Persecutions around the world for many who profess Christianity

13-year-old finds joy in life, despite immense strategy. Nancy lost both of her parents when her Islamic neighbor blew himself up in their home entryway. Sustaining significant injuries of her own and without her parents support anymore, ICC stepped in.https://t.co/Lrlw7guIzz

— International Christian Concern (@persecutionnews) January 19, 2023

COGwriter

Is persecution for Christians over?

Well, obviously not.

Even claiming Christianity is causing problems around the world as the following report points out:

Communist totalitarianism and Islamic fundamentalism are yet another year the main causes of persecution of Christians in the world.

It’s a persecution that “has grown exponentially” over the last 30 years. It’s the moment of the Christian NGO Puertas Abiertas [Open Doors], which reports annually on the persecution of Christians in the world. This year’s Report was published on January 18 and offers very alarming data:

5,621 Christians were killed worldwide because of their faith in 2022.

4,542 Christians were arrested because of their faith over the last 12 months

2,110 Christian churches were attacked during the past year.

360 million Christians suffer high levels of persecution and discrimination because of their faith. Now only in the first 50 countries, 312 million Christians are suffering at present very high or extreme levels of persecution.

In 1993, Christians faced a high to extreme level of persecution in 40 countries. In 2023 this figure has almost doubled to 76 countries.

Two out of five Christians are persecuted in Asia, being the most hostile Continent to Christians because of Communism (in North Korea, China, Laos and Vietnam), Islam and Hindu nationalism.

One of every 15 Christians is persecuted in Ibero-America, where Communism (Cuba and Nicaragua) has become a growing cause of that persecution.

One of every five Christians is persecuted in Africa, where the principal cause of persecution is Islam. https://zenit.org/2023/01/19/the-seven-communist-and-36-islamic-regimes-that-most-persecute-christians-in-2023/

And, of course, it is not just those who claim to be Christians that are being persecuted. Various people around the world are being persecuted for their religious beliefs.

In Western cultures, persecution is more subtle and is more directed to those who espouse biblical ideas.

Big Tech and various governments have taken steps to “suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18) as the Apostle Paul warned. A while back, we put out the following sermon on our ContinuingCOG channel:

1;14:59

Cancel Culture and Christian Persecution

What did Jesus teach about persecutions? Should Christians expect name calling and being falsely taught against? Did the Apostle Paul warn about this as well as evil deceivers increasing in the end times? Were early Christians ever murderous persecutors? Did Emperor Constantine stick to his religious tolerance ‘Edict of Milan’ in 313? What about his edict against heretics in 331? What types of persecution did Emperor Theodosius implement? Has there been a history of attempting to cancel Christian speech and practices, which were sometimes followed by physical persecution? Have Greco-Roman Catholics been involved with persecutions again st believers? What about Protestants like Martin Luther or John Calvin? What about Big Tech? What about actions from Facebook Google, YouTube, and Twitter? Is shadow banning consistent with cancel culture? Is more persecution coming? Do Greco-Roman prophecies about the ‘Great Monarch’ look forward to Christians being persecuted? Could the European Union’s Digital Services Act and European Public Prosecutor’s Office be factors in future persecution? Will faithful members of the holy covenant instruct many? Will indentifying the coming King of the North trigger persecution? Will there be more persecution of the Philadelphian Christians prior to the start of the Great Tribulation? What will happen to the Laodiceans? Which Christians will be protected from the coming hour of trial, which starts with the Great Tribulation? Will the persecuting Beast, False Prophet, and those with the mark of the beast be punished? Will God reward the faithful Christians who endure persecution? Dr. Thiel addresses these and more in this sermon video.

Here is a link to our sermon: Cancel Culture and Christian Persecution.

Jesus foretold persecution:

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you (Matthew 5:10-12, NKJV throughout unless otherwise specified).

43 You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you (Matthew 5:43-44).

23 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 10:23).

35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. (Mark 8:35)

29… Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, 30 who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time–houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions–and in the age to come, eternal life (Mark 10:29-30).

3 Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked Him privately, 4 Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign when all these things will be fulfilled?”

5 And Jesus, answering them, began to say: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 6 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am He,’ and will deceive many. 7 But when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be troubled; for such things must happen, but the end is not yet. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be earthquakes in various places, and there will be famines and troubles. These are the beginnings of sorrows. 9 But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them. 10 And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations. 11 But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. 12 Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 13 And you will be hated by all men for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved…” (Mark 13:3-13).

12… they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake (Luke 21:12).

20 If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you (John 15:20).

2… yes, the time is coming that whoever kills you will think that he offers God service. 3 And these things they will do to you because they have not known the Father nor Me. 4 But these things I have told you, that when the time comes, you may remember that I told you of them. And these things I did not say to you at the beginning, because I was with you (John 16:2-4).

Many are aware of some of the early persecutions, but few understand what teachings true Christians were persecuted for in the fourth century and beyond–some may seem shocking. At least two major persecutions are prophesied to come. Which doctrines are expected to be causes for the coming persecutions? Are the Greco-Roman churches planning on persecuting Sabbath-keepers, those who do not accept a non-biblical Mary, and those who do not wear crosses?

All the faithful will be subject to persecution and being betrayed by professing believers (Matthew 24:9-13, Mark 13:12-13; Luke 21:16-18; Daniel 11:32-35).

In the past (for details see Persecutions by Church and State), Christians in the Church of God were persecuted because they:

Kept Passover on the 14th
Refused to eat unclean meat
Would work on Sunday
Had false accusations railed against them
Were binitarian
Kept the Sabbath
Kept the Fall Holy Days
Were not trinitarian
Taught that the pope was an Antichrist and precursor of the final Antichrist
Having and teaching from the Bible
Rejected papal authority
Did not accept idols
Had different teachings than the Church of Rome
Had writings Rome did not like
Rejected Roman sacraments
Objected to the dress of the Roman ministry
Considered Rome to be the prophesied Babylon
Taught that in the time of the final Antichrist that some would fall away
Had practices that Rome considered Jewish
Refused to baptize infants
Did not participate in carnal warfare
Teaching the millennium
Taught the Kingdom of God
Baptized adults

Almost all the above were beliefs of original first century Christians. Some of the others did not come on the scene until they were adopted by the Greco-Romans and then later denounced by the faithful.

In the future, according to Catholic teachings, they ALSO will be persecuted for:

Not accepting non-biblical teachings about Mary
Not accepting the Great Monarch (Beast, King of the North)
Teaching that the Kingdom of God will come soon
Not wearing crosses
Keeping the biblical Sabbath in accordance with the commandments
Possessing/advocating writings that disagree with the Church of Rome
Teaching after the Great Tribulation begins that Jesus will return within a few years

Christians have been persecuted for holding doctrines that we in the Continuing Church of God hold and are clearly expected to be persecuted in the future for holding Continuing Church of God doctrines.

Sadly, in the 21st century, holding to many biblical positions is considered extremist and even dangerous by various government officials.

The Book of Daniel shows a two-part persecution coming from a European leader (I added the a and b below for emphasis):

25 a He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, Shall persecute the saints of the Most High, And shall intend to change times and law. Then the saints shall be given into his hand b For a time and times and half a time. (Daniel 7:25)

First of all (a), he shall persecute certain of the saints, which is consistent with what Jesus said was coming:

9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come. (Matthew 24:9-14)

Much of the above will affect the Philadelphian Christians (cf. Revelation 12:13), but they will later be protected (Revelation 3:8-10) in the wilderness for a time, times, and half a time (Revelation 12:14-16; see also There is a Place of Safety for the Philadelphians. Why it May Be Petra). Part of why they will be persecuted is for proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and probably also for identifying the coming King of the North, who will not wish to be identified that way. This will likely result in internet and other restrictions on getting the truth of God out to the world (cf. Amos 8:11-12).

Second of all (b), the remaining saints will be given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time. This is the portion of the COG, the non-Philadelphians, who are NOT protected in the wilderness as Revelation 12:17 shows this separation:

17 And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. (Revelation 12:17)

While many in the Church of God have experienced economic and social persecution in their walk with Christ, future severe persecution, beginning first with the Philadelphia remnant of Christians, is expected.

Murderous persecution is prophesied (cf. Daniel 11:33; Revelation 13:15).

Persecution is a fact of history. It has happened before and we should be prepared for the fact that much more of it will happen again. And during the time of the final persecutions, the Bible records:

12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (Revelation 14:12).

Thus, though the Philadelphian Christians will be subject to intense persecution first, before this, even the Laodiceans (The Laodicean Church Era) and other Christians will receive some praise if they endure the persecutions that will then come during the time of “the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world” (Revelation 3:10).

While many seem to not wish to pay attention to this subject, the reality is that persecution has existed throughout history against those with Church of God doctrines. Jesus predicted that as well as more persecution to come. Some may be shocked by certain doctrines that Christians have been persecuted for (and often persecuted by others who profess to be Christian).

Those in the true Church of God have always been on the side being persecuted and have never been on the side of the persecutors. And this will be true again in the future.

As it turns out, our most recent sermon has to do with coming persecution of true Christians:

1:14:48

Christian Persecution from the Beast

Did Jesus says that persecutions would come at the end times? Does the persecution from the Beast in in Daniel 11:38-35 point to persecution of the Philadelphian Christian remnant? Are those remaining from Thyatira, Sardis, and Laodicea going to be subject to persecution from the Beast for 42 months, 3 1/2 years, also called a time, times, and half a time? Do both biblical and Greco-Roman prophecies point to some of God’s people getting killed and burnt? Could warnings about “Jewish” sects possible point to end time Christians? Will the Beast use deceit? Might some who “fall away” betray the most faithful Christians? What are some Greco-Roman warnings about the ‘secret sect’? Do Greco-Roman prophecies point to the Great Monarch persecuting God’s most faithful? Are there two periods of persecution prophesied in Daniel 7:25? Is there a persecution during the beginning of sorrows, followed by the opening of the 5th seal of Revelation and the start of the Great Tribulation? Is there a place of protection in the wilderness for the Philadelphian Christians? Were religious people dwelling in caves warned about by a Roman Catholic in the 12th century? What will happen to those who get the “mark of the Beast”? What have Christians been persecuted before in the past? What are some of the things Christians will be persecuted from in the future? How are Christians supposed to handle persecution?