Posted on 03/05/2002 11:32:49 PM PST by JohnHuang2
"… But an hour is coming for everyone who kills you to think that he is offering service to God."
– Jesus Christ AD33 (John 16:2)Jesus Christ predicted that in the last days leading to his return, there would be a great wave of persecution against Christians. The unique thing about this particular prediction is that those who murder Christians will believe they are following God's word and performing a religious duty for Him. This can apply to various religions, but none more than the Muslim religion.
Under the Islamic doctrine of Jihad, Muslims have begun a concerted slaughter of Christians in many parts of the world. The most vicious treatment is reserved for Muslims who convert to Christianity. In many cases, converts are killed by their own family. Many Muslim nations have laws that require the death penalty for converts.
Again, Jesus predicted about those days, "And at that time many will fall away and will deliver up one another and hate one another." (Matt. 24:11)
The Muslim religion is the most intolerant of any major religion in the world. Intolerance of other religions is a central part of their doctrine. It is particularly intolerant of Christians.
Muslim persecution of Christians is often not the kind of "persecution" one thinks of in the 21st century. We're not talking about denying Christians permission to vote, or harassing their churches, or denying them social equality – although all three, of course, apply.
Rather, we are talking about the kind of persecution in which a Christian is given a choice between renouncing Jesus Christ and seeing themselves or their loved ones mutilated and/or murdered.
In an open letter published the other day on WorldNet Daily, the head of Servant's Purse recounted a story in which Sudanese Christians who refused to renounce Christ had a three-inch nail driven into their skulls.
"Persecution" – in terms of what it means in the Sudan – is too horrible to put into words. In the Sudan, forced conversion to Islam is a matter of official state policy.
In Nigeria, wearing of turbans and veils by male and female students in post-primary institutions is mandatory – there are no exceptions. Fourteen church buildings have been slated for demolition by the state government. One third of the Nigeria's internal states have imposed Sharia law. In one state, Kaduna, more than 2,000 people were killed in Christian-Muslim riots linked to plans to introduce Islamic law there.
The U.N. Universal Declaration of Human Rights says:
Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion; this right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance.
Muslims not only violate these human rights, their religion teaches that they should do so. A Christian is not supposed to even be allowed on the Arabian Peninsula. Non-Muslims are not allowed at all in Mecca.
In Saudi Arabia, all citizens must be Muslims. Wearing of Christian symbols, distribution, or even possession of Christian literature is a crime for which non-Muslims can be arrested, imprisoned, lashed and deported.
There are three Ethiopian Christians currently being held and reportedly tortured in the Saudi Breman Deportation Center. They were reportedly flogged 80 times with a metal cable while they were suspended in the air. They are charged with worshipping Christ in a private home.
An American missionary couple held hostage in the southern Philippines for eight months by the Muslim rebel group Abu Sayyaf live moment to moment under the constant threat of execution by decapitation.
The Koran commands, "Certainly you will find the most violent of people in enmity against those who believe to be the Jews and those who are polytheists." (Surah 5.82) Christians are called "polytheists" because of our faith in Jesus as God. This sets up Christians for persecution.
"So when you meet in battle those who disbelieve, then smite the necks until when you have overcome them, then make [them] prisoners, and afterwards either set them free as a favor or let them ransom [themselves] until the war terminates." (Surah 47.4)
"So when the sacred months have passed away, then slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush, then if they repent and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate, leave their way free to them; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful." (Surah 9.5)
"O Prophet! Strive [Fight] hard against the unbelievers and the hypocrites and be unyielding to them; and their abode is hell, and evil is the destination." (Surah 9.73)
It is fascinating to read of U.S. efforts to accommodate the religious sensibilities of the detainees at Guantanamo Bay, and of the human rights groups complaining Washington isn't doing enough. It would seem to me their services are more urgently required elsewhere.
As always, the devil is in the details. The "tax" was sometimes set so high that it amounted to confiscation of all the person's assets, followed by forced servitude.
Back in the 1970's nearly everyone was predicting the end of the world. The signs were there. Then again the signs were there in the 1930's too.
You accuse Hal Lindsey of being a "prophet" which he has NEVER claimed for himself, and then when he gets things wrong, you call him a false prophet. That's mighty Christian of you. What sins have you committed lately?
You set up a straw man and then knocked it down. Wow.
Yes you do owe Mr. Lindsey an apology. Unless you can show me where he made some "prophecy" about the end of the world in the 1980's. If you can do that you will see me apologize to you and condemn Lindsey in the same sentence
Now are you up to the challenge? Or do you think you can just trash people on FR and not answer for it?
What will it be? Documentation or an apology? I'll be here all night.
No, I disagree with your definition of who "we" is and what it means to be in "unity" and with whom. We are not to have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness. The Lord said his mother and his brothers were those who did the will of God, not those who didn't, therefore glad-handing and hugging and backslapping others and calling them "Brother" is inappropriate if they are not true brethren. Unfortunately many people who say they are Christians have not continued but rather have fallen away, are an embarrassment to the Name of the Lord and have proven they despise ("do not esteem highly enough") Him and His Word because they live lives of hypocrisy instead of holiness. They are the unfruitful works of darkness, the dry branches which refused to abide and are lopped off, the tares gathered for the fire.
Rather than concentrating on the antiChrist lie of Ecumenicism/Unity which you have received, you would do better to identify who is true and false, even examine yourself and see if you are. That starts with hearing, doing and obeying.
Joh 10:27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
There are a number of specific reasons people do not "hear" Him. We have written about them many times. Common reasons are that instead of understanding that the Lord will speak Himself to those who come up the right way, that person prefers the voices of false prophets and teachers, the Nicolaitans, and those preaching another Jesus, another spirit, or another gospel. Doctrines of demons will cause the recipient to be totally blind and deaf to understanding the things of God because the Lord will not fellowship with one trying to serve two masters, Himself and Belial. Pre-Trib, OSAS, Ecumenicism, Replacement Theology and Anti-Semitism are probably the ones that head the list. More here: Jezebel.
The true gospel is so simple a little child could understand it. That child doesn't need a library of books from the Christian Booksellers Convention. He just needs a Bible and an open heart.
Explain it to me.
Can you explain it to me. You know there are a lot of lurkers out there. This isn't just for me. You know, its easy to say that its so easy even a child can understand it, yet no one seems to be able to meet that challenge.
Do you think you could give it a college try?
Act 8:30-31 And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him.
The eunuch who said he was not understanding what he read was not a believer. Philip preached Jesus Christ to him, who had fulfilled those passages of Isaiah,(Our Passover Lamb, John 3:16, etc.)
Acts 8:36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
Acts 8:37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
Acts 8:38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
Acts 8:39 And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.
In the above passages, the eunuch, who was formerly a natural man, is now a believer.
1 Cr 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Act 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.
What do you think he said in verse 35?
Preach unto me Jesus. Can you explain to me that true gospel that is so simple even a child can understand it.
Guide me.
Thanks
Can you translate all the Christianese Jargon? I don't think a child can understand it if you put it that way. Heck, putting it that way, it would go above the head of even a rocket scientist who hasn't been introduced to all those terms as a child.
Actually I'm not trying to bug you. 2sheep said that the true Gospel was so easy that even a little child can understand it. I challenged him to try. He hasn't chimed in. You seem to have taken up the cause.
Frankly I think it is very difficult to explain, especially to a child. I would like to see someone that thinks it is so easy to explain, explain it so that a little child can understand it.
Do you want to take another crack at it? In plain English without all the Jargon? (unless, of course, you wish to translate all that jargon.
We all sin against God who is Holy and we must pay the penalty which is death (eternal damnation and separation from God). But, God loves us so much he made a way for us. God the son became man to fulfil the law and to pay the penalty we should pay. Jesus lived as a man in total obedience to God, without sin, then he took our sins on himself and suffered and died upon the cross in our stead, and then God resurrected Him and He lives. We owed a debt we could not pay, He paid a debt He did not owe.
If we truly in our hearts recognize ourselves as the sinners we are and that God is loving and just and holy and we repent, be truly sorry, God is faithful and just to forgive us of all our sins and make us his child. We receive or take Jesus as our Savior and the Lord of our life. Spiritually, we pass from death to life.
We give ourselves to Him and we are joined by the Spirit and belong to Him throughout eternity. God becomes our Father and he regards us from that moment as righteous and holy because of our faith, we are covered like a blanket by Jesus' righteousness.
Our spirit goes to Heaven to be with God for all eternity when our body dies.
Before we die, we can know Jesus, God the Father and The Holy Spirit in a very personal and intimate way. As Jesus promised how very intimate our relationship will become with him when He said if we open the door He will come in to us, and sup with us, and we with Him.
After our salvation and as we fellowship personally with God day after day, we come know him and to "fall in love" with Him. He is the source of our joy, our happiness and peace. He has made many promises of care over those who become his children and we receive all of that when we give our lives to Him.
Becoming a Christian is not like joining some organization and following a set of rules. It is a very personal supernatural experience with our creator, the Living God, who has great mercy on us and loves us with a love that is beyond comprehension.
At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Matthew 11:25
Thank you, mombonn. Their plight has been on my heart, as well. I have not heard anything about them for some time now. Prayers lifted to our loving Lord on their behalf.
Thanks for posting this article, John.
More than welcome, my friend.
What do you think that Phillip said in Acts 8:35? The Ethiopian was reading from Isaiah. How do you think he tied that into an effective gospel message?
But WHY did jesus have to die, mommy? :-)
What do you think Jesus meant when he said you must become as a little child to enter into the Kingdom?
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