Persecutions and the Increase of Sin

“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved. And this Gospel of the Kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:9-14

We must seek to do the WILL of the Father, love Elohim with our whole heart, soul, mind and strength; likewise our neighbor as ourselves. Love our enemies, “Forgive them for they know NOT what they do” (Said, Yahoshua on the cross and Stephen under a pile of rubble). It is going to become increasingly hard to love others, to love our enemies. Especially, once they begin to turn on us in spite of the love we have shown. They will assume they are doing what is right. Much like the brown shirts of Germany. They thought they were doing what is right by turning in the Jewish people and those who would help them. Even Paul admitted that he thought his zeal for YHWH gave him the right to persecute the Believers of the WAY.

It will come first from within. We see it already within the Church as it splits into the right, left, paradigm. False teachers have sprung up and are tickling the ears of many and in the midst of them are the ignorant. Persecutions are nothing new. We in the west don’t understand fully the weight because we have been blessed to live in the freedom of religion capital of the world. The early church wasn’t as lucky. The Apostles with the exception of John were all murdered for their belief. Some will say that John being exiled on the island of Patmos was a sever punishment, if only i would be exiled on an island. i would go in a heartbeat, but that’s a different story.

i recently saw a story about Christian persecution around the world and how it is increasingly common. India surprisingly, with only a single digit percentage of Christians is under increasing persecution. Of course China, but places like Ireland are also on the list. Of course the many countries on the African continent is a hotbed for persecution against Christians. So what will happen when that persecution really turns up on believers around the world? Well, Yahoshua said, many will be offended. i am one that believes this isn’t just those outside the “Church” i believe those who think of themselves as Christians will be offended by the Truth of the Word and turn on their fellowship thinking they are doing a service to the greater good. For the sake of coexisting, of course.

Even now we have believers who relish in the fall of other believers. They point fingers, laugh and applaud, rather than weep, and pray for them, reaching out in love as the word declares, in order to restore them. We treat them like a hot-potato and the sooner they are gone the better. Few things hurt more than having those you love, cheer your biggest struggles. The question is this; Can one forgive and live under true persecution? Like many around the world, can you stand up in the face of death? Can you endure to the end, even if that end is a martyr’s death? Because of this persecution, the love of many will grow cold. Not just the persecution, but the lawlessness.

Yahoshua, also talked about the increase in lawlessness. Who’s law? Man’s law or Elohim’s law? As the world increasingly decriminalizes things it certainly can’t be man’s laws that lawlessness abounds in . . . Certainly, Yahoshua was referring to the increase of lawlessness to the Word, to the laws of Elohim. But what laws is He talking about since many in the Church believe the old covenant is gone? This is a slippery slop for the church and they don’t even realize they are on it. Yahoshua, said, depart from Me you who practice lawlessness, this is the same lawlessness that is increasing in the world.

We need to get back to the fundamentals of walking with Yahoshua. Follow His example, which will ensure that we are counted worthy of persecution. That seems counter intuitive but it is truth. We must walk in love that says, go and sin no more. We must walk in love that picks up the broken-hearted, helps the widow and the orphan. We must walk in love that puts others first. We must walk in love that does justly, loves mercy, and walks humbly with YHWH.

Endure to the end, do not stop loving and sharing the good news of salvation in Yahoshua who takes away the sin of the world. This message will reach the ends of the earth . . . Endure to the end!

Do no let your love grow cold.

You are loved
cj