You have a persecution complex, big time.
What makes you think that the church will not be persecuted in these last days before Christ comes for it in the rapture?
I never said it wouldn't. The church is being persecuted right now.. you ever been to the website Voice of the Martyrs? thousands of Christians are being persecuted today... however the only thing that has not happened yet is Christian persecution on a global scale, but having said that, nothing in the Bible says that we are going to secretly fly away
You won't answer that question or any of the others because you don't have any gutz or godly perception and you're not honest. You are the little spineless wimp that never recognizes and sees when the goodness of God comes.
spineless wimp? dishonesty? no godly perception?... it is through trials and tribulation in which our faith is refined like gold that is refined by fire, to burn away all impurities and imperfections, so that it becomes flawless (1 Peter 1:4-7)... it is through difficult times in which we see Christ and His glory, His faithfulness towards us in helping us through it, and in essence we learn endurance and perseverance (Romans 5:3-5). It is through persecution in which we receive a crown of life, if we stand fast and endure (James 1:12)
What makes you think that believers that make up the church have not had their faith tried and have not been through tribulations in this life? What makes you think that believers have not suffered and been mocked and ridiculed for their faith? Do you base this on your own experience as a 26 year old novice? What do you know about the trials of life and what Spirit-filled believers go through?
I never said they didn't. all those countries i listed in my above post consist of countries who's governments will kill anyone with a Bible, regardless... I work and volunteer downtown for the homeless at my church... those who I've talked to, they have so very little, but they have something that most Christians take for granted: their faith. It is faith in Christ that helps us get through the most difficult times in life... in despair, dismay, pain, suffering, trials, persecution, it is our saving faith in Christ and Christ alone that saves us, for His joy is our strength.
When you got saved did you have all you friends of the world reject you when you told them about the love and salvation of Jesus Christ? Have you ever had accusations hurled at you year in and year out? Have you ever been slandered and maligned in such a way that your own friends that you loved betrayed you? Have you ever been run out of town by the locals and had your church burned down because they did not like your message of conviction and the effect it was having on local business and families because of the cross of Christ? There are some on this site that have had things like this happen to them that left them bewildered and hurt and in some cases wounded not knowing why. But God was faithful and gave them grace and came along their side to comfort them and encourage them.
When you got saved did you have all you friends of the world reject you when you told them about the love and salvation of Jesus Christ?
I had absolutely no friends of any kind when Christ pulled me out of the darkness that surrounded me. I had to go to His Word and His Word ALONE, and it was His Love that stopped me from killing myself.
Have you ever had accusations hurled at you year in and year out?
yes, as a matter of fact, I have... i still do today. I am persecuted today for what i believe in, because simply I believe in Jesus Christ. I have been slandered, cursed at, insulted constantly by those who live in darkness
Have you ever been slandered and maligned in such a way that your own friends that you loved betrayed you?
YES, I HAVE. A CHRISTIAN COUNSELOR BETRAYED MY TRUST IN A CHRISTIAN REHAB FACILITY BY SPREADING A LIE ABOUT ME, AND IT GOT OUT INTO THE SCHOOL THAT I WAS ATTENDING. THE CLOSEST FRIEND I EVER HAD IN MY LIFE YELLED AT ME, INSULTED, AND BURNED A BRIDGE OF FRIENDSHIP SIMPLY BECAUSE I WANTED TO GROW CLOSER TO JESUS CHRIST.
There are some on this site that have had things like this happen to them that left them bewildered and hurt and in some cases wounded not knowing why. But God was faithful and gave them grace and came along their side to comfort them and encourage them.
no doubt... Jesus Christ Almighty did help them, did encourage them, and He helped them grow in their faith and their walk... He helped them THROUGH it. He did not rapture them away from it. Jesus Christ has ALWAYS taught endurance, perseverance in the worst times of life, whether it be mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual...
ALL that live godly will suffer persecution
2Tim 3:12.
That verse is in your Bible and it applies to all believers no matter where they live. Perhaps those that have not suffered persecution have not lived godly lives and there are those that do live godly and will suffer persecution. If I were you I would not get too puffed up in your little novice minded contrived intellectualism less you get caught up in the condemnation of the devil / 1Tim 3:6. Jesus said that the world will hate you because you are not of the world as I am not of the world / John 15:18-20, 1Jn 3:13,14. This applies to every believer that makes up the church that takes up their cross and follows Christ.
and so are the following verses as well, which teaches perseverance and endurance through hard times...
James 1:12
Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
1 Thessalonians 3:1-4
1 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone,
2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith,
3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this.
4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know.
1 Peter 1:6-7
6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials,
7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith--more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire--may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Romans 5:3-5
3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,
4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,
5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
You don't like this kind of challenge? You have said plenty and mocked believers who belong to Christ. We are to walk in wisdom and to live peaceably with all men as much as possible / Rom 12:18. Did you forget that verse also, that is in your Bible or do you like to keep rubbing people the wrong way because of your persecution complex. You don't prepare yourself for persecution, you walk in the light and in wisdom toward them that are without. Persecution will come because of the light. Did you forget the word of God that told you that men love darkness more than the light and will not come to the light less their evil deeds be reproved / John 3:20? That's one of the reason John the Baptist got his head chopped off and he wasn't even the Light, but was sent to bear witness of the Light / John 1:7,8. That is why the least in the kingdom is greater than John the Baptist / Mt 11:11
you don't know my life.
you don't know my walk with Christ.
you don't know my struggles with depression, obsessive compulsive disorder, self injury, drug abuse, family violence, suicide, social anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, or the constant demonic affliction that I've had in my life... i say these things not to boast myself up, but to raise up the Most High God who has helped me endure all of these things, who has helped me grow closer to Him in all suffering, because it was Him and Him ALONE that has constantly picked me up, brushed me off, said "it's okay, I love you... keep pushing forward"... it was Jesus Christ who, when my worst nightmare came true in my life, opened my eyes to His Joy, His grace, His mercy, but more importantly, His Love for me, and the promise that no matter what i go through, He is still there for me (Isaiah 41:10) He will never leave me or forsake me (Deut. 31:6, Hbrws. 13:5) His promise gives me life (Psalm 119:49-50) His love will never depart from me (Isaiah 54:10) i can cast all anxieties on Him, because He cares, and in the end He Himself restore, comfort, strengthen, and establish me (1 Peter 5:6-11) to not be afraid of being persecuted in front of others (Matthew 5:11-12) and even with the chance of me dying a martyr's death in these last days {God's Will be done in everything, and if that is God's will for me in the future, I will not run from His plan; Phil. 1:21, Phil 1:6} (Rev. 13:10) He will ultimately win (Revelation 19:11-21).
However, i will not give up in my life and i will continue to endure, because Jesus Christ has told me to endure and persevere (Matthew 24:13), but even at that, God will give me strength (Isaiah 41:10)