March 18 - Anticipating Physical Persecution - Evangelical Caucus/Devotional

Gracetoyou.org ^ | 2008 | John McArthur, Grace Community Church

[metmom]

“‘Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven’” (Matthew 5:10).

The Greek word that is translated “persecuted” and “persecute” in Matthew 5:10–12 has the basic meaning of chasing, driving away, or pursuing. From that meaning developed the connotations of physical persecution, harassment, abuse, and other unjust treatment.

The believer who possesses the qualities described in the first seven beatitudes will be willing to face persecution “for the sake of righteousness.” He will have an attitude of self-sacrifice for the sake of Christ. He is exemplified by a lack of fear and shame and the presence of courage and boldness. The tense of the Greek verb indicates that the believer has a continuous willingness to endure persecution if it is the price of godly living.

Under the demands of this beatitude many Christians break down in their obedience to the Lord; here is where the genuineness of their response to the other beatitudes is most strongly tested. It is where we are most tempted to compromise the righteousness we have hungered and thirsted for. It is here where we find it convenient to lower God’s standards to accommodate the world and thereby avoid conflicts and problems we know obedience will bring.

But God does not want His gospel altered under pretense of its being less demanding, less righteous, or less truthful than it is. He does not want witnesses who lead the unsaved into thinking that the Christian life costs nothing.

Do a spiritual inventory and make sure you are willing to pay the cost for the sake of righteousness.

Ask Yourself

What causes us to wish that Christian faith weren’t so costly? When our hearts lead us to compromise in order to avoid detection and possible derision, what lies are we really telling ourselves? And why doesn’t the secretive safety provided by these actions leave us feeling satisfied?

From Daily Readings from the Life of Christ, Vol. 1, John MacArthur. Copyright © 2008. Used by permission of Moody Publishers, Chicago, IL 60610, www.moodypublishers.com.

[metmom]

Studying God’s Word ping

[Tell It Right]

Thanks for posting this reminder to do the Be’s even when under pressure.

[Socon-Econ]

Right now, some European and American churches are having big problems handling prosperity. What’s the bigger threat?

[Bob434]

[[Do a spiritual inventory and make sure you are willing to pay the cost for the sake of righteousness. ]]

One never knows until in the position of suffering - we hope we won’t break, but evil can be pretty brutal. The saints who were boiled alive, roasted over firepits, burned alive at the stake, all for the sake of Roman entertainment, wow! I hope they had supernatural help to endure it- I think some did- some were heard singing right up to the point of death, others were heard to say “turn me over, this side is done” (from book of martyres I think that came from).

The brutality that evil can dish out is unimaginably cruel. May God empower each child to be able to withstand it if it ever comes to that.

[metmom]

AMEN!

[metmom]

Prosperity certainly has its dangers.

[unlearner]

“What’s the bigger threat?”

Persecution or prosperity? Perhaps equally threatening. Both can make the “word” of the Gospel unfruitful in the life of those who profess and even show some signs of faith:

Mathew 13:18-23 NKJV
Therefore hear the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.