In Spite Of Severe Suffering

"In spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia-- your faith in God has become known everywhere." 1Thessalonians 1:6b-8

The suffering that the Thessalonian church had to endure was because of persecution from both the Jews and the Gentiles. The Jews believed the "new believers in the Messiah" were undermining tradition and the Gentiles did not trust them because the "new faith" was strange and different than anything they had ever heard before. We today do not suffer much persecution. At least not here in America. In other parts of the world Christians suffer much persecution. In many places under Islamic or Communist rule, Christians are persecuted and even put to death for their beliefs.

Some early Christians thought that they would be protected from all trouble and death by becoming believers. This notion was fostered by a false belief that Jesus would return soon and therefore they would be raptured before they would die. Today there are still prognosticators, who claim the end of the world is on a certain date or within so many years. Paul is trying to encourage them to continue in the faith not on the basis of the imminent return of Christ, but by faith in Him for the forgiveness of sin. Whenever Jesus returns, and He will, we must walk by faith.

When persecution does take place, and it may increase in coming years, we must hold fast to our faith. Then, the Lord's message will ring out from us too. Until then, the message still must be shared. The message of His love and hope and grace and mercy. We can be fervent and dedicated and zealous and outgoing about our faith, even if we aren't being persecuted that much.

Today the forerunner of persecution seems to be mocking. Christianity is being demeaned not only for it's hypocrites, but for it's beliefs. It is one of the first steps of persecution. When the mocking is widely accepted, then the persecuting will increase. I believe we are at the beginning of a time of persecution and as more and more authentic Christianity is lived out in the lives of more and more Christians, the more that persecution will increase. Hopefully our reputation will be one of faithfulness as the tide turns.

Let us earnestly share Him and His truth, whatever the consequences, and do so purely for the love of Him with joy, and faith in Him.

In Him,
Pastor Fred

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