Fear and Persecution

Why do people - for the most - not want to talk about faith: that which is that makes them who and what they are; that which is the eternal, or in other words, the spirit or the soul which will spend an afterlife in either eternal damnation in hell or everlasting glory and bliss in heaven with God?

A good friend of mine told me it is because the subject is taboo. It causes too much conflict and strife between the parties involved. I had to agree. I have heard of a man who talked about the subject openly. He did not force his ideas upon anyone. People came to him freely to hear what he had to say about the Kingdom of God. The only time he preached on the subject is when he went to church, after the custom of his own culture. Even there he was chastised for telling what the people knew to be the truth. He was beaten and brutalized; eventually nailed to a cross and crucified to death.


It is human nature to fear pain, for pain can lead to death. I do not think any sane person really wants to die. Even Jesus did not want to die, but Jesus had a purpose. He knew he had to die for the transgressions against God by mankind. But as human beings knowing the truth of God it also becomes our purpose to speak the truth of God; if we do not then we are not fulfilling our purpose.

It is however more fearful to imagine the soul that perishes without God. In our culture, the Kingdom of God is not mentioned in these discussions; rather what doctrine you follow and the denomination to which you belong. Yet people do not seem to want to really discuss the blood washing of the soul unto salvation: by which no man will see or enter the Kingdom of God.

Although times have changed, and people are more civilized, the constant reminder of martyrdom and ostrasization still lurk in the hearts and memories of humanity, and some things are better left unsaid. With these views and fears it is no wonder people do not want to be
drawn into conversation about the soul and its salvation.

What do we fear in speaking about the souls’ salvation? What is lost in not speaking forth the truth?

A certain woman was devastated when her family looked her in the face and told her to “Take HER GOD and get the hell out of their lives!” Nothing could have hurt her more than them telling her “it’s your soul if it dies: it’s none of our affair; just GO Away!” She had no idea what she would do, where she would go, or what would be her end “Save God Himself.” What was even harder was no one who knew her believed that this was what transpired in her home, because she attended services regularly; and she and her husband sang in the church Choir for nine years. Several years later when her daughter invited her and her new fiancé to Thanksgiving dinner with three of her grandchildren, there was a stipulation attached to the invitation. “If you start talking about God you’ll have to leave, I don’t care if you come and visit me, just don’t talk about God or Jesus or any of that stuff because I don’t want to hear it.” I have no idea about you but for me not talking about God or the Christ, is like telling a baby not to cry, or a dog not to bark, both are unfruitful.

Was it intended to hurt her? I don’t think so, but how did it hurt the children to hear that woman say that to their Grandmother? This was a petty feeble excuse for keeping her from being a part of their lives. Praying for her daughter on this matter, after being promised she could come for the holidays was tough. Then to hear their mother utter those words must have been as devastating for them to hear as it was for her. Needless to say she did not go to the dinner because her fiancé felt that if God was not welcome, they were really not welcome either.

There is a cost to serving God, fear of the cost will hinder our service to Him and to others. I don’t know if she handled the situation correctly or allowed herself to merely be bullied by her daughter who may have had no plans of including her in their Holiday celebrations to start with, but I know in my heart, that God is still moving in their lives, whether anyone acknowledges it but her or not.

I knew a certain woman and throughout her walk with God, she had been beaten for His words sake, put in jail, had rocks thrown at her, been bitten, spit on, slapped, and excommunicated from churches, bible studies, community fellowship, as well as family reunions. What are we expecting will happen when we share salvation unto the soul with people? One man bit her ear for praying, but she still prays today. What was her cost and how so lightly considered? For fear of being left out of God’s Grace?

What happens to those who are excommunicated? Who then ministers to them, so that their faith does not fail them? Who visits them in the long dark night of their soul? Where are these who do speak and minister the truth? Are they in comfortable churches living quiet lives for fear of loss or what it will cost should any find out their true heart as well?

Jesus told us what would happen to us should we choose to follow Him. It’s all right there in that book we call the “Holy Bible”, in the New Testament section. (Mat 13:20,21) Paul of Tarsus tells us in his words how it will be quite clearly “Yea, and all that would live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer Persecution.” (2Ti 3:12) He did not say some, nor did he say one, he said all. If a person is not suffering some type of persecution, they are not being a true follower of Christ Jesus. There. I said it.

v No-one wants persecution, but we all want paradise with God.
v No-one wants to die, but it is a fact of life.
v How much persecution does the fellow on TV with the big smile suffer?
v Can any of us walk the walk as well as we talk the talk?

Ponder these thoughts as you live your daily lives and ask yourself these questions. I wonder at times whether or not I am worthy of God’s Grace. Probably not, but at least I try to make an effort to follow the ways of Christ Jesus. God knows I am not perfect, but I pray He sees my heart in truth. Amen?