Suffering from persecution for the Gospel’s sake has more believability for God’s eternal life – than only enjoying the benefits of the Gospel in our earthly life.
What is the advantage of being more focused on the things above, than on the things of our earthly life? If we don’t have a stronger longing for the life that is truly life, than we have for this physical earthly life – we will cower down, shrink back, give in, compromise – instead of faithfully enduring the suffering that is sure to come for the sake of Christ’s Cross and His eternal Kingdom.
What happens when a professing Christian cowers down to threat and persecution? Evil spreads with all its destruction and death. People continue to be without hope and the peace of God. But, the worst of all is how Jesus Christ is humiliated again and again, in the same way He was humiliated by the mocking of unbelievers as He hung on the cross. We really need to understand this – down deep.
Here are some questions that we as the Lord’s people should not only ‘intellectually know’ the RIGHT answers to, but that we better be resting in, standing on, secured by, ready to sacrifice for the reality of who Jesus Christ is and of His glorious Kingdom of which we long for, invest in, labor for and talk about it with full confidence. Christ’s is the only Kingdom that we better never never never compromise or forfeit for anything of our flesh, the world or of the lies and deceptions of the devil.
Questions:
What do people see about Jesus Christ when I am afraid to share my own testimony of Him?
What do people see about the God I say I believe in when there is little to nothing in my day to day life that reflects His way of life and His character?
Who praises and rewards a cowardly Christian?
Does God approve of us on the basis of fear or faith?
Does God expect us to keep our faith in Jesus Christ a secret, knowing full well that we will be hated and attacked?
Does God recognize us as His children because we join and go to church, give to the church and serve leaders of the church?
Does God protect and provide for those who seek friendship with the world?
Does God give crowns to cowards?
Does God give rewards to bystanders?
Will God promote me for mishandling mu position and prosperity from Him?
What is ‘lost to God’ when I obstruct the fulfilling of God’s promises; that is, when I stand in the way of God doing for me what He says He will do for me – when I obey Him?
What do I lose when don’t trust God at His Word?
If I cower-down in the face of threat and persecution – what is missing in me that I assumed I had?
What is the result and outcome – when God is not pleased with me?
GOD DESIRES THAT WE KNOW THE ‘RIGHT’ ANSWER TO ALL THESE QUESTIONS! God has not hidden the truth from anyone who desires to live by the truth and walk with Jesus Christ: the Truth, the Way and the Life – all the way to the end.