PERSECUTION FOR CHRIST, EVEN FROM OUR OWN!!!
1 THESSALONIANS 2:14-16
14For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews 15who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit.The wrath of God has come upon them at last.
2: 14 Just as the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem were being persecuted by other Jews, the Gentile Christians in Thessalonica were being persecuted by their fellow Gentiles. Persecution is discouraging, especially when it comes from your own people. When you take a stand for Christ, you may face opposition, disapproval, and ridicule from your neighbors, friends, and even family members. Remember that everything you are experiencing is for Jesus (Matthew 10: 32).
2: 14 When Paul refers to the Jews, he is talking about certain Jews who opposed his preaching of the gospel. He does not mean all Jews. Many of Paul’s converts were Jewish, and Paul himself was a Jew (2 Corinthians 11: 22).
2: 15-16 Why were so many Jews opposed to Christianity? (1) Although the Jewish religion had been declared legal by the Roman government, it still had a tenuous relationship with the government. At this time, Christianity was viewed as a sect of Judaism. The Jews were afraid that reprisals leveled against the Christians might be expanded to include them. (2) The Jewish leaders thought Jesus was a false prophet, and they didn’t want his teachings to spread. (3) The Jewish leaders feared that if many Jews were drawn away, their own political position might be weakened. (4) Jews were proud of their special status as God’s chosen people and resented the idea that Gentiles could be full members within the Christian church.
2: 15 Having believed the gospel and accepted new life in Christ, apparently many Thessalonians thought that they would be protected from death until Christ returned. Then, when believers began to die under persecution, some Thessalonian Christians started to question their faith. Many of Paul’s comments throughout this letter were addressed to these people, explaining what happens when believers die (see 4: 13-18).Tyndale. NIV Life Application Study Bible.
ON THE WAY HOME WALK WITH JESUS and know if we are persecuted, even from our own people, it is for JESUS CHRIST and in the end it will be worth it !!!
onthewayhomeministries.org by RICHARD DEAN BROOKS