2 Timothy 3:11 persecutions, sufferings - what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet, the Lord rescued me from them all.
Signs of Godliness, List 2:
- Persecutions
- Sufferings
This is a short list, and the characteristics are certainly not to what most Christians would aspire. Who likes suffering and who like being persecuted? I don't know anyone, yet this is what Paul went through. My next post will discuss the certainty for persecution in the life of a Christian. One might say, I don't think all Christians need to go through persecution. If you offer the gospel with love and the right attitude, others will accept it. And, even if they don't they won't reject you, because you haven't been arrogant, holier-than-thou nor obnoxious.
A and K, that is the common thought of today; if we don't judge people nor condemn them... we'll all just get along and everyone will become Christians. The sad truth is that, because of that attitude, the church has become so much like the world, we often can't tell one from the other. You must understand, that if you are a true Christian, persecution and suffering will come.
Oh, and one other thing about this verse... another misconstrued thought is that we may have to suffer for a time, but it will soon all be over and everything will be great, after all Paul did say, the Lord rescued me from them all. So he did, but then died at the hand of Nero, most of the other disciples did as well. More on this next time. Odd for me to end on a negative note... how about, all who die in the Lord are the winners in eternity!
~Dad
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