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 The Need for Persecution

Greg has opened up a thread warning: of upcoming persecution coming on the American Church. But the American church is also in need of persecution.

When one looks at the American Church in her sin. Nothing short of persecution will purify her When one looks at the lack of unity in the American Church. Nothing short of persecution will unify her. There is a refining fire in persecution that burns off the dross of baggage that the church has collected.

In foreign nations where the church has experienced persecution. There is a radical simplicity of Jesus. God grant that we may find such a radical simplicity of Jesus when persecution comes to America.

Posted by blaine scogin

 2014/2/17 13:59









 Re: The Need for Persecution

Lukewarm Christians will not be persecuted. Only those who live godly lives will be persecuted. The Lukewarm are in need of godliness. Persecution will follow those who live godly.

The Bible does not say that all those who are persecuted will live godly lives. It says, "All who live godly shall suffer persecution".

2Ti_3:12 Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.

We should never prescribe persecution for one another. You don't have to prescribe it for those who are living godly.

Those who are not living for God will not be persecuted. They will be persecuting those who are living for God. Persecution will come more from religious people who are lukewarm than it will from the State.

Persecution is coming soon, from Religious Babylon.

 2014/2/17 15:00









 Re: Just··in

Brother it is a given that those that live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. But God uses persecution in many ways. Persecution can refine the faith of a believer  It can simplify his faith in Christ. It can develop his perseverance. It can bring the hope of Christ into his life. And no doubt there are other ways God uses persecution in the life of a believer.

Persecution can also be judgment upon the church. 1st Peter tells us that judgment begins with the house of God. Peter was writing this in the context of persecution. As such God can use persecution to judge the church. If anything persecution can bring the church to repentance.

Because of the sin and worldliness of the American Church. God may use persecution to purify her. This is why I entitled to thread the need for persecution.

I could say more but I think you get the gist of what I'm saying.

Blaine

 2014/2/17 20:26









 Re:

Hi Just-in. I agree that there are many Godly saints in every tribe and every tongue and every nation. Yet, the fact remains that we are not united. The high priestly prayer of Jesus in John 17 calls for us to be one as He and the Father are one so that the world will know that He was sent from the Father, we are called to be a witness to the world.

In Matt 24 Jesus says that the Gospel will be preached to all the world for a witness, and then the end shall come. No matter how many Godly saints there are around the world, we cannot say that we have been a witness to the world through our unity " so that the world may know." The persecution of the saints in the last days, worldwide, will bring us together as one, as we identify with each other and the Lord in the midst of our persecution. Then at long last we will be a witness to the world and then the end shall come..................bro Frank

 2014/2/17 23:50
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 Re:

Quote:
The persecution of the saints in the last days, worldwide, will bring us together as one, as we identify with each other and the Lord in the midst of our persecution. Then at long last we will be a witness to the world and then the end shall come



Amen dear brother. What a glorious unity this will be.


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SI Moderator - Greg Gordon

 2014/2/18 0:07Profile









 Re:

Hi Bear and Appolus and Greg,

Thank you for your replies. I get what you are saying, however, I see a different source for our unity (not persecution) and I maintain that the biggest persecution of the Church is going to come from established "Christian" religions. It is going to smack everyone in the face and totally surprise them because everyone is being conditioned to think that the world is going to be their biggest persecutors. So, if we are going to plead and pray for persecution (to give us unity) because the Church "needs it", then I think we should understand a few things about what is coming. I was actually going to write something in Apollus' thread regarding the "Beginning of Sorrows", so I will write a bit of it here, now. I wanted to start in Genesis and go through the Bible and show how a "religious, self-righteous, self-dependent and proud spirit" has worked through men and persecuted and even killed the people (and prophets) of God. From Cain to King Saul, to the Pharisees who delivered up Jesus and slew Stephen. And during the last 2,000 years, we all know about the bloody trail that this religious and murderous spirit has left. Tomorrow or the next day, (I don't know, I am very busy these days), I will talk about why our dearly beloved Churches on the corners of many streets will engage in the persecution that is coming. It's all about the Life of Christ. If the cornerstone of our walk is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ so that He is our life (now, not some time in the future), then I will do my best to illustrate in many ways how modern Christendom has bypassed the Life of Christ. You will recognize most of these things and realize that it is this type of thinking that has kept us from unity (not the lack of persecution). Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life, and the Person of Jesus has largely been circumvented by established religion (Christian). I do appreciate that you think persecution will bring unity (no doubt it will have positive effects) but those who have not circumvented the Person of Jesus Christ, already have unity with one another. It is nigh impossible to have unity with someone who has bypassed Christ for religion. That's it for now, and hopefully another post will help explain what I mean.

Here are a few verses to help us remember some important things about persecution. Again, I appreciate your posts and your desire to see the Church walk in holiness, purity and unity. If I am off base in my thinking, I trust you will let me know. :-)

Matt 24:4-5,9 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake.

Matt 24:10-11 And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.

Matt 22:2-6 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

Matt 23:34-35 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar.

John 16:2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

Luke 6:22-23 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

 2014/2/18 1:37









 Re:

Hi Just-in,

I have lost count on how many articles I have written about who exactly will persecute the saints in the end days. I wrote this piece in 2009 called " The Saul spirit is rising."

I think you will see that we are in agreement as is bro Greg..........bro Frank

 2014/2/18 7:45









 Re:

Brother,

I remember that, now. I know we are in agreement (including Bear and Greg), perhaps just showing different facets of the same thing. Yes, the Saul spirit is displayed from Genesis to Revelation.

Blessings to you all, today.

 2014/2/18 9:21
KingJimmy
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Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Re: The Need for Persecution

I'm sorry, but I consider it blasphemous to say that the church "needs" persecution. To romanticize the violent deaths of our brothers and sisters around the world towards some theological end is an absolutely gross perversion of the faith, and to do so is to become guilty of trampling on the blood of the saints. Not only is such a statement absolutely irresponsible, but it is bad theology and completely ignores church history, and the present condition of the church around the world. Please do not blaspheme the blood of our precious brothers and sisters.


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Jimmy H

 2014/2/18 12:34Profile
KingJimmy
Member



Joined: 2003/5/8
Posts: 4419
Charlotte, NC

 Re:

I am reminded of the apostle Paul standing up in court, and exclaiming, "I wish that all men were as I am, except for these chains."

Paul didn't desire the chains. He embraced them when they came, and learned to glory in them, even as Christ gloried in the cross. However, nowhere ever in Scripture do we find anybody praying for persecution to make the church healthy. Instead, so far as it depends on us, we are to seek peace with all men.

Will persecution come? Most certainly! Violent days are indeed ahead brethren. Does God accomplish great things in the midst of persecution? Absolutely. But God also has granted us times of peace and unusual favor, and does great things in those times too.


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Jimmy H

 2014/2/18 12:49Profile





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