Perspective

   By L. Jim Tuck

   June 29, 2023

Anti-Christian Sentiment Precedes the Antichrist

            Why are Christians increasingly marginalized in a nation which has in the past declared itself a Christian nation? Why have national and state political leaders and corporate leaders sided with those espousing immorality rather than those with Christian values? New emerging ideologies such as the Woke Movement threaten the safety of Christians in the Western world. Where is it all heading? You need to know.     

Perspective      

            It happened again, as it has occurred in these days of violence, when so many are being mercilessly killed. This not a reference to school shootings which are violent and malicious. We refer to the killing of Christians and the rising anti-Christian sentiment in the counter culture of the Western world countries. An anti-Christian mentality is emerging from the federal, state and corporate sectors of the United States.

            Foxnews.com ran an article on April 13, 2023 titled, “Anti-Christian Hostility Reaching ‘Unprecedented’ Levels in Culture, Government Under Biden,” observers warn.

            Belief in God and the Bible is in free fall as the left, though not always openly, harbors hostility to Christian values. It has not come out fully as yet. However, LGBTQ, same-sex marriage, and abortion have become a religion, and woe to anyone who does not believe it! All of these “values” are contrary to the Bible.

            Unfortunately, high political and other leaders speak against Christians in favor of these hedonistic values, and this fuels more hostility so others are emboldened to feel comfortable attacking Christians. As this kind of open rhetoric rises more, the likelihood of violence increases too.

            Breitbart.com published an article on June 23 titled, “Report Decries ‘Merciless Targeting of Christians’ Around the World” stating, “Moreover, in many countries, ‘cultural and religious intolerance fuel Christian persecution,’ it states, noting that in particular 1.1 billion people live in 21 countries where Islamic extremism is the norm.”

Pastors Arrested for Protesting Pride Event

            Though later the charges were withdrawn by the Berks County District Attorney’s Office, on June 11, a "street preacher" was arrested while citing the Bible in protest of an LGBTQ Pride event in Reading, Pennsylvania.

            In Canada one pastor has been arrested and placed in prison by the Calgary Police after he protested a drag queen story time event for children at a public library. 

 

            Newsweek reported in an article dated May 2, 2021, “Pastor Arrested After Sermon on Marriage, Police Cite Complaints of 'Homophobic Comments'"

            The article proceeds to say, “A now-viral video recording of the arrest shows Sherwood standing on a step stool in the Uxbridge, London, public square before police approach and appear to physically strike him as he's led away in handcuffs. Sherwood, a pastor for 35 years, has adamantly denied that he was making any remarks which targeted gay people specifically. But he told a podcast host Thursday that he was preaching about the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman at the time of his arrest.”

Violence against Christians Increasing

            In other countries the end result of ideological differences is much more violent in nature, and most often is done militantly by Muslim and other religious groups. In a June 26, 2023 article titled, “Christian Students Slaughtered in Terrorist Attack on High School Dorm in Uganda” states: “Islamist terrorists killed at least 37 students, most of them Christians, at the dormitories of a private high school in Uganda, and kidnapped six others on June 16, sources said. Shouting the jihadist slogan ‘Allahu akbar [Allah is greater],’ according to the BBC, the assailants killed the students at Lhubiriha Secondary School in Mpondwe, Kasese District, hacking the girls with machetes and burning the boys to death by setting their dormitory on fire. Five non-students at the school were also killed, Ugandan officials said, and four students were wounded. A survivor, student Edgard Mumbere, told Morning Star News that armed assailants shouted for the boys to open their dormitory door, with one attacker saying, ‘This school is propagating Christianity in Uganda and getting support from Christians in the West — Islam should be the dominant religion in Uganda.’”

            Kidnappings and other killings of Christians take place in Nigeria and other African nations. In India, Hindu extremists kill Christians and burn Bibles in ethnic attacks.

            The question is, “When will this type of violence against Christians begin to happen where you live?”

            Whereas past generations worked feverishly to spread the message of the Christian church to the world, now those in powerful positions speak against Christianity and its beliefs. Eventually, modern ideologies such as the Woke Movement, which has gained a strong foothold in the halls of power, will start pushing more directly against all things Christian.

            The disciples of Jesus asked Him on the Mount of Olives, “what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Matthew 24:3)

            Jesus told them to be careful not to be deceived by those coming in His name. He said there would be wars and rumors of wars, nations rising against each other, famines, and pestilences and earthquakes in different places, but this is the beginning of sorrows to come, because the end is not yet.

Betrayal of Christians Coming

            Then He said, “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.” (Matthew 24:9)

            Mark 13:9-11 says, “But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.”

Persecution of Christians Proceeds the Antichrist

            Jesus forewarned us so we could be forearmed of what is coming in the future. We should not be surprised these things are going to occur. In fact, they must happen.  It will pave the way for the Antichrist to rise. He will be the most Anti-Christian of all. The Antichrist is possessed by Satan the Devil (II Thessalonians 2:9)

            He will be the one who orders his armies (flood) to pursue and kill the church when it flees to Her place out of the reach of the Devil. The Antichrist will fail.  Then he will train all of his efforts to blot out the remnant of the seed of the church left behind; they are those who keep the commandments and have understanding of the true gospel of the kingdom of God.

            Revelation 12:15-17 says, “So the serpent spewed water out of his mouth like a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood. But the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the flood which the dragon had spewed out of his mouth. And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.”

            Jesus also said, “These things I have spoken to you, that you should not be made to stumble. They will put you out of the synagogues; yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them.” (John 16:1-4)

            What is our responsibility?  To make sure our lamps are filled with oil so that we might escape what will occur and be ready at Christ’s coming. (Matthew 25:1-13)

Have a beautiful and delightful Sabbath and weekend.