With Truth Comes Persecution

Thursday, March 7, 2013

"To consider Jesus better than everything else in the world is at the heart of what it means to be a Christian.  It may be worth reading that last sentence a couple more times, until it feels uncomfortable. Many of us are so quick to console our hearts when the least bit of unsettling winds blow through. But what about conviction? It’s a good thing not to be comfortable with a watered-down Christianity foreign to the Bible. It’s not works-righteousness to say that saving faith in Jesus means we have to really love him. It’s works-righteousness to think that our really loving him is the reason we’re saved. Paul said that everything is loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus. Paul said that and so should we."


The above quote is from an article posted in Desiring God this morning.  As Christians we often struggle with persecution through harshly spoken or written words.  We are promised in scripture that we will be hated for the truth.  

"If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.  If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefor the world hates you." ~ John 15:18-19 (ESV)

Even if it means verbally being reprimanded or even "de-friended" from a social network because you speak out against unholiness, we should never compromise the truth of the gospel.  

"Never let us be guilty of sacrificing any portion of truth on the altar of peace." ~ J.C. Ryle

The gospel was meant for broken people, those who need healing from a life of sinfulness.  This does not mean standing on the sidelines when controversy arrises, but we are to suit up for action and take a stand for Christ's sake.  Let them see the light of Christ in order to bring them out of darkness.  Now you may be thinking, "well, Christ was always loving and accepted people for who they were."  Yes, our Savior was known to sit with sinners, but he also called them to REPENT and leave their lives of sin behind them.  Just as Christ's example, we are to deliver the message of the gospel and not sugar coat everything just to appease the listener. 

To read the full article from Desiring God go to:

 http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/how-christians-prepare-for-suffering

A World Fascinated by Sadism

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

My husband and I often like to sit and drink our coffee while discussing the controversial issues of our day.  This morning I brought up how I have seen more of a rise in people's fascination with sadism, gore...and often mixing them with sex. The thought horrified me as I remembered the passages in scripture that speak of hell and it's many torments, such as the verses that describe being thrown into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12 and Revelation 20:13-15).  

As we can see, the media makes this out to be make-believe, a fantasy, or something that couldn't really happen.  And far be it from the media to point out that there is actually an after-life.  What we don't often think about is that one day when the Lord returns He will truly condemn those whom did not follow Him and they will be facing a terrible judgment.  I believe this sadistic and gory fascination will soon become a living reality for many.  I don't think scripture talks about "gnashing of teeth" just to give us an analogy of some far off punishment that isn't really going to take place, but is truly painting a picture of what will occur to those outside of Christ.  I believe that all restraint will be gone in that horrible place of torment.  God's sustaining grace is what keeps humans from tearing each other to pieces, but sometimes even that still happens in our world because of sin and its depravity.

So I simply ask this question, what is it in us that desires to view such things?  Could this possibly be stemming from the lust of the flesh?  We all combat desires that many times should make us stop and truly search our hearts.  Christians still fight against fleshly desires and have to combat satan daily when he attacks our minds. 

Now before you flood my inbox...I am not necessarily saying that it is sinful to watch a show about a zombie apocalypse or movies about awkward vampire romances, but I am only asking what it is that causes us to grasp so tightly onto such interests.