Don’t Fall Away
Scripture: John 16:1-4 (ESV)
“I have said all these things to
you to keep you from falling away. 2 They
will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever
kills you will think he is offering service to God. 3 And they will do these things because they have
not known the Father, nor me. 4 But
I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember
that I told them to you.
Devotion:
The
words of Jesus in today’s scripture were a warning to those who originally
heard them. Persecution was coming, and it would be harsh and unforgiving. The
original audience for this message would need encouragement to keep following
Jesus even when He was not physically present with them anymore. It is a timeless
message of encouragement for all believers in every time and place. Jesus will
not leave or forsake us to the enemies of the faith.
Even
in today’s world, we hear stories of people being persecuted or even killed for
their belief that Jesus is Lord. In places as close as Haiti, violence against the
church is a serious threat to the lives and property of believers. All around
the world, Christians are under attack for their faith. They need these words
from the gospel of John and our prayers for their safety and faithfulness.
Those
of us who are Christians in the United States of America sometimes believe we
are being persecuted for our faith in Jesus. Compared to the dangers faced by
our brothers and sisters worldwide, we cannot really claim to be persecuted.
Yet. The culture in America is becoming more hostile to the faith as time goes
on. We are not physically killed for our beliefs at this present moment, but we
may be canceled due to our beliefs.
I
hate the term “culture war,” but it seems that we in America are in something
like a war in our day-to-day lives. Yet, we have not had to resist to the point
of shedding our blood in defense of our Christian faith. We should not be
shocked when that day comes. Perhaps sooner than we expect. So, let us hear the
words of scripture and take them to heart.
Always
be prepared to fight the good fight of faith. Yet, as Peter says, we should
always defend the faith with gentleness and respect. It is hard to do when we
feel we are under such tremendous pressure from the culture to violate the teachings
of scripture. But we follow a savior who accepted even death on the cross and
even prayed for those who were about to kill Him. There is nothing humans can
do to us that should cause us to abandon the way of Jesus.
Prayer:
Heavenly
Father, help us to lead exemplary lives amid a culture that is hostile and
negative toward people of faith. May the world have no reason to criticize us
for our behavior and be put to shame when they trouble us. May we fight the
battles that we must fight with spiritual weapons, not physical ones. May we
bring glory to the name of Christ through all that we do or say. Let us always remember
the assurance you gave us of your presence with us through all things. Amen.
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