FACING PERSECUTION

Since the founding of America we have had the unique experience of living in a society that has enjoyed the fruit of the Judeo-Christian world-view, ethics, and values. This context has made it relatively comfortable for Christians. For the most part we have not been seriously persecuted.This, however, has been changing over the last few decades, and the trend seems to be intensifying.

While Christians have been reluctant to face the battle out in the world, we need to be aware that the battle may now come to us. The spiritual forces that hate God and His word will also hate Christians. But to be more specific, they may claim to love God, but just hate Jesus Christ, and those who follow Him. That's why the Bible calls the end time "man of sin" the anti-Christ." As the western world tends to unite under some all-inclusive religious unity devoid of Christ, it will begin more and more to attack Christians personally and legally through the laws of the land, and thus attempt to silence the testimony of Christian who would share the good news of Jesus Christ and His Word.

We are in a spiritual battle. And Christians who have tended to retreat into the four walls of the church need to be aware that the world-system will attempt to make those four walls our prison in an effort to keep the message hidden away from the real world and the issues of the day.

Christians have tended to hide within the four walls of the church, but the truth is we cannot avoid the spiritual warfare that affects all of us in the real areas of life we face everyday. We will not be able to hide in church. The battle will come to us anyway, and at some point in time the only way to avoid it will be to deny the Lord either in word or actions, or to hide in one of the so-called Christian, religious institutions that will compromise and deny their very foundation in Christ and the truth of the Bible.

We, as followers of Christ, need to take our stand with the Apostle Paul who said, "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation." Also he said, "It is given to you in behalf of Christ, not only to believe on His name but also to suffer for His sake."

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