These are the words of Jesus that Paul wrote in 2 Thessalonians 2: “Remember you not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?”
2 Thessalonians 2:5-8 KJV
(5) Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
These are the same words of Jesus that we find in John 16 that explains 2 Thessalonians. Compare 2 Thessalonians 2:5 to John 16:4:
John 16:4
(4) But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
Only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way.
To understand who it is that “letteth until he be taken out of the way”, we must remember the words of Jesus in John 16.
2 Thessalonians 2:5-8 KJV
(5) Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
(6) And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
(7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
(8) And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Who will be “taken out of the way”? WE WILL as they will put us out of their congregations for believing in the Truth as spoken by Jesus in John 16:2. Our God is merciful as we will be put out of their church gatherings by them….revealing them as the wicked. The Lord will not destroy the wicked with the righteous. And when the wicked will do this, they shall “kill” us with their evil speakings and false accusations….labeling us as “devils”…as “evil doers”. All the while, they will be thinking that they are doing God “service” for their “wonderful deeds” as they cast out us “devils” supposedly in His name….in His authority. But all who will do such things do not know the Father nor the Son who said to have love for all men at all times. They will be forgetful of His “new commandment”…the commandment of the Lord whom we are to serve at all times.
John 16:1-4 KJV
(1) These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
(2) They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
(3) And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
(4) But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
Will God destroy the righteous with the wicked? By His mercy….no.
Genesis 18:23-26 KJV
(23) And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
(24) Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
(25) That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
(26) And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
Remember Lot. Lot "lingered".
Remember how Lot lingered around in Sodom. Lot “lingered”….he “letteth”… until he was taken out of the way by the men….for Jehovah was merciful unto him. We also shall be shown the same mercy as was to Lot and his family as we shall be put out of many churches for believing in the Lord and His words. This will be done for our own good as many shall “linger”. The wicked shall not understand and will act wickedly because they do not know the Father nor the Son.
Genesis 19:14-17 KJV
(14) And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
We must leave or be consumed in the iniquity of the city. We must leave Babylon or partake of her sins and her plagues….her evil speakings in wrath and the resulting judgments upon “her”.
(15) And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
(16) And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
(17) And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
We must follow the steps of Jesus who “went away” unto the Father. We must also go away unto the Father. We must come out from among the unbelievers of the churches and be separate while suffering their persecutions. We must go also unto the Father so that we shall be His sons and daughters.
2 Corinthians 6:16-18 KJV
(16) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
(17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
(18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
If we do not, then the Comforter will not come to us. We must go out from among them and share in His persecutions as those whom we leave behind shall heap insults and false accusations upon us. We shall be “salted with fire” but we must maintain peace. It will rain “fire” down from heaven …..they will speak evil words(the tongue is a fire) against us in the air (heaven). We are not to “look back”. The “second death” shall not harm us. The fiery furnace of their mouths shall not harm us. Remember Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego who suffered no harm from the “second death”…the fiery furnace…the mouth that will be full of fury that will persecute.
Also, remember Lot’s wife. We are not to shrink back out of fear for what “church” men will say when we leave their company. We are not to look back and render evil for their evil when they shall say and do these evil things. We are not to look back and wish them “Godspeed”….sharing in their evil works.
John 16:5-17 KJV
(5) But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?
(6) But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.
We are to follow after Him. It is expedient that we “go away” from them so that He may send the Comforter…..as the Spirit shall comfort us from their persecutions.
(7) Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
(8) And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
(9) Of sin, because they believe not on me;
(10) Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
(11) Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
(12) I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
The Spirit of Truth shall guide us into all Truth and will need no man to teach us.
(13) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
(14) He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
(15) All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
In a little while, we shall not see Him but again, in a little while we shall see Him again. We shall leave one group and join another living body of Christ whom shall be gathered together in His name in due time.
(16) A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.
(17) Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
We ….who leave their company…. shall receive 100 percent those things we leave behind. We shall see Him again in the company of new believers. But before we see these people in Christ gathered together with Him, we shall suffer persecutions by those who we will leave behind. This is why He shall send the Comforter. We shall see Him again...
Mark 10:28-30 KJV
(28) Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
(29) And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
(30) But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
We shall see Him again as we….the believers…shall be gathered together unto Him. But first, there shall be a falling away from the Truth and the man of sin shall be revealed. We, who will believe, shall be persecuted by those who will not believe in our churches. Like Dioptrephes, many men who love to be first among their congregations shall not receive the Word of Truth. They shall exercise their authority over the assemblies as they will put out of their gatherings any who will receive it.
We shall see Him again…..
2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 KJV
(1) Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
(2) That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
But first there has to come a falling away and the man of sin in every congregation be revealed….as we must suffer persecutions by them.
(3) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
They will oppose and exalt themselves over the Word of God and they will exercise their authority (by claiming that they will do these things in His name) over their congregations….
(4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Like Diotrephes who loved to be FIRST, they will prate against us with malicious words. They shall seek to devour us with their evil words and false accusations (the "fire") as they will follow the ways of their father…..the devil. We are to resist them steadfast in the faith of the Word of Truth knowing that the same afflictions will be accomplished in our brothers (brothers in the faith) that are in the world. They….the unbelievers…. shall rejoice in their evil as we shall be sorrowful. But we shall see Him again….as we shall be gathered together unto Him in due time. He will make us complete and establish and strengthen and settle us….after we have suffered their persecutions a while.
1 Peter 5:8-10 KJV
(8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
(9) Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
(10) But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
Don’t think that the coming “fiery trial” of our faith is though some strange thing is happening especially to us. It was experienced by Jesus Himself….and predicted by Him for us also as we follow in His footsteps. If we are persecuted for believing in the Truth by the unbelieving “Christians”, then we are made partakers also of Christ’s sufferings. If we shall suffer with Him, we shall also partake of His glory when it shall be revealed
1 Peter 4:12-19 KJV
(12) Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
(13) But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
(14) If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
(15) But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
We are to suffer as a “Christian”…a FOLLOWER OF CHRIST…as we shall follow His footsteps out from among them and be persecuted for it.
(16) Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
(17) For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
(18) And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
We are to suffer their persecutions according to the will of God….by not rendering evil for their evil. We are to keep our souls to Him in well doing…..especially when we shall be persecuted for the name of Christ. We shall honor His authority (His name) over men who will only debate and oppose what they will hear…..the Word of Truth. We are to lose our souls to save them.
(19) Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Remember His word: if they (His very own) had persecuted Him, they will also persecute us. They will not keep His saying: to have love for each other.
John 15:20-21 KJV
(20) Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
(21) But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
We are compassed with a great cloud of witnesses…..so let us then lay aside every weight and the sin (evil speaking) which does so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Let us come out from among them while not rendering evil for their evil.
Hebrews 12:1-7 KJV
(1) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Let us look instead unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. We follow in His footsteps as we are to share in His sufferings when we will be persecuted for believing in His words today….persecuted by our very own people just as He was. Consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself….for we shall also suffer the contradictions of the sinners in the churches who will not stand what they will hear and show hatred toward any who will receive it. Diotrephes shall commit his unlawful deeds again in every church.
(2) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
(3) For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
(4) Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
(5) And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Look instead at it this way: if we shall endure chastening, then it is God dealing with us as sons. Let us not despise the chastening of the Lord.
(6) For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
(7) If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
He shall baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Our faith shall be tested by fire….by those who will persecute us for our faith.
Matthew 3:11-12 KJV
(11) I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
(12) Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Remember Lot and the mercy that Jehovah showed unto him. They shall put us out of their gatherings…..because of His mercy unto us. We shall not suffer the sins and plagues of the city…as we shall escape for our lives. Again, we are not to look back to those things we leave behind.
Genesis 19:16-17 KJV
(16) And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
(17) And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
continued in next post...
2 Thessalonians 2:5-8 KJV
(5) Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
These are the same words of Jesus that we find in John 16 that explains 2 Thessalonians. Compare 2 Thessalonians 2:5 to John 16:4:
John 16:4
(4) But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
Only he who now letteth will let until he be taken out of the way.
To understand who it is that “letteth until he be taken out of the way”, we must remember the words of Jesus in John 16.
2 Thessalonians 2:5-8 KJV
(5) Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things?
(6) And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time.
(7) For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
(8) And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
Who will be “taken out of the way”? WE WILL as they will put us out of their congregations for believing in the Truth as spoken by Jesus in John 16:2. Our God is merciful as we will be put out of their church gatherings by them….revealing them as the wicked. The Lord will not destroy the wicked with the righteous. And when the wicked will do this, they shall “kill” us with their evil speakings and false accusations….labeling us as “devils”…as “evil doers”. All the while, they will be thinking that they are doing God “service” for their “wonderful deeds” as they cast out us “devils” supposedly in His name….in His authority. But all who will do such things do not know the Father nor the Son who said to have love for all men at all times. They will be forgetful of His “new commandment”…the commandment of the Lord whom we are to serve at all times.
John 16:1-4 KJV
(1) These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
(2) They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
(3) And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
(4) But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
Will God destroy the righteous with the wicked? By His mercy….no.
Genesis 18:23-26 KJV
(23) And Abraham drew near, and said, Wilt thou also destroy the righteous with the wicked?
(24) Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city: wilt thou also destroy and not spare the place for the fifty righteous that are therein?
(25) That be far from thee to do after this manner, to slay the righteous with the wicked: and that the righteous should be as the wicked, that be far from thee: Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?
(26) And the LORD said, If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare all the place for their sakes.
Remember Lot. Lot "lingered".
Remember how Lot lingered around in Sodom. Lot “lingered”….he “letteth”… until he was taken out of the way by the men….for Jehovah was merciful unto him. We also shall be shown the same mercy as was to Lot and his family as we shall be put out of many churches for believing in the Lord and His words. This will be done for our own good as many shall “linger”. The wicked shall not understand and will act wickedly because they do not know the Father nor the Son.
Genesis 19:14-17 KJV
(14) And Lot went out, and spake unto his sons in law, which married his daughters, and said, Up, get you out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city. But he seemed as one that mocked unto his sons in law.
We must leave or be consumed in the iniquity of the city. We must leave Babylon or partake of her sins and her plagues….her evil speakings in wrath and the resulting judgments upon “her”.
(15) And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.
(16) And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
(17) And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
We must follow the steps of Jesus who “went away” unto the Father. We must also go away unto the Father. We must come out from among the unbelievers of the churches and be separate while suffering their persecutions. We must go also unto the Father so that we shall be His sons and daughters.
2 Corinthians 6:16-18 KJV
(16) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
(17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
(18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
If we do not, then the Comforter will not come to us. We must go out from among them and share in His persecutions as those whom we leave behind shall heap insults and false accusations upon us. We shall be “salted with fire” but we must maintain peace. It will rain “fire” down from heaven …..they will speak evil words(the tongue is a fire) against us in the air (heaven). We are not to “look back”. The “second death” shall not harm us. The fiery furnace of their mouths shall not harm us. Remember Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego who suffered no harm from the “second death”…the fiery furnace…the mouth that will be full of fury that will persecute.
Also, remember Lot’s wife. We are not to shrink back out of fear for what “church” men will say when we leave their company. We are not to look back and render evil for their evil when they shall say and do these evil things. We are not to look back and wish them “Godspeed”….sharing in their evil works.
John 16:5-17 KJV
(5) But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?
(6) But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.
We are to follow after Him. It is expedient that we “go away” from them so that He may send the Comforter…..as the Spirit shall comfort us from their persecutions.
(7) Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
(8) And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
(9) Of sin, because they believe not on me;
(10) Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;
(11) Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.
(12) I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.
The Spirit of Truth shall guide us into all Truth and will need no man to teach us.
(13) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
(14) He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
(15) All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.
In a little while, we shall not see Him but again, in a little while we shall see Him again. We shall leave one group and join another living body of Christ whom shall be gathered together in His name in due time.
(16) A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.
(17) Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father?
We ….who leave their company…. shall receive 100 percent those things we leave behind. We shall see Him again in the company of new believers. But before we see these people in Christ gathered together with Him, we shall suffer persecutions by those who we will leave behind. This is why He shall send the Comforter. We shall see Him again...
Mark 10:28-30 KJV
(28) Then Peter began to say unto him, Lo, we have left all, and have followed thee.
(29) And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
(30) But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
We shall see Him again as we….the believers…shall be gathered together unto Him. But first, there shall be a falling away from the Truth and the man of sin shall be revealed. We, who will believe, shall be persecuted by those who will not believe in our churches. Like Dioptrephes, many men who love to be first among their congregations shall not receive the Word of Truth. They shall exercise their authority over the assemblies as they will put out of their gatherings any who will receive it.
We shall see Him again…..
2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 KJV
(1) Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,
(2) That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.
But first there has to come a falling away and the man of sin in every congregation be revealed….as we must suffer persecutions by them.
(3) Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
They will oppose and exalt themselves over the Word of God and they will exercise their authority (by claiming that they will do these things in His name) over their congregations….
(4) Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Like Diotrephes who loved to be FIRST, they will prate against us with malicious words. They shall seek to devour us with their evil words and false accusations (the "fire") as they will follow the ways of their father…..the devil. We are to resist them steadfast in the faith of the Word of Truth knowing that the same afflictions will be accomplished in our brothers (brothers in the faith) that are in the world. They….the unbelievers…. shall rejoice in their evil as we shall be sorrowful. But we shall see Him again….as we shall be gathered together unto Him in due time. He will make us complete and establish and strengthen and settle us….after we have suffered their persecutions a while.
1 Peter 5:8-10 KJV
(8) Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:
(9) Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.
(10) But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
Don’t think that the coming “fiery trial” of our faith is though some strange thing is happening especially to us. It was experienced by Jesus Himself….and predicted by Him for us also as we follow in His footsteps. If we are persecuted for believing in the Truth by the unbelieving “Christians”, then we are made partakers also of Christ’s sufferings. If we shall suffer with Him, we shall also partake of His glory when it shall be revealed
1 Peter 4:12-19 KJV
(12) Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
(13) But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
(14) If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.
(15) But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.
We are to suffer as a “Christian”…a FOLLOWER OF CHRIST…as we shall follow His footsteps out from among them and be persecuted for it.
(16) Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
(17) For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?
(18) And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
We are to suffer their persecutions according to the will of God….by not rendering evil for their evil. We are to keep our souls to Him in well doing…..especially when we shall be persecuted for the name of Christ. We shall honor His authority (His name) over men who will only debate and oppose what they will hear…..the Word of Truth. We are to lose our souls to save them.
(19) Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.
Remember His word: if they (His very own) had persecuted Him, they will also persecute us. They will not keep His saying: to have love for each other.
John 15:20-21 KJV
(20) Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
(21) But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
We are compassed with a great cloud of witnesses…..so let us then lay aside every weight and the sin (evil speaking) which does so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us. Let us come out from among them while not rendering evil for their evil.
Hebrews 12:1-7 KJV
(1) Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
Let us look instead unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith. We follow in His footsteps as we are to share in His sufferings when we will be persecuted for believing in His words today….persecuted by our very own people just as He was. Consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against Himself….for we shall also suffer the contradictions of the sinners in the churches who will not stand what they will hear and show hatred toward any who will receive it. Diotrephes shall commit his unlawful deeds again in every church.
(2) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
(3) For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.
(4) Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.
(5) And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him:
Look instead at it this way: if we shall endure chastening, then it is God dealing with us as sons. Let us not despise the chastening of the Lord.
(6) For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.
(7) If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?
He shall baptize us with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Our faith shall be tested by fire….by those who will persecute us for our faith.
Matthew 3:11-12 KJV
(11) I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
(12) Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
Remember Lot and the mercy that Jehovah showed unto him. They shall put us out of their gatherings…..because of His mercy unto us. We shall not suffer the sins and plagues of the city…as we shall escape for our lives. Again, we are not to look back to those things we leave behind.
Genesis 19:16-17 KJV
(16) And while he lingered, the men laid hold upon his hand, and upon the hand of his wife, and upon the hand of his two daughters; the LORD being merciful unto him: and they brought him forth, and set him without the city.
(17) And it came to pass, when they had brought them forth abroad, that he said, Escape for thy life; look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed.
continued in next post...