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Where Do Christians Stand Now?

by Dr. Henderson Ward  
1/31/2017 / Christian Living

If the truth be known, Christians have not had a settled life for any lengthy time since Jesus Christ died on Calvary’s Cross. All through time, Christianity has been assaulted to a greater or lesser extent, depending on whether the persecutors were individuals, gangs, or the state. Christianity, because it is not a man-made religion like so many others, because it challenges the secular conception of who we are, what we are worth, and where we are headed, has always attracted satanic, and is some cases, brutal opposition.

Christianity has always sought to lift humanity to a higher level, to challenge us to be the best that we can be, to set before us alternatives to selfish, destructive, short-term living, and to give us an example to follow in the person of Jesus Christ.

Christianity, through the gospel of Jesus Christ, prepares people for heaven, an eternity with Almighty God, and teaches us to live a life of service to all of God’s children.

All of those who think all humanity is worthless junk, will oppose us.

All of those who agrees with Satan and want us to be destroyed, will oppose us.

All of those who think we emerged from some soupy swamp by evolution, will oppose us.

All of those who want to use and abuse people for their selfish ends, will oppose us.

All of those who hate and fight against the truth, will oppose us.

All of those who think that God makes no difference to people’s lives, will oppose us.

All of those who are dedicated to evil, will hate and oppose us.

All of those who are not on God’s side will oppose us.

Did I leave out any?

I am a firm believer that everyone outside of Jesus Christ is opposed to us. True, not everyone thus are violently opposed, but if you are not in Christ, and serving God through him, well then you are not on God’s side.

There are many who are opposed to Christians, many who can’t stand the fact that Christianity is about individual freedom, it’s about equality, it’s about justice, it’s about caring for the poor and needy, it’s about loving even your enemies. In a world of dictatorships, patriarchy, imperialism, oligarchy and plutocracy, the five evils brutalising the world, then Christians must expect continued opposition.

For good reason, the Apostle Paul said, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12) Notice here that Paul was not alluding to church membership, or some religious affiliation. He said that if you LIVE GODLY in Christ you will attract opposition.

No true Christian will accept or endorse injustice, or keep quiet in the face of wrongdoing, even if the wrong doing comes from your friend, or from the one you support.

Christians have an obligation, a sacred duty, an ambassadorial mandate from heaven to shine the light on wrongs and where necessary say “God says...” This is the ONLY noble course a Christian can take and retain his integrity.

John the Baptist did this, at great personal cost to himself, when he confronted King Herod in public, and pointed out his wrongdoing in these words, “For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.” (Mark 6:17-18)

If you are sincere in your witness as a representative of Jesus Christ, then you have to shine the light on wrong doing; not just for your own integrity, but because there is a pressing need to be “an example of the believers” (1 Timothy 4:12). Christians have to be consistent in calling wrongs when they see them, or run the risk of being judged frauds.

The Apostle Paul demonstrated this very well with his historic dressing down of the Apostle Peter, as recorded in Galatians 2:11-14. Here are the verses.

11 But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed.

12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision.

13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation.

14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

You see what happened here?

Peter still did not get it, he was still clinging to the custom of Judaism and not fully embracing the liberality wherewith Christ has made us free. Paul could teach with all his apostolic authority, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3;28)

When the Apostle Peter refused to eat and associate with the Gentiles because Jews had arrived, he was showing that all the trouble God went to in an effort to show him something different was not taken on board.

God had shown Peter by vision, you can read the account in Acts 11:5-10, that in Christ we are cleansed, we are one, and there is no distinction. Peter wobbled when his cultural sensitivities overcame his spiritual soundness, and the ever vigilant Paul had to rebuke him.

Christians need to understand that the Christian living in Iraq, or Syria, or Indonesia (all Muslim countries) is as much my brother, or sister, as is my Christian friend living next door.

The truth is that Christians are persecuted in Muslim countries, and when the Muslims are converted to Christianity they put their life in danger. It is abominable that Christians living in Muslim countries are not given unfettered access to escape from their tormentors.

Christians everywhere should stand firm in calling for unrestricted access to their country for all Christians who want to escape the Muslim world to freedom.

I am convinced that more and more Muslims want to ditch Islam and come over to Christianity, but they fear for their life. Christianity is about love, it’s about freedom, it’s about equality, it’s about freewill; all the things that Islam opposes, but things that are enervating to the soul and greatly to be desired.

I encourage all believers to abandon hate, turn away from national pride, and reach out to fellow believers, and potential sisters and brothers in Christ from the Muslim world, and show the world that true believers in Christ are one, today, tomorrow and always.

And to you who fear that something bad may happen if you show such compassion, let me leave you with a powerful scripture.

“Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.” (Psalm 91:6-7)

Enough said.

Books by this author you may wish to read.

THINGS EVERY CHRISTIAN SHOULD KNOW (e-book)
Volume 1 – Five tough facts to be faced
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004YX5NSI

STAND UP TO THE DEVIL  (e-book)
Volume 1 – You must first identify him
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005BQVLSS

BASTARD: A STORY OF REDEMPTION(e-book fiction)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006OF3SD6

ONE MINUTE TO MIDNIGHT ON GOD’S CLOCK (Hard copy)
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002X78D16

ONE MINUTE TO MIDNIGHT ON GOD’S CLOCK (e-book)

http://tatepublishing.com/bookstore/book.php?w=978-1-60799-630-9

 

 

Dr. Henderson Ward received his Doctor of Divinity in theology, with distinction, from Masters International School of Divinity, USA, where he is currently a post-doctoral fellow. Dr. Ward's career involved pastoring, evangelism, and teaching. Copyright 2017

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