Within the past several days, believers have been martyred all over the world, from North Korea, to the Middle East, to Indonesia, to parts of Africa. Practically everywhere there is persecution, Tertullian’s quote rings prophetic.
It has been said that when Chinese house church leaders discovered American Christians praying for the end of persecution in China, they were rebuked. They asked instead that people pray they would stand strong and that God would be glorified in the face of persecution.
This should not be taken as a call to prayerfully desire persecution. Clearly, persecution brings negative consequences as well as positive results. It does, however, put things into perspective. In America, most churches are clean, comfortable and casual (attitude, not dress). One tends to wonder what will happen when the persecution eventually hits close to home.
It has been said that when Chinese house church leaders discovered American Christians praying for the end of persecution in China, they were rebuked. They asked instead that people pray they would stand strong and that God would be glorified in the face of persecution.
This should not be taken as a call to prayerfully desire persecution. Clearly, persecution brings negative consequences as well as positive results. It does, however, put things into perspective. In America, most churches are clean, comfortable and casual (attitude, not dress). One tends to wonder what will happen when the persecution eventually hits close to home.
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