What will define persecution in America?

sermonindex Dec 18, 2013

While thoughts are focussed on Christmas and the forum debates the annual should one celebrate this holiday. A Federal judge quietly made history by striking down Utah's polygamy laws. Uh. Did anybody get that? A Federal judge struck down Utah's polygamy laws. Wakey, wakey forum. Something a little more crucial is happening here then the Christmas debate.

Utah, a predominantly conservative state with a Mormon heritage had anti polygamy laws on their books. Before Utah could be admitted to the US at the end of the 19th century they had to renounce polygamy. The Mormon Church did this. Utah passed laws defining marriage between a man and woman. Laws were on the books that made polygamy, bigamy, and sodomy illegal. This week a Federal judge struck down those laws as being unconstitutional. Oh ho hum, you say, Utah is a Mormon state. Mormonism is a cult. What's the fuss. We must get back to debating Christmas.

Saints what is happening is the Federal court system is defining the issue of persecution for believers in tbis country. To hold that marriage is between one man and one woman only may very be that issue that brings about governmental persecution of believers. Indeed to hold to such views and speak out against such views could be conceived as hate crime.

In the last few months the Supreme Court has struck down the Federal Law defining marriage known as DOMA. DOMA known as Defense of Marriage Act defined marriage as between one man and one woman. Under pressure from the LBGT the Court struck down tbis act as unconstitutional. Thus rewriting the definition of marriage. Not only is this paving the way for the legality of same sex marriages but multiple group marriages once known as polygamy. Observers feel this will pave the way for child marriages and bestiality.

Oh come on you say. Scogin you are getting dramatic. Forum wake up. To hold to the traditional Biblical view of marriage may well be that which cost you your life. Scogin you are nuts. Quit being so dramatic.

Forum the issue is standing for Biblical truth. That which is found in Jesus Christ. The Anabaptist suffered even unto death over the truth of believers baptism. Not a big deal in our day. But marriage, particularly Biblical marriage between a man and a woman is a big deal. Ars we going to stand and even die for that truth. But then does anyone in the forum have the slightest idea what I am talking about. Okay. Back to the Christmas debate.

Blaine Scogin

sermonindex Dec 18, 2013

I say bring it on because I KNOW the God whom I serve and for this reason (i.e., preaching the Gospel and standing for the truth, including the doctrine of marriage between one woman and one man) we may suffer these things, but I am not ashamed; for I know whom I have believed and I am convinced that He is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. Jesus is able to keep me from stumbling, and to make me stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy. Amen.

My life is Christ. I seek to prosper spiritually and not materially. I have left all to follow Christ, even my own life. I have the witness of the Spirit that I am His. I have been warned by Christ that if they persecuted Him then HOW MUCH more will the Sadducees, Pharisees and religiously dead in trespasses and sins persecute us. I have been told by the inspired apostle Paul that all who CHOOSE to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

For they hated Christ without a cause and because He spoke of their sin. Let us go out in the power of the Holy Spirit and with the love of God shed abroad in our heart by the Holy Spirit and preach the Gospel. Crying out in the wilderness that all must repent of their sins and accept the only true God Jesus Christ as the only way, the only truth and the only life and that IF they do not accept Him as God, Lord, Saviour, the Messiah, King, the Word made flesh who dwelt among us, the Man of many sorrows, etc., etc., as the ONLY way to the Father then they will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven and will suffer hell fire for all eternity. Unless you repent you will all likewise perish.

There is nothing more important then Christ and His Kingdom and His Gospel. He will test us as He has always tested His people.

Choose this day whom you will serve.

Praise the name above all names who being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us?

Who is us? Us is those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

SO, I ask again He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Just as it is written, "FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY LONG; WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”

But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. AMEN.

S

Sidewalk Dec 18, 2013

There will always be emnity between the god of this world and the seed of the woman! Any who commit to serving Christ will find themselves at odds with the demands of those for whom freedom means the freedom to do as you are told.

But as to the way persecution comes, note those who were contemptuous of Daniel. They devised a law with one specific purpose in mind- to set Daniel up for destruction. And so they still do, with the latest trick being the laws of "hate speech."

You will notice that they don't enforce any of those laws on their own servants. When Martin Bashir on national television made comments about defecating in Sarah Palin's mouth, there was no outcry from the network or the liberal media. As it happened, the man made his own decision to resign- and the story ended.

It will not be like that when Christians call out the sins of sodomy, bigamy, beastiality, and abortion- naming the names. These deceived servants of Satan will arise in legal wrath like the beasts they are, defending the evil with passion and great sums of money.

And it is already here. The days of peaceful conflict resolution according to moral law are waning in the civilized Western world.

Jeremiah 5:30-31 NKJV
[30] " An astonishing and horrible thing Has been committed in the land: [31] The prophets prophesy falsely, And the priests rule by their own power; And My people love to have it so. But what will you do in the end?

sermonindex Dec 18, 2013

doesn't God allow a man to have more than one wife in the Bible?

on that issue alone i'm referring to, one can find evidence in the Scripture to support that it as not a sin. although the implication also is that one man and one wife is the ideal, given 1 Adam and 1 Eve, in addition to all the supporting scripture speaking about problems men have had in the OT while having more than one wife. and Paul even says he wished some would not marry at all so as to be fully devoted to the Lord.

S

Sidewalk Dec 20, 2013

We may be drifting away from the topic, but for what it's worth polygamy is never presented as the will of God in the Bible. Neither is slavery, though both are there without much condemnatory material. But one thing is sure, when men twist Scripture to create religious doctrine that they like, they always build in provisions for abundant sexual entertainment for themselves. (One of the first indicators for cult!)

Back toward the persecution topic, I believe that sexual aberrations will force themselves into the preferred standard of the world, for by all these avenues Satan keeps the people under condemnation, heading for Hell. He doesn't seem to care how he gets them there, but the more people he can pull down the better he likes it. He likes to daisy-chain them together so they pull each other down, and all he has to do is sit there and laugh.

As we all watch the Duck Dynasty story unfold we get a little glimpse into the ferocity of Satan's servants doing their work. They hate a man with one wife, who eschews homosexual activity, who strays from the narrative that all black people groan under the oppressive strain of white people.

Our turns are coming! If you get into a modern media interview, watch out!

S

Sree Dec 20, 2013

In India which is a secular nation, we have different laws for Christians, Muslims and Hindus. For Christians and Hindu's Polygamy is prohibited. If proved then it is even punishable. I guess these pagan Indians have understood the Biblical principle of marriage better than Americans.

Under old covenant we have multiple witnesses who were known as man of God but had many wives. But under New Covenant, we do not even have a single witness known as Godly man with multiple wives in the Bible. Even Paul says an Elder should be husband of only one wife. The reason for this difference in Old and New Covenant is under Old Covenant, they had only laws and not Holy Spirit. It was impossible for a man to control his sexual desires on other women without the power of Holy Spirit dwelling inside them. So God only restricted them to marry and have sex. But in New Covenant, we have Holy Spirit who can empower us.

G

ginnyrose Dec 20, 2013

We all know the world is wicked and always will be be. What gets horrific is when the modern 'church' will embrace and promote acceptance of this evil. Now that is alarming. Somehow I suspect the perversion that is widely touted as being acceptable today has not been with the support of clergy in important positions.

Makes one wonder how much worse can people get? and I do not want to know - can hardly take it as it is.

L

Lysa Dec 21, 2013

You are right, Blaine. The courts are and have been defining.

We do know that the closer we get to the Resurrection of the Saints, there will be a False Church that persecutes the True Church, the Bride of Christ.

And I was listening to a Derek Prince sermon and in it he made two statements:

If our land is not healed, it's b/c God's people have not met the conditions... If MY people would humble themselves... ~ Derek Prince

It's not the sin of the unsaved, it is the sin of God's people that holds back revival. ~ Derek Prince

We are in this mess b/c the "we" Christians haven't buckled down and fasted and prayed as "one." God have mercy.

God bless,
Lisa