Jesus said this in John 10:10, The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. My exhortation to the Christians 2 Timothy 3:12-15 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. PERSECUTION OF THE EARLY CHRISTIANS Being a Christian, upholding the truth, and living it out for Jesus is not easy. Here is the list of early Christians persecuted and murdered: 1. Andrew preached the Gospel of Jesus to the Scythians and Thracians, and was persecuted, crucified, suspended on an olive tree, and later buried in Greece. 2. Bartholomew preached the Gospel of Matthew in India; he was crucified with his head downward, and later brought to Allanum, Georgia where he was buried. 3. James (the son of Alphaeus) preached in Jerusalem, beaten with clubs, stoned to death by the Jews, buried there just beside a temple. 4. James (the son of Zebedee, and brother of John) preached the Gospel and was beheaded by Herod with the sword (Acts 12:1-2), and was buried in Judea. 5. Stephen preached the Gospel to the Jews and was stoned to death (Acts 7:54-54) 6. Thomas preached the Gospel to the Parthians, Medes, Persians, Hyrcanians, Bactrians, and Margians, and in Calamene, India, he was pierced brutally with spear that penetrated right through his body. 7. Peter preached the Gospel in Rome and was crucified upside down. 8. John was placed in a huge basin filled with boiling oil and it did not affect him at all. Due to the miracles, many became Christians. But John was soon banished into Patmos island and later died of old age in Ephesus. 9. Philip preached diligently in Asia, afterward scourged, imprisoned, then crucified in Phrygia. 10. Jude, the brother of James, was crucified in Edessa. 11. Matthew preached the Gospel in Parthia and Ethiopia and was pierced slain with a halberd-spear that killed him. 12. Simon the Zealots preached the Gospel in Mauritania, Africa and Britain where he was crucified. 13. Matthias was stoned and beheaded. 14. Paul was tortured and then beheaded under the cruel hands of Emperor Nero in Rome. What did Jesus say? John 15:20-21 Remember what I told you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. Jesus said this too: Matthew 5:10-12 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Posted on: Tue, 06 Jan 2015 02:45:13 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015