I hear Christians express fear and shock over events in today’s world which appear to be designed to inflame and polarize us. I find the reactions disturbing and frustrating.
It’s disturbing because many are both uninformed about the nature of these events and about what God says in His word. It’s frustrating because I’m not sure I know the way to communicate with fellow believers on a level they can relate to without alienating them.
Nonetheless, I shall try below. He who is meant to receive it will. I can only leave the rest to God.
There’s a fear that Christians in America have lost–or are losing–religious freedom and will be persecuted for standing for righteousness.
We’ve suffered so little in this country, we don’t know what real persecution is. It’s normal throughout history in many places, and it’s happening now in many other countries.
While I don’t relish the thought of experiencing persecution myself or seeing others go through it, it may be just what we need to separate the wheat from the chaff in the family of God.
Here’s just one contentious issue that has many believers worried. They fear for Israel. They fear if we don’t stand up for Israel, we’ll risk judgment.
Israel has plenty of nukes. If anyone doubts it, search it out. Israel is quite capable of taking care of itself. That may become necessary as America declines.
As for America being judged, forget about its relationship with Israel for a minute. Do you think the U.S. won’t be judged for killing tens of millions of babies? That alone should be worthy of harsh judgment from the Lord. But now there’s same sex marriage and all kinds of gender confusion to tack onto that.
You can no doubt think of other things for which America deserves God’s judgment. We should thank God He has been so merciful up to now.
Back to Israel for a second. God isn’t going to let Israel be destroyed. Israel takes center stage in the Great Tribulation. Judgment will take place, but not destruction.
God will raise up His kingdom in his way and time, and His word is true. He will bring about prophetic events, and He will do it as only He can.
So don’t let the bloviators in today’s noisy media get to you. Don’t let your faith be shaken. Don’t give into shock and awe from the world or even other Christian sources.
As I was thinking on all of this recently, 1 Peter4:12-19 came to mind. It reads as follows.
12. Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
14. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
15. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men’s matters.
16. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
17. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
18. And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
19. Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
We here in America have not yet begun to go through fiery trials. Keep Peter’s advice in mind for now and for the time ahead when we do go through such trials.
Look at it this way. If those of us who are Christians are persecuted, will we be able to say we’re persecuted for being righteous? Isn’t that far better than being persecuted for the things the rest of the world does?
Rejoice, Christian, if you’re counted righteous enough to be tagged for it.
Finally, keep 1 Peter 4:19 in mind. If you’re truly righteous, commit your soul to the only One who can truly keep it.