I hope all of our brethren are fully aware of what lies ahead. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, has told us: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple. And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:26–27).
At baptism, each of us should have made a “covenant with our Creator” to give our lives to Him. We normally do this by giving our lives as a “living sacrifice” as Paul instructs in Romans 12:1. But, always, we must be willing to suffer and even to die in our service to the Christ who died for us. As the Apostle Paul put it so eloquently, he hoped that “with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:20–21).
We are called to tell the people of this world and the entire House of Israel its sins. God speaks to us through Isaiah: “Cry aloud, spare not; lift up your voice like a trumpet; tell My people their transgression, and the house of Jacob their sins” (Isaiah 58:1). But people do not like to be told about their sins! Many in our hedonistic society deeply resent any minister or any person who reminds them of how far off they are in their behavior from the standards of their Creator. And if we tell them that their sin against God is the primary reason America and the British-descended peoples are suffering and will continue to suffer enormously from terrorist attacks and from drought, famine, disease epidemics, earthquakes and other catastrophes—these people will hate us for this!
Remember, brethren, when the prophet Jeremiah warned Judah of its impending Babylonian captivity, some of the leaders seized Jeremiah and said: “You are defecting to the Chaldeans!” (Jeremiah 37:13). Jeremiah was later put in a dungeon and lowered by ropes into a slime pit (Jeremiah 38:6). Did this make him give up? Of course not. For Jeremiah had faith in the living God!
Finally, one God-fearing man among the king’s eunuchs had mercy on Jeremiah and obtained the king’s permission to lift him out of the mire before he might have died there (Jeremiah 38:7–13). Eventually, Jeremiah outlived the wicked king Zedekiah and was used mightily by God to warn His people of many impending troubles.
But it was not all “wine and roses,” as we say. When describing the end-time wars, famines and pestilences, Jesus said: “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another” (Matthew 24:9–10).
People do not “like” to be told about their sins. But that is a vital part of our commission!
On the editorial page of the San Diego Union-Tribune of October 4, 2001, a striking cartoon appeared. It showed a black-hooded monster dubbed “Intolerance” with its hands resting approvingly on the shoulders of Osama bin Laden, Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell! Because of their statements that Americans’ sins were the reason for the horrific events of September 11, these men were lumped in with a murderous terrorist who has been linked to some of the greatest crimes against humanity during the last ten or 15 years!
Just below that cartoon were printed a number of “Letters to the Editor” condemning Pat Robertson and Jerry Falwell for their remarks. Some of the comments in these letters are wild and almost unbelievable. But they show how worldly people react when the sins of our nation are pointed out. One man wrote: “Why do you report statements made by Pat Robertson and his ilk? This guy and his buddy have already made themselves worse than the enemies of the country by their stupid outbursts in the past few weeks.”
Even though Robertson’s remarks may have been ill timed and poorly stated under the unusual circumstances, is he “worse” than Osama bin Laden and his murderous henchmen who have destroyed the lives, the hopes and dreams of hundreds of Americans—and brought untold anguish and frustration upon millions of others by their continuing terrorism?
So how are people going to view us as we faithfully preach God’s message to the world—including the powerful “Ezekiel warning” to the entire House of Israel? These people will lash out at us with a fury that will startle and frighten many of you brethren—especially if you are not really studying your Bible and praying so you may have God’s perspective on all of this!
In a prophetic commission to His servants which obviously extends to our time, Jesus told His disciples: “Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes” (Matthew 10:21–23). And later Jesus stated: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (vv. 28–31).
May God grant that each of us understand the true “cost” of being a true disciple of Jesus Christ! May He give us the understanding, the faith and the courage to “hang in there” even in the face of furious persecution—which will eventually come. We do not want persecution. We will try to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” We will try to avoid unnecessarily “stirring up” persecution. But, if we faithfully preach God’s Truth, it is going to come. So let us understand. And let us believe the inspired words of the Apostle Paul: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us” (Romans 8:18).