of luxury.
Actually, I do know where the idea originated from; It’s a lie straight from the pits of hell. It just manifests itself in many false preachers and false gospels today.
I’m convinced those who peddle such nonsense have either never read their Bibles or just conveniently ignore significant portions of it.
Even a cursory reading by a child would be sufficient to convince one that the Bible is not silent on what one who determines to faithfully follow Christ can, and should, expect.
The fact that persecution is a reality is made evident numerous times in Scripture.
Jesus addressed the issue several times.
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before [it hated] you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also (John 15:18-20).
He warned the disciples about persecution. They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service (John 16:2).
He also told them that because of their faith they would stand before the powers that be.
And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and [unto] magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say: For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say (Luke 12:11-12).
Likewise, Paul warned young Timothy that persecution would be part and parcel of the Christian life.
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12).
Peter, likely recalling the words of Christ and recounting his own experiences, said quite a bit about the subject.
For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: (1 Peter 2:21).
For [it is] better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing (1 Peter 3:17).
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy [are ye]; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified (1 Peter 4:12-14).
Yet if [any man suffer] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf (1 Peter 4:16).
The Apostle John echoed Peter’s sentiments that we should not be surprised when we are rejected by the world.
Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you (1 John 3:13).
There are many other passages we could point to, but these few mentioned leave no room to wonder whether or not persecution is a reality for a believer.
Aside from Scripture, history teaches us that the saints of God have suffered atrocities that reveal the depths to which man can stoop when controlled by evil.
From being burned alive to being thrown in arenas with wild animals to be torn to shreds, the first three centuries of the church saw brutalities against Christians our modern minds have a hard time comprehending.
Those of us privileged to have been born into the freedoms of this wonderful nation have experienced religious liberty like no other people or no other time in history.
However, in the past quarter to a half-century, attacks on our religious freedom have intensified, and from the looks of things are only going to get worse.
Most of us are familiar with the Klein family, Jack Phillips, and Barronelle Stutzman.
We’ve read the stories of teachers and doctors being fired for refusing to use a person’s preferred pronouns.
Over the past two years, we’ve witnessed the strong arm of the government trying to force churches to stay closed – and their unfortunate success in many cases.
And in the past six months or so, many of us have been affected by, or know someone affected by, the current administration’s attempt to force upon people an injection that may violate their religious convictions.
The martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote from prison in 1937,
“Suffering … is the badge of the true Christian. The disciple is not above his master … Discipleship means allegiance to the suffering Christ, and it is therefore not at all surprising that Christians should be called upon to suffer.”
Kent Hughes said, “As Christlike virtue is built upon Christlike virtue in His followers’ lives, the reward is not fame or adulation, but persecution.”
Make no mistake! Persecution is a reality, and it does us no favors to ignore that truth.
Instead, may we learn to recognize it and pray for God to give us supernatural strength and courage to endure it faithfully when it comes.
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