Saturday Song: Randy Stonehill, "China"

What a beautiful song this is. It's almost a prayer for the oppressed people in that communist land. Open evangelism is band there and the official state church doesn't preach the gospel. All they teach is moralism. Yet Christianity is growing in China, much to the frustration of the Communist Party.

Christian rocker, Randy Stonehill, recorded this prayerful song on his Equator album. Listen to Randy Stonehill's song here.

Persecution is nothing new in this world. From the murder of Abel to today's slaughter, faithful believers are targets for Satan's wrath. As Jesus said in Matthew 23:29-31 (BBE) that, "A curse is on you, scribes and Pharisees, false ones! because you put up buildings for housing the dead bodies of the prophets, and make fair the last resting-places of good men, and say, 'If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in the blood of the prophets.' So that you are witnesses against yourselves that you are the sons of those who put the prophets to death."

Likewise, Stephen lashed out at the Sanhedrin when he said in Acts 7:52 (BBE), "Which of the prophets was not cruelly attacked by your fathers? and they put to death those who gave them the news of the coming of the Upright One; whom you have now given up and put to death;"

So, Why does God allow persecution? Paul, who suffered much from persecuters, wrote in Philippians 1:12 and 13 (BBE), "Now it is my purpose to make clear to you, brothers, that the cause of the good news has been helped by my experiences; So that it became clear through all the Praetorian, and to all the rest, that I was a prisoner on account of Christ;"

James also understood persecution. That's why he wrote in James 1:2 and 3 (BBE) that we must, "Let it be all joy to you, my brothers, when you undergo tests of every sort; Because you have the knowledge that the testing of your faith gives you the power of going on in hope;"

On Monday, I'll post about how we Christians must rediscover the scriptures.

The Error of Not Preaching Hell

Another error common to various Christian denominations is the fear of preaching about hell. Jesus and his disciples certainly believed in and warned people about that place of punishment. So who are we not to warn the wicked?

God expects us to admonish people about their sins. He spoke in Ezekiel 3:18 (KJV) about what he wants us to do. "When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand."

But God said through Ezekiel 3:19 (KJV) that, "Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul."

Furthermore, the Bible says absolutely nothing about not hurting people's feelings. In fact, hell angers people. Jesus forewarned his disciples in John 15:20 (KJV) when he said, "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."

And some readers might be surprised that religious folks often oppose those who dare to preach the full counsel of God. Stephen really tore a strip out of the Pharisees in Acts 7:52 (KJV) when he burst out, "Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:"

Though people continue to become angry with me for insisting on what the Bible says, I intend to continue doing that in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Those who persecute Christians and assume they're going to heaven are in for a rude shock when they die. May the Lord use my work to turn Sauls into Pauls.

My next post will be about treating God like a vending machine. That's a blasphemous way to treat him but many believers make that mistake.