God reveals much in the Scriptures about those who suffer. One of His primary purposes in suffering is evangelism. When those who suffer are “not in any way terrified” by their persecutors, it is “to them a proof of perdition” (Philippians 1:28). It is also “an occasion for testimony” (Luke 21:13). Our suffering, even among the most severely persecuted, is truly “light affliction” (2 Corinthians 4:17) compared to those who are treasuring up for themselves “wrath in the day of wrath” (Romans 2:5) and for whom “the treasury of hail” (Job 38:22) may also be light compared to the undiluted wrath of God “poured out without mixture” (Revelation 14:10). Suffering for Christ is a small price to pay for those facing misery without hope and who need to hear the Good News.
We are not “as others who have no hope” (1 Thessalonians 4:13). We have hope, and we have a great High Priest who can “sympathize with our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15) and who “learned obedience by the things which He suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). Suffering builds our relationship with Jesus. When we suffer, we share in “the fellowship of His sufferings” (Philippians 3:10). Jesus also taught us to “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:12; Luke 6:23). This is quite the opposite of being in any way terrified. Indeed, “the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).
The Persecuted Church is the Vibrant Church. It is the Prevailing Church. Persecution is but a step along the way to becoming mighty “fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17). This is the outlook of those who suffer, those for whom we pray and advocate. We don't like to hear about suffering, but it is powerful to hear from those who have suffered for the cause of Christ. Paul taught us to “hold such men in esteem because for the work of Christ he came close to death, not regarding his life” (Philippians 2:29-30).
We advocate for those suffering in order to advance the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This magnifies the ministry (Romans 11:13-15) of those who have suffered for the sake of the Gospel and stirs up the Church in the Gospel (2 Peter 1:12-14). Those who have suffered for Christ are well suited to tell others, “Awake to righteousness, and do not sin; for some do not have the knowledge of God” (1 Corinthians 15:34).
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WHAT WOULD A CHRISTIAN SAY? BY STEVE FINNELL
What would a Christian say after reading the Scriptures?
Job 3:5 "Let the day perish on which I was to be born, And the night which said, 'A boy is conceived.'(NASB)
What would a Christian say?
A. Life begins at conception.
B. At conception there is nothing but a nonhuman blob of tissue.
Proverbs 23:31-33 Do not look on the wine when it is red, When it sparkles in the cup, When it goes down smoothly, 32 At last it bites like a serpent And stings like a viper. 33 Your eyes will see strange things And your mind will utter perverse things, (NASB)
[NOTE: Jewish households traditionally drank wine with alcohol content of a 2.5% or lower]
What would a Christian say?
A. Drinking wine with alcohol content of 12 to 14% is prohibited by God.
B. Social drinking has been approved by God, because a few drinks cannot hurt you. God wants you to relax and have fun.
Psalm 135:6-7 Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps. 7 He causes the vapors to ascend from the ends of the earth; Who makes the lightnings for the rain, Who brings forth the wind from His treasuries. (NASB)
What would a Christian say?
A. Man-made CO2 emissions change the weather and climate. Men cause rain, snow, droughts, tornadoes, freezing weather, global warming, global cooling and earthquakes.
B. God created climate and weather, and only He can change it.
Genesis 1:1-31 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth........31 God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. (NASB)
What would a Christian say?
A. God created the heavens and the earth in a few billion years, because it was impossible for Him to do it in six 24 hour days.
B. God created the heavens and the earth in six 24 hour days.
[Note: God created time, there was no, time, before He created it. God is not bound by time]
Galatians 4:5 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.(NASB)
What would a Christian say?
A. You cannot be severed from Christ, because you were never saved in the first place, that is what God was saying.
B. Even if a Christian lives a sinful unrepentant life and reject Jesus as the Christ he cannot fall from grace.
C. Christians can fall from grace and spend eternity in hell.
Should Christians say the same things that God says or repeat what others have convinced them is true?
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IS IGNORANCE A VALID EXCUSE? by steve finnell
Can ignorance be claimed as an excuse for rejecting the words of Jesus?
Mark 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. (NKJV)
Is it a valid excuse to claim ignorance when denying that immersion in water is essential in order to be saved?
Acts 17:30 "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
Ephesians 4:18 having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardening of their heart;(NKJV)
Can men reject water baptism for the remission of sins and be excused because of their hard heart.
1 Timothy 1:13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.(NKJV)
The key here is "formerly" ignorant. The apostle Paul never denied that water baptism was in order to receive forgiveness.
Galatians 1:6-9 ......9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received let him be accursed. (NKJV)
Can those who claim Jesus as savior and have read the New Testament Scriptures claim ignorance when they deny that water baptism is essential for forgiveness from sin?
Will the ignorance excuse work on Judgement Day?
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IF RELIGIOUS LEADERS DO NOT UNDERSTAND SALVATION REQUIREMENTS.......? BY STEVE FINNELL
If religious leaders do not understand God's requirements for salvation, then why would anyone think that they would not teach false doctrines?
Example: Joyce Meyer
Joyce Meyer Ministries
August 4, 2014 ·
Prayer for salvation: If you need Jesus and want a personal relationship with Him, pray this very simple prayer out loud: "Father God, I love you. I believe in you. I need you. I'm sorry for my sins. Sorry about the way I've lived. Sorry for shutting You out. I want You in my life. I surrender. I yield. I receive Jesus as my Savior and my Lord. I believe He died for me. He rose from the dead. He's alive today. Come into me. Take me just the way I am. Now make me everything You want me to be. I believe I'm saved. I'm on my way to heaven, and I'm going to enjoy the trip. Amen."
The Joyce Meyer plan of salvation is not God's plan of salvation.
God's plan of salvation: Faith---John 3:16, Galatians 3:26---Confession---Romans 10:9-10, Acts 8:34-38---Repentance---Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19, --Water Immersion--- Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16, Acts 22:16, Galatians 3:27, Ephesians 5:24-27, Colossians 2:8-13, Romans 6:3-7, 1 Peter 3:20-21,
Joyce Meyer Quote
“During that time He entered hell, where you and I deserved to go (legally) because of our sin. He paid the price there … no plan was too extreme … Jesus paid on the cross and in hell”
Joyce Meyer believes Jesus dying on the cross was not sufficient for man's atonement. She believes Jesus went to hell for three days to be punished for the sins on mankind. [NOTE: For more information, google search, Joyce Meyer false teacher.]
Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross. He was not punished three days in hell for the sins of mankind.
1 Peter 2:21-24.....24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sin, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed. (NKJV)
It should not surprise anyone that a person who teaches an erroneous doctrine of salvation would teach other doctrines that are false.
Is it a result of wisdom to look for spiritual guidance from those who do not teach God's terms of salvation?
Which is the most egregious false doctrine?
1. Saying, Jesus had to be punished in hell three days so the sins of mankind could be forgiven.
2. Saying, faith in Jesus is not essential for salvation.
3. Saying, confessing Jesus as Lord and Christ is not essential for salvation.
4. Saying, repentance is not essential for salvation.
5 Saying, water baptism is not essential for salvation.
Where do you look for God's truth? If it is not the Bible, then you are looking in all the wrong places.
Arrogance and pride stand in the way of God's truth.
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