Is Trump the Anti-christ? (part 8)

 

6. Persecution of Believers

SLIDE 6 OF 8

Since the Antichrist requires everyone to worship him and uses his military and political power to oppose worshipping Yahweh, he will punish and persecute those of us who bow to God. Revelation 13 teaches this persecution as a deliberate and systematic effort to suppress and eradicate those who hold fast to faith in Christ.

Revelation 13 describes how the beast, representing the Antichrist, makes war against the saints to overcome them (Revelation 13:7). The Antichrist orchestrates this persecution as part of his campaign to assert dominion over all peoples and nations. We must be prepared to endure suffering and persecution for the sake of their allegiance to Christ, as warned in Revelation 13:10.

The Bible teaches us important truths to help us endure this persecution. First, we gain rewards for enduring persecution. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me,” Jesus says in Matthew 5:11, as part of the Sermon on the Mount. We identify with Christ since he also suffered violence and persecution for speaking the truth and honoring only his Father. And we will share in his reward.

Second, these persecutions won’t last forever (2 Corinthians 4:17-18). God will save and redeem his people (Isaiah 4)

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1Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks;

2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.

4 Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love

Revelation 2:1-4

In these verses, Jesus instructs John to write to the angel of the church in Ephesus, emphasizing the importance of the message (Rev 2:1) stepbible.org+1. He begins with a description of Himself that highlights His authority and divine knowledge, showing that He fully knows the deeds, labor, and perseverance of the believers, as well as their ability to discern truth from falsehood (Rev 2:2-3) stepbible.org+1.
While the Ephesians are praised for their faithfulness, hard work, and doctrinal integrity, they are rebuked for losing the passionate love they had at first for Christ and for one another (Rev 2:4) stepbible.org. Jesus calls them to repent and return to their initial devotion, warning that failure to do so could result in the removal of their lampstand, symbolizing the loss of their status as a faithful church (Rev 2:5) stepbible.org+1.
The passage also references the Nicolaitans, a group associated with idolatry and immorality, indicating that the church must remain vigilant against false teachings and corrupt influences (Rev 2:6) stepbible.org. Overall, these verses combine commendation, correction, and a call to renewed love and faithfulness, illustrating the balance of grace and accountability in Christ’s message to His churches.

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Have you ever "lost your first love?"

That is the fire for Jesus Christ when you were first saved.

I know I did. 

I didn't exactly leave Christ.

Nor did I deny Him.

But life had come along,

presenting daily living situations.

Good and not so good.

They stole that fire from me.

Until things got so bad one day,

that I knew I had to repent

and get close to Him again.

That is what I believe these verses mean.

He gave me a second chance.  

But during the Tribulation,

there may be many people 

that find themselves in the same boat.

Will their time run out?

I don't know. 

And I sure don't want to be one who finds out.

The best way to know for sure

is to miss those days altogether. 

May God have mercy on us, Friends.

Thanks for coming by.

Have a blessed day.