"Jesus Christ remains forever the standard example of a persecuted soul for his Church" by experiencing all forms and types of persecutions possible under the sun. "He paid the ultimate price of persecution through his physical death on the cross with his own life for the sin of the whole world".
"His apostles and the early Christians at the onset and through the infancy stages of the Christian Church and global evangelization were all persecuted in various forms and ways including physical death". The Church has faced persecutions for the last 2000 years of its existence from the world.
"Persecutions will never end as long as the Church of Jesus Christ is here", and this strange experience will continue until the "Rapture of the Church" in the unknown future day and time. "Persecution is historical in nature, current and relevant in this present age, and will continue into the future" until the end of this present age of grace and truth which will be at the rapture of the saints of God.
"Persecution is also scriptural in origin and its nature". A "true follower of Jesus Christ in this world "WILL NOT" and "CANNOT" escape persecutions from others who are outside this saving faith of God". "Presecutions come from the hostile governments over the nations that are antichrist, antichristian or antichurch and hate freedom of religion, the rule of law, free press, independent judiciary, free speech and democracy".
"Persecutions also come from other religious groups and organizations and from individuals that do not like everything that Jesus Christ stands for and all what his gospel of grace, truth and salvation represent to the entire world". These "organizations are afraid of losing their relevance, money, power, influence and their followership to Jesus Christ and his gospel".
"Persecutions from unbelievers are the major part of the Christian way of life or this Christian journey of faith". Persecutions come in "different forms, such as rejection by others, denial of employment or promotion on the job because you are a Christian, loss of employment, slanders, false accusations, physical attacks, media censorship of Christian television and radio programs, establishment of theocracy or a state religion in a nation, intimidations, banishments of Christian Churches and preachers, deportations of Christians from hostile nations, or the illegal and extrajudiciary killings of Christians in lawless and undemocratic nations of the world by government agents and through government or religion sponsored sectarian and religious riots".
The Relevant Bible Verses:
Yes, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution - 2 Timothy 3:12.
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivers him out of them all - Psalm 34:19.
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