Greetings,
In he early Church times, two great threats were evident from Paul's writing and backed up by 'historians' of the day.
They worked hand in hand. One was heresy most commonly those Judaizing the Church if possible though not confined to that, for there were others who perverted the truth for gain and money, for men-seeking and for ways to make allowance for immorality and lewdness, with no doubt quite a few others. The motives often were either in opposition to what was turning the world upside down, attracting many away from the established religions and power structures or like mentioned, for self gain and men -pleasing.
So, the Apostle Paul, call and set apart to suffer for Christ, did not faint at this, but rather the effect that such enmity was and could cause, namely the falling away from the Faith once received.
So great was the persecution and so imminent and painful that the temptation to deny the Lord was very real. All you had to do was agree to a different Gospel and you'd be 'safe' from man - which was an easy out of severe treatment ending in horrific death to the amusement of onlookers and to the thrill of the bloodthirsty - or you might have to completely change religions, or like Daniel, bow and worship a false god, usually including a man (or woman). In the western world we know little to nothing about what it is to suffer for the name of the LORD and do do so, faithfully.
The two enemies were and are much the same today, the faith of the Church being the target.
Let us recall the Garden and the effect of deception and temptation there, the ultimate questioning of God's Word and the resulting falling away, for which God sent forth His Son that where sin entered by one, Life could and would enter and be redeemed unto a lost and needing world. Where sin abounded, grace much more abounded and continues even now for all that will believe and follow on, striving, running, walking, enduring until the end.
We talk about Faith and toss ideas around and basically belittle it often without either maning to or realising it, but the very fact of that grip and attitude upon our 'lifeline' being or waxing cold and weak, to the point of disregard, is the winning blow being meted out (if it were possible) upon a divided body we call the Church.
All the points mentioned so far in this thread are valid in their place and are indeed symptoms of a dis-ease that appears to be taking over the Church, again, if possible, and yet, it is our Faith that is the vital and needful thing that is going to be increasingly pressurized and set upon for once we lose faith there is no hope, where there is no hope then why should we continue to press on, to "press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus"?
Faith is not what I believe or you believe or they believe or we believe (as important we might like to think of such things. It is the stuff that pleases God and that He knows us by, the stuff that, like Job, when Satan comes before God and accuses you and says, 'let me strip him of everything and cover him is horrid boils and hell deny you and curse you' that then the LORD will know that you won't for your faith is alive, not dead and healed into and with Him.
Let us re-examine and ask of God, That giveth to all
men liberally, and upbraideth not;( and it shall be given him) what faith is and to walk circumspectly, not as fools, redeeming the time and not despairing nor being dismayed, nor intimidated, nor wavering, nor doubtful, nor weary in doing well, for great is our reward and the glory that is to be revealed, press on, press on.
And don't forget, do all things in Love.
Matthew 24:1-14
1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and His disciples came to
Him for to shew Him the buildings of the temple.
2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And as He sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto Him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what
shall be the sign of Thy coming,
(my edit: notice they asked the sign of His coming and yet He was still with them!) and of the end of the world?
4 And Jesus answered and said unto them,Take heed that no man deceive you.
5For many shall come in My name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
6And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all
these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
7For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
8All these
are the beginning of sorrows.
9Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for My name's sake.
10And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
11And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
12And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
13But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.
Bless you ....><>
If you don't know or don't sees a difference between Liberal and Conservative Christians, then I suggest you research it rather than give you my interpretation. This will include a study on the difference between Liberal and Mainline Protestantism, and then, you can make your own determination.
