Christian Persecution in the Last Days

 

The December 25, 2013 Fox News headline reads, "Bomb Attack on Christians in Bagdad Kills 37." It does not say that bomb attack kills 37 people but specifically says "attack on Christians."The January 1, 2014 article in godfatherpolitics.com was titled, "Muslims Kill Dozens of Christians on Christmas Day and White House Remains Silent." Again, it specifically says "Christians." Of course, with a Muslim president the silence should be no surprise since he has no one to which he would owe an apology for such a tragedy.The January 4, 2014 edition of Prophecy News Watch Headlines email further printed an article with a list of Christian persecutions in 2013. Christian persecution, which included death, occurred in Syria, Korea, Pakistan, Nigeria, Iran and Egypt. And, these are not just isolated stories. Sadly, just because the United States was not listed does not mean that there is not increasing hatred and discrimination against Christians in the United States.

 

Foxnewsonline@foxnews.com reported on January 8, 2014 that a six-year old student was told that "Jesus is not allowed in school" after he passed out candy canes with a religious message.

 

According to the January 09, 2014 email of Eagle Rising, the number of Christians martyred for their faith doubled in 2013. And, this is a conservative estimate because not all countries could be reported.

 

Persecution, however, does not have to mean death. In fact, some persecution may be self-inflicted when Christians compromise their Bible beliefs to appease their enemies. Eventually, that could back-fire. Nevertheless, it is obvious and plain that Christians are being targeted for discrimination, disenfranchisement, and, even, death in today's world more than ever before in history. This is not to say that the Catholic Crusades did not kill indiscriminately anyone who would not convert to Catholicism during the papal persecutions under the order of Pope Alexander III as recorded in Fox's Book of Martyrs.

 

In Luke 21:17 as Jesus Christ is describing the days before His return He says, "And ye shall be hated by all men for My name's sake." Yes, persecution in one form or another has been around since the days of our Lord and, yes, there will be those who will remind us of that. However, with the regularity and intensity of hatred and violence to Christians in today's world there can be no denying that our Lord is soon to return, as He prophesied.

 

It is interesting to note in Acts chapter nine that before Saul became Paul that "Saul , yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of The Lord" (v. 1) "he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying into him, Saul, Saul, why thou persecutest thou me?" (v.4). Notice the our Lord does not ask Saul why he is persecuting Christians? But He asked "why thou persecutest me?" The truth is, that is exactly what He is asking. Again, He said in Luke 21:17, "And, ye shall be hated by all men for My names sake." If someone is hated for being a Christian then they are hated because of Christ. And, this is exactly what Jesus Christ was saying centuries ago.

 

Further, John 7:7 says, "The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil."

 

John 15:18 says, "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you."

 

Revelation 6:9 say, "And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held."

 

Although some like to think so, the United States is not a Christian country. True, our founding fathers had strong beliefs on the authority of scripture and of a Sovereign God but this country has eroded away from any fear of an Omnipotent God. Sadly, this country now has a President who not only mocks Christians but also is silent when they are persecuted and does nothing to protect or defend them! Yet, on late night television the President said that the first thing he thinks of each morning and the last thing he thinks of each night is how to protect American citizens. Perhaps, the President should tell that to the American Christians that are harassed and killed each year!