Suffering for Christ

"Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." 2nd Timothy 3:12

I've used to wonder about this verse. While 28 Christians are being martyred daily in places like North Korea and Saudi Arabia, we here in the West are free to argue about worship styles and the color of the carpet in our church buildings. Ridiculous. Its so easy to be an average Christian here in America. I once wondered "I haven't really sufered. Does that mean I'm not living godly?" Do all who are godly in Christ Jesus here in America suffer?

I heard this quote on Way of the Master Radio today which speaks to this:
"You wanna suffer? Just go share Christ with every person on your street, and press it to the point where they know that they're gonna go straight to hell if they step out of this world without Christ. You'll suffer. Just call up all the apostate pastors in your area that aren't preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and go out and challenge them to get on the biblical program. You'll suffer." (I think it was Chip Ingram)

Powerful. Now we shouldn't be seeking to suffer for the sake of suffering. But we should be living godly in Christ Jesus, and that DOES mean we are likely to suffer for that.

For example, Stephen Green of Great Britain is still under arrest for passing out Gospel tracts at a gay rally. He is charged with using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour. What are the words on the tracts were are offensive?

Why, none other than the majestic words of the 1611 King James Bible.

The problem was that they were those bits of the Bible which forbid homosexuality. The leaflets also urged homosexuals to "turn from your sins and you will be saved".

Canada has similar laws, in fact the Canadians call it a hate crime to quote those bits of scripture. America is not too far away from that either.

Love those who hate you. Preach the full council of God in season and out of season. All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.