Chapter 9: Persecution

God is saying to you today:
“Don’t worry. I will take care of you today. I will work on the problems that are on your heart. Trust Me. I love you more than you can imagine. I am fighting for you. I’m always by your side.”

In The Book of Signs, Dr. David Jeremiah offers answers to questions including:

• What does the Bible tell us about the future?
• How much can we understand about biblical prophecy and its application in our lives?
• What signs and signals will precede the end of everything as we know it?
• Which of those signs and signals have already come to pass, which are we experiencing now, and which are still to come?

An epic and authoritative guide to biblical prophecy, The Book of Signs is a must-have resource for Christians seeking to navigate the uncertainties of the present and embrace God’s promises for the future with a renewed sense of hope and purpose.

Chapter nine persecution. Kelvin Cochran quickly rose through the ranks to become Shreveport’s first African American fire chief.
Eight years later, Cochran was invited to head Atlanta’s Fire Department, making it one of only 60 US departments to receive a class one rating.
Although Cochran is a committed Christian, he carefully observed workplace rules about faith, discussing religion only with those who approached him first.
He led Bible studies in his church formed a study group for men which led him to write a privately published book on Authentic manhood.
He gave the book only to people with whom he had shared his faith.
And as a courtesy to Atlanta’s mayor and a handful of civic leaders almost a year after the book’s publication, council member, Alex Juan read the few pages outlining the biblical approach to sexuality.
That sex outside of male, female marriages is contrary to God’s will. And that’s when the trouble began.
Meetings among Atlanta’s top officials followed.
And as a national review reported on January 6th, 2015, the city of Atlanta fired Cochran without providing him the proper process prescribed by city codes.
And he claims without providing him an opportunity to respond to either his suspension or his termination at no point.
Did any employee of the fire department complain of mistreatment or discrimination, Juan?
However, made the reason for Cochran’s dismissal clear when you’re a city employee, he wrote and your thoughts, beliefs and opinions are different from the cities.
You have to check them at the door.
This incident is merely one of many similar ones revealing that American culture is growing increasingly hostile toward Christianity.
We are in the first stages of repression of Christian speech and actions and even stronger measures may well follow.
America was founded on Christian principles.
The Declaration of Independence recognizes that God is the source of human rights and freedom.
We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights.
This foundational premise began to erode in the mid 20th century with the post World war two economic boom and the protest culture of the 19 sixties today, the concept of freedom has degenerated into the elimination of virtually all moral restraints.
Christianity is being edged out because its adherence to biblical morality is at odds with the philosophy of unrestricted freedom that now dominates America’s cultural landscape.
As Dr Paul Nyquist noted we’re witnessing an epic change in our culture, a spiritual climate shift, threatening to reshape life as we know it, hostility and intolerance are replacing toleration, rejection and even hatred are pushing aside acceptance.
It is no secret that Christianity is declining.
In America, the government, the educational system, the entertainment industry and the media no longer share biblical values, which means Christianity is now a religious subculture, increasingly ridiculed and marginalized.
Get ready. Doctor Nyquist urges as cultural changes sweep our country, we’ll soon be challenged to live out what the Bible says about confronting and responding to persecution, the substance of Christian persecution.
You may wonder whether persecution is too strong a word to describe what is happening to Christians in America today.
But Christianity today reminds us that most persecution is not violence.
Instead, it’s a squeeze of Christians in five spheres of life, private family, community, national and church.
We should not assume however, that everything bad that happens to us is persecution.
Persecution is only trouble that occurs for righteousness sake.
Sometimes our own stress, sin or bad choices bring difficulties into our lives.
First Peter 4 15 to be persecuted for righteousness sake means that we are opposed or suffer solely for following Christ the stages of Christian persecution to show the extent of the persecution problem.
Let’s look at five stages of religious suppression occurring in our nation today.
Stage one stereotyping today, Christians are often stereotyped as ignorant, uneducated, inhibited, homophobic and intolerant movies and television usually feature a Christian as the antagonist, a holier than thou bigot who judges others harshly or he’s portrayed as a hypocrite who doesn’t live what he professes to believe like the prison warden in the Shawshank redemption who recites the Bible as he abuses the inmates.
While it is true that some professed Christians represent the faith poorly.
These stereotypes do not reflect the reality of authentic Christianity.
They grow out of the rising culture of prejudice against the Christian faith.
Our duty is to live our convictions in a way that shows these slanderous depictions to be gross distortions of the truth.
Stage. Two marginalizing many secularists want Christianity to be displaced from the center of American life.
If the church must be allowed to exist, they want it confined to the realm of personal privacy.
That is why public prayer must be forbidden. Christian influence and public policy eliminated.
And Christian holidays secularized Christians must be excluded from positions of power and influence, which includes politics, academia, entertainment and the media as former MS NBC personality, Chris Matthews tweeted if you’re a politician and believe in God first, that’s all good.
Just don’t run for government office, run for church office stage three, threatening banning religious expression within academic, institutional, corporate and public arenas is not enough for many secularists.
They are determined to make Christians pay the price even when privately performing actions, that conflict with the progressive agenda.
For example, an intern at California State University Long Beach was terminated for discussing her faith with coworkers even though she did it only in her off hours.
A manager in a national insurance firm was fired for expressing his opposition to gay marriage in a post.
He wrote online from his home computer, Brendan Ike, chief executive of Mozilla was forced to resign when it was discovered he had personally contributed $1000 to support California’s proposition eight, which defined marriage as the union of a man and a woman stage four intimidating.
In 2013, the American Civil Liberties Union AC L U sued mercy health partners a Catholic hospital because it did not offer abortion services to a client experiencing a difficult pregnancy.
As noted in national review, the issue is not whether those who wish to avail themselves of certain services will be able to but that those who object to them must be forced to participate.
In 2014, several Houston pastors encouraged Christians to sign a petition calling for a referendum on an ordinance that allowed men and women to use one another’s restrooms.
The Houston city government under mayor Anise Parker ordered five of the pastors to turn over all sermons, text messages and emails addressing homosexuality or gender issues.
Refusal to comply would mean contempt of court and jail.
Mayor Parker later rescinded the subpoenas in the wake of nationwide negative reaction.
Stage five litigating a growing number of Christians are being taken to court for refusing to compromise their Christian convictions at the front line of the battle are small businesses that provide wedding services.
One of the most outrageous of these incidents was the $135,000 fine levied against an Oregon bakery owned by a Christian couple who declined to bake a wedding cake for a lesbian couple.
Many Christians have paid heavily for standing by their convictions. Some lost their life savings.
Others were forced out of business or into bankruptcy and several even received death threats from activists unless there is a major turnaround.
We can expect lawsuits and court judgments against Christians who practice their faith to escalate.
I think America is a long way from the kind of persecution that involves torture and death as Christians endured in the New Testament and now endure in other countries.
But one never knows what may lurk around the corner. The story of Christian persecution.
Christianity has suffered severe opposition from its inception beginning with Christ himself.
He was plotted against arrested, convicted in a rigged trial, scourged and crucified.
He warned that following him would mean similar persecution. Consider his words to his disciples in Matthew 10.
Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.
They will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.
You will be brought before governors and kings for my sake, brother will deliver up brother to death and they father his child and Children will rise up against their parents and cause them to be put to death and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake.
Verses 16 17 through 18 and 21 through 22.
Eugene Peterson wrote God’s Revelation of Himself is rejected far more often than it is accepted, is dismissed by far more people than embrace it and has been either attacked or ignored by every major culture or civilization in which it has given its witness.
Why does the gift of salvation encounter such persistent opposition?
It’s because along with salvation comes submission to God.
But since humanity’s fall, people have resisted submission to any power outside of self.
They demand freedom to define right and wrong for themselves.
Christian behavior angers non Christians because it makes them feel judged.
It resurrects the moral accountability that God planted in every human heart.
But as Paul wrote, the existence of God and the tenets of natural law are too obvious to be suppressed.
Since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made so that they are without excuse Romans 120.
When Christianity arouses the consciences of non Christians, their response is seldom to accept the message but rather to silent the messenger.
This is why persecution has been a persistent counterpoint to Christianity. Persecution of Christians in the Bible.
Persecution in the New Testament begins shortly after Christ’s birth and does not end until the final chapters of revelation.
Here are a few of the most notable examples, King Heron, fearful of reports that a prophesized.
King had been born in Bethlehem tried to protect his dynasty by killing all the male babies born within the prophetic timeframe.
Matthew 21 through 16, John, the Baptist, the first public proclaim of Christ was beheaded by Herod’s son.
Herod Anus Mark chapter six verses 25 to 29.
The Jewish people angered over jesus’ message tried to kill him before their successful crucifixion plot.
Luke chapter four verses 28 through 30 Peter and other apostles were arrested, beaten and imprisoned for preaching Christ Acts.
Chapter four verses one through three, Stephen was stoned to death for preaching Christ Acts chapter seven verses 54 to 60.
The first Christian converts living in Jerusalem fled persecution by the Jewish leaders Acts chapter eight verse one, all the apostles died violent deaths at the hands of their persecutors except John who was exiled to the island of Patmos Revelation 19, Paul was imprisoned stoned almost to death.
Five times beaten with 39 stripes, three times beaten with rods, run out of town, often hungry, cold and without adequate clothing.
Second Corinthians chapter 11 verses 22 through 29.
Soon after Pentecost, many Christians were forced to leave their homes and faced imprisonment or death.
Did this make them bitter, unhappy or regretful? Hardly instead of bemoaning their fate.
Luke tells us that they formed a flourishing supportive community.
He wrote the multitude of those who believed were of one heart and one soul.
Neither did anyone say that any of the things he possessed was his own, but they all had things in common and with great power, the apostles gave witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus and great grace was upon them.
All acts 4 32 and 33 when Peter and John reported how they had been arrested, jailed and warned never again to preach about Jesus.
They prayed, Lord look on their threats and grant to your servants that with all boldness, they may speak your word by stretching out your hand to heal and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy servant.
Jesus acts 4 29 and 30 persecution increased their dedication and made them bolder in proclaiming the truth.
It is an inspiring example for us today. Persecution of Christians in history.
In the first century, Romans under Nero burned Christians on stakes and fed them to lions for arena entertainment.
Later, the Roman Emperor Domin declared himself to be Lord and God and executed Christians who refused to worship him other empires nations and religions also have taken up the sword against Christians.
17th century Japan made Christianity illegal, expelled missionaries and executed converts.
18th century China made Christianity illegal and persecuted Christians severely.
The French revolution of 17 89 outlawed Christianity clergy were banished or killed.
Churches were desecrated and all semblances of Christianity were removed.
The Ottoman Empire has a long history of persecuting Christians.
Estimates of Christian deaths during the history of the empire run as high as 50 million.
After the Russian revolution of 1917, churches and Christian teaching were made illegal. The state confiscated all church property.
Millions of dissenters were executed, persecution of Christians in today’s world during just one month in the fall of 2018.
These startling headlines screamed the news at least seven killed in an attack on Christians in Egypt.
A handful of rotten corn a day in the life of 50,000 Christians in North Korean prison camps, 80 lashes and other brutal sentencing of Christians in Iran China shutters six more Christian churches and tears down crosses.
These are not isolated events every month in our modern world. 255 Christians are killed.
104 Christians are abducted. 180 Christian women are raped, sexually harassed or forced into marriage. 66 churches are attacked.
160 Christians are detained without trial and imprisoned.
Unfortunately, statistics like this failed to get the attention of most Christians in America.
They seem in stark contrast to the life of a believer in the United States as modern day Americans who have never lived in oppression.
We’re prone to take our freedoms for granted. We don’t face isolation from our families and friends.
We aren’t denied access to the basic needs as water, food and health care and we are not violently abused, imprisoned or killed yet, when Jesus was asked by his disciples about the end times and the sign of his coming, he prophesized that there would not only be wars, famine and earthquakes, but that persecution would increase, especially as his return approached Matthew 24.
And that is certainly happening on a global scale.
And it appears as if the seeds of Christian persecution are being planted in America as well of the side effects of Christian persecution.
How should Christians in the United States react to persecution?
Our first response might naturally be anger but the New Testament gives us a more constructive response.
The early Christians suffered severe persecution but we don’t find them responding in anger.
On the contrary, they found positive benefits in suffering. Paul told the Philippians church to you.
It has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in him but also to suffer for his sake.
Philippians 129 Paul made suffering sound like a gift.
Really, the natural impulse is to say we’d like to return it, but to reject suffering is to miss out on enormous blessings.
Let’s explore just what this means. Suffering promotes character.
A man came to his pastor and he said, pastor, would you please pray that God will give me patience?
Two weeks later, he returned and said, good grief, pastor, terrible things are happening to me.
My life is coming unglued. Well replied, the pastor, you wanted patience and the Bible says, tribulation works patience.
So I prayed for tribulation. God must be answering my prayer.
Although persecution is inflicted by enemies of God, he can use it to mold us into greater Christ likeness.
As Paul told us, we also glory in tribulation, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance and perseverance, character, and character.
Hope Romans 53 and four, contrary to what we often hear the call to follow, Christ is not a call to an easy life as John Ortberg put it, God isn’t at work producing the circumstances I want God is at work in bad circumstances, producing the me.
He wants suffering, provoked courage, courage reflects Christ’s character in adverse circumstances.
It is the crucial virtue that Christians must deploy when facing cultural demands, that conflict with biblical teaching, the apostles, Peter and John faced such a demand when the Jewish leaders hauled them into court and told them to cease preaching Christ, Peter and John replied, whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge for.
We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. Acts 4 19 and 20.
After Paul’s conversion, his life became a sterling example of this kind of courage as he wrote to the Philippians, I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way, be ashamed but will have sufficient courage.
So that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.
Philippians 1 2021 suffering proves Godliness a w Tozier wrote to be right with God has often meant to be in trouble with men.
As Paul put it all who desire to live Godly in Christ. Jesus will suffer persecution.
Second Timothy 3 12, it’s a matter of simple logic.
Why would the enemies of Christianity bother anyone who is not displaying the nature of Christ?
The writer of Hebrews said, whom the Lord loves? He? Chastens.
Doctor Martin Lloyd Jones wrote if you are suffering as a Christian and because you are a Christian, it is one of the surest proofs that you can ever have of the fact that you are a child of God suffering produces joy.
When we realize the purpose and positive results of suffering persecution, it can become a source of joy as it was for Paul and Silas.
When they encountered opposition in acts chapter 16 verses 22 through 24 they were arrested, beaten and thrown into prison.
And then we read at midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the prisoners were listening to them.
These disciples beaten and imprisoned without a trial were so joyful. They burst into song.
This tells us that the source of joy is our relationship with God. And that relationship is affirmed.
When we courageously endure persecution and suffering provides rewards.
The scriptures abound with promises of rewards for those who endure suffering.
Often we allow these future rewards to be obscured by immediate gratifications.
Moses could easily have allowed the immediate to obscure the distant raised as a prince in Egypt’s royal palace, he had access to riches, pleasures, status and power.
But the Bible tells us by faith, Moses refused to be called the son of pharaoh’s daughter.
Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.
Esteeming the reproach of Christ, greater riches than the treasures in Egypt. For he looked to the reward.
Hebrews 11 24 through 26 Moses was willing not only to turn his back on immediate pleasure, position and power, but also to suffer affliction in order to receive the promised eternal reward.
What are some of the rewards promised to those who endure persecution? They will be avenged.
According to revelation chapter six, they will be given perfect and abundant lives free of sorrow.
According to revelation chapter seven, they will find eternal rest.
According to revelation chapter 14, they will receive the crown of eternal life.
According to James one, they will have no more death to fear.
According to revelation 20 verse 14, these are just a few of the rewards that await those who suffer persecution for Christ’s sake.
Paul wrote, I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.
The strength to face Christian persecution.
Many Christians have not yet faced serious opposition for their beliefs.
When we are untested, we wonder just how strong we will be when it is our freedom, our job or our pocketbook on the line.
Hall knew the importance of preparing his converts for suffering.
He said to the believers in Thessalonica, we sent Timothy to establish you and encourage you concerning your faith that no one should be shaken by these afflictions.
For. In fact, we told you before when we were with you, that we would suffer tribulation just as it happened.
First Thessalonians three verses two through four, Richard Worm brand was a Romanian evangelical minister and a Jew who spent 14 years in communist imprisonment and torture in his homeland of Romania.
His experience led him to help others prepare for suffering.
He said we have to make the preparations now before we are imprisoned in prison, you lose everything.
Nothing of what makes life pleasant remains. Nobody resists who has not renounced his pleasures of life beforehand.
Let’s look at three things we can do to prepare for that moment when persecution comes, determined to stand for truth, to live worthy of the Gospel is to stand for God’s truth without bending as Paul urged the Corinthians, we are to watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.
Let all that you do be done with love wherever we are, we are called to be God’s agents at that time and place whatever the situation our task is simple.
Don’t think about the cost or the result.
Just think about what you have decided in advance that you would do when you are tested.
We naturally seek the approval of our peer groups.
But peer acceptance is one of the things we may be called to sacrifice.
This means willingness to be labeled a prude for avoiding entertainment, speech and activities that promote immorality, sacrilege or ungodly values.
It means willingness to be labeled stupid for believing in creation, homophobic, for rejecting homosexuality, anti feminist, for rejecting abortion and intolerant for professing the exclusivity of Christ as Paul put it, we must be willing to be fools for Christ’s sake.
First Corinthians 4 10, it is our duty to speak out for biblical truth when it is attacked, but it is also our duty to confront with love, taking care that we do not justify the labels of hate and intolerance.
Paul gave us our rules of engagement being reviled. We bless, being persecuted. We endure being defamed.
We entreat first Corinthians 4 12 and 13.
When faced with persecution, we must defend our faith with reason and civility.
Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you with weakness and fear, having good conscience that when they defame you as evil doers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.
First Peter 3 15 and 16, draw support from one another when we are under attack.
Having a supportive group of people who share our beliefs, makes resisting progressivism easier.
This is why regular church attendance is critical to a healthy Christian lifestyle by attendance.
I mean, more than just showing up on Sunday morning, attend classes, serve others, become involved in outreach and participate in fellowship.
The church needs you and you need the church as the writer of Hebrews put it, let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together as is the manner of some but exhorting one another.
And so much. The more as you see the day approaching, we need other Christians with whom we can share encouragement, struggles and victories derive your security from the Lord.
The key to standing firm in the face of persecution is to remember that we belong to Christ and he secures us in his hand.
Thus, we need not fear danger to our reputations, our jobs, our finances or even our physical lives.
As Jesus said, whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
Matthew 16 25. We also draw courage from knowing the glory that awaits us.
Our citizenship is in heaven and we eagerly await a savior from there.
The Lord Jesus Christ, Philippians 320 John Chrisom, the archbishop of Constantinople ran afoul of Byzantine empress Oxea for preaching against the court’s misuse of wealth.
The neglect of the poor and immoral indulgences.
False charges of heresy were brought against Chrisom and he was brought before the empress for trial.
When he refused to bend. The story is told that the empress threatened to banish him.
You cannot banish me. Chris system replied for this world is my father’s house but I will kill.
You said EOA no, you cannot for my life is hidden with Christ in God, I will take away your treasures.
No, you cannot. He said for my treasure is in heaven and my heart is there.
But I will drive you away from your friends said Udday, no, you cannot for I have a friend in heaven from whom you cannot separate me.
There is nothing you can do to harm me. What do you do with a man like that?
Eudoxia finally exiled Chrisom to hostile conditions that brought about his death.
We like Chris system must realize that our persecutors can take nothing from us that we don’t already have securely fixed in Christ.
And that is the key to standing up to persecution.
It is not likely that Christians in America will soon face martyrdom.
But we can draw courage from martyrs throughout the centuries.
And Christians who are now enduring severe persecution in other countries.
If they can stand strong in the face of torture and death, we should be willing to stand strong in the face of the Christian repression that is rising in our nation today.