Persecution of Christians is an age old principle by which the devil through human agencies, tries to bully the followers of God into doing that which is contrary to His will. Various methods are adopted to achieve this end, and it is one of the crosses which we will have to learn to bear, even in the 21st century. One of the very great deceptions Christ warns us of in our modern era, is the introduction and promulgation of a cross-less religion, by which the followers of Jesus are exempted from any kind of persecution or self denial, and it is with very grave concern that Christ speaks to us, since this brand of Christianity has become so popular in our day.
The Bible tells us that all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer some kind of persecution, in one form or another, and therefore we should not be surprised or dismayed if it were to come our way, even though we are
advised in the scriptures to do all we can to avert it, without compromising the laws and principles we for which we are to stand. But before we get into the core of the presentation there are some important points for us to remember as it pertains to bearing this type of cross.
There is no such thing as a pleasant cross, although we are encouraged to bear ours willingly, because the very concept of a cross denotes a burden that is not a person’s first preference, as was manifested in the example of Christ. When the cross of Calvary was before The Lord, as He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane, He then requested of God The Father, that if another way could be found to avoid bearing it, He would be more than willing to go that route, but if not, then He would bear it for our sakes. Let’s read:
Matthew 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
26:39 And he went a little farther, and fell on his face,
and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou [wilt].
26:42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.
26:44 And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.
And later on, when the actual cross was strapped upon His shoulders, He literally collapsed under its weight, for it was obviously very heavy to bear. Now it is true that we will never be called upon to bear a cross like Christ bore for us, however, the Bible makes it clear that we will have to bear our own personal crosses, in the form of self denial or actual persecution, for the same satanic agencies that have promulgated the principles and methods of oppression for right doing, are still at work in our day, and according to the scriptures, are scheduled to ramp up their activities in an unprecedented manner, just prior to the return of Christ in the clouds of heaven.
Hence the reason why the smooth sermons of health and wealth that have become so popular in the Christian pulpits of the day, not only do a great disservice to the very religion of Christ, but also lead millions of people down to perdition, by offering them salvation on terms that God neither recognizes or endorses. In other words, Christianity without self-denial or persecution of some kind is a farce, and can thus be described as a whimsical theology that will ultimately lead its adherents into never land, where both the concept and its subscribers will meet with the same fate as those who were outspoken opponents of God and His law.
The Lord Jesus puts it this way, that if there is no cross or persecution, or self-denial of some kind in the Christian’s life, then the person in question is not a true believer, for the Bible makes it plain that this is the norm, for all who name the name of Christ. Let’s read:
Luke 9:23 And he said to [them] all, If any [man] will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his
cross daily, and follow me.
9:26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and [in his] Father's, and of the holy angels.
2nd Timothy 3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
3:13 But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.
1st Peter 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
4:13 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.
4:14 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.
4:16 Yet if [any man suffer] as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
And then, that there may be no misunderstanding as to the source of all persecution of Christians, the Bible makes it clear who is the real culprit behind all of the beheadings in the Middle east, in Africa, around the globe and right here in the land of the free and the home of the brave. It is none other than satan himself, who is taking possession of the minds of people at an alarming rate, and driving them to do his bidding, while at the same time he remains hidden from view, and is relegated to the realm of the phantom, by many people who consider themselves intelligent. Let’s read:
Revelation 12:3 And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads.
12:4 And his tail drew the third part of the stars of
heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.
12:7 And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels,
12:8 And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven.
12:9 And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
12:12 Therefore rejoice, [ye] heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.
12:13 And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man [child].
12:17 And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
This is the reason why Christians living in the 21st century should never harbor unrealistic expectations, for as we just read, the forces of evil are ramping up their activity significantly and because of this, persecution of all kinds are scheduled to proliferate exponentially, as we draw nearer to Christ second coming. But what is worthy of note, and especially to be observed, is the fact that certain types of persecution are masqueraded under disguises that are not readily apparent, as the kinds that are practiced by certain terrorist groups.
The mass beheading of Christians as we now see on the news almost daily, is just persecution in its most brutal and gruesome form, but here in the west, Christians are suffering from a different kind of persecution, which is not readily recognizable for what it really is. Those Christians who dare to stand up for the original, God-ordained marriage institution, are often made the objects of financial and economic persecution, by which their business interests and opportunities are severely restricted, by the sudden and deliberate withdrawal of support. It is becoming more and more difficult for those who choose to live according to the word of God, to hold firm to principle and profits at the same time, and according to the book of Revelation, one will have to be let go in favor of the other, sooner or later, for it will soon be found that as Christians, we cannot serve God and Mammon. Let’s read:
Revelation 13:1 And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.
13:2 And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as [the feet] of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority.
13:6 And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme his name, and his tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.
13:7 And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.
13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
13:9 If any man have an ear, let him hear.
13:16 And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
13:17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
But financial persecution is not the only type we are suffering from in the west, for there is also ballot-box persecution, through which those leaders or politicians who embrace right principles are voted out of office, after the masses of people are incited to denigrate their stand for the right, and instead, those who choose to rail against God’s will and His law for political gain or popular support, are installed in positions of trust, and thus the devil gets his will done through the popular vote.
It was a similar circumstance which caused Pilate to sentence Christ to the most degrading and inhumane death, even though he himself confessed that Christ was indeed innocent. It was strictly for political gain and public support that Jesus was finally condemned to die. Let’s read:
John 19:4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and saith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.
19:12 And from thenceforth Pilate sought to release him: but the Jews cried out, saying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Caesar's friend: whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar.
19:13 When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.
19:14 And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
19:15 But they cried out, Away with [him], away with [him], crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.
19:16 Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led [him] away.
Here a direct link was made between the popular opinion and political office, for the mention of Pilate not being Caesar’s friend, if he were to release Christ, struck a very sensitive chord in Pilate, for it implied that he would be removed from his prestigious political office, if the will of the popular majority was not done. And thus, because with Pilate policy trumped principle, he went with the popular vote and sentenced Jesus to die.
Similarly in our day, the same process and method is being repeated, for there are many prominent Christians in public office, who once dared to stand up in defense of marriage, but who afterward buckled under the weight of public pressure to the contrary, and when threatened with persecution through the forfeiture of large financial contributions and votes, have decided to adopt principles and laws which they know are not right.
But The God of heaven would have us understand that we are not to be made the sport of circumstances, even if our economic privileges or public support are removed, for it is better to die doing the right, rather than to live for the moment, doing the wrong. This is what took place with the three faithful Hebrew boys, who had held public office in the ancient kingdom of Babylon, against whom tremendous political and peer pressure was brought to bear, when they decided to stand firm for principle, instead of caving in to the requests of the then popular majority.
God had throughout history warned His people of the evils of bowing down to graven images, and had made known His will in such matters so plain, that even a child could understand. Under no circumstances were the followers of God to be found bowing down to idols of wood and stone, for the practice was strictly forbidden by God’s holy law, since it had the tendency to interfere with a person’s intelligence. Let’s read:
Psalm 115:4 Their idols [are] silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
115:5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
115:6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
115:7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have
they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their
throat.
115:8 They that make them are like unto them; [so is] every one that trusteth in them.
But in the kingdom of ancient Babylon, idolatry was incorporated into all public worship, and when the King mandated that everyone under his jurisdiction should bow to the golden image he had set up, the royal command put the Hebrew boys in a difficult position, for the mandate conflicted with what the scriptures teach, and thus they made the decision to stand firm for principle, no matter what the cost. Let’s read:
Daniel 3:1 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height [was] threescore cubits, [and] the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.
3:2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.
3:4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,
3:5 [That] at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of music, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:
3:6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.
3:8 Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews.
3:9 They spake and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever.
3:12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
3:13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in [his] rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Then they brought these men before the king.
3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and
said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we [are] not careful to answer thee in this matter.
3:17 If it be [so], our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver [us] out of thine hand, O king.
3:18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
The timing of God’s miraculous intervention is of critical importance, for it only occurred after the three Hebrews had decided to stand firm for the right, regardless of any adverse consequences, because it is often the case that the intensity of God’s intervention in behalf of His people, is directly linked to their willingness to put all on the line in defense of truth and principle. Not until they had manifested a willingness to endure any, and all kinds of persecution for the sake of God’s law, did God intrude into the affair in a marked and mind-boggling way that arrested the plots of satanic agencies, and stopped them dead in their tracks. Let’s read:
Daniel 3:21 Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their [other] garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
3:22 Therefore because the king's commandment was urgent, and the furnace exceeding hot, the flame of the fire slew those men that took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
3:23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down bound into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.
3:24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, [and] spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.
3:25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.
3:26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, [and] spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come [hither]. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, came forth of the midst of the fire.
3:27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.
3:28 [Then] Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed [be] the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
3:30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and
Abednego, in the province of Babylon.
The same God who delivered the three faithful Hebrews who stood firmly in defense of truth, is soon to make another terrible intrusion into the affairs of men, for it seems that we have taken His grace and mercies for granted, and have mistaken His self-restraint as license or weakness, and because of this we are digging in, in our determination to legislate evil, just as Nebuchadnezzar did in days of old. In the words of the wise man, we are headed for a spiritual cliff at lightning speed, and have erroneously thought that God is in favor of it, because He has not yet made any signal intervention. Let’s read:
Ecclesiastes 8:11 Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
8:12 Though a sinner do evil an hundred times, and his [days] be prolonged, yet surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him:
8:13 But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall he prolong [his] days, [which are] as a shadow; because he feareth not before God.
But soon, God is going to take matters into His own hands, and the evils that we are now harboring and fostering on an individual and international level, will meet with severe judgments of no ordinary kind, for His intrusion will not be mixed with any mercy as in days gone by. This is the alarm bell that is now sounding in the ears of all Christians, and it is high time that we take heed. Let’s read:
Daniel 12:1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation [even] to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.
12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the
earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to
shame [and] everlasting contempt.
12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.
Psalm 50:3 Our God shall come, and shall not keep silence: a fire shall devour before him, and it shall be very tempestuous round about him.
50:4 He shall call to the heavens from above, and to the earth, that he may judge his people.
50:5 Gather my saints together unto me; those that have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.
50:6 And the heavens shall declare his righteousness: for God [is] judge himself.
In our day, we may not be coerced to bow down to graven images of wood and stone, but there are other abstract idols that have taken center stage, and to which Christians are now being forced to bow down to, on pain of persecution. Satanic concepts, philosophies, and the institution of evils of all sorts are idols that are graven in the forge of man’s carnal nature, and when as Christians we are urged to bow down, we should resolutely resist, even though it be at great political or financial cost, for the word of God should be held in supreme and sacred regard at all times and in all places.
If as individuals and as a nation we were to return to the sound Biblical principles which governed the faithful in ages past, then God will respond in the affirmative by removing the scourge of terrorism and other evils that are costing us billions daily, and which are driving us to both spiritual and financial bankruptcy, from which we may never recover. The indiscriminate loss of life, taking place across the globe, is directly linked to the trampling of God’s laws, and thus it is with solemn pathos that the presentation ends today, with the hope that someone will hear and take note of the passages we are about to close with. Let’s read:
2nd Chronicles 7:13 If I shut up heaven that there be no
rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;
7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
7:15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer [that is made] in this place.
7:16 For now”… “mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word.
God bless!