“And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:5-8
The Church does not produce frail, weak-minded Christians. I mean it. If the Church is functioning as she ought to, she is producing people who have been set free from the burden of sin and death, who, themselves, are willing to endure hardships, suffering, torturing, or even die for the Jesus who died for them. Many churches (not the change in capitalization) have gotten away from this. We act like parents who only care for our children’s happiness, and not their holiness. So we produce soft, frail, weak-minded men and women who quit at the sign of their first hardship. And that is how our society is going, isn’t it?
But the Church does not produce such individuals. The True Church of Jesus Christ produces loving, tender-hearted, forgiving individuals who, but the power of the Holy Spirit in Christ Jesus, stand firm in their faith and commitment to Jesus Christ, and don’t waver when troubles and trials come. We love our enemies, pray for those who persecute us, boldly proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ, in spite of sin being the flavor of society, and we accept the consequences of following Christ with joy and shouting! Look at Jesus in the Gospels, the Christians in Acts, the encouragements of Paul, Peter, John, James and Jude. You see how this is the message of the New Testament: stand firm in Christ in spite of what the world says or does; do not fear, be bold, be loving, and having kept your eyes on Jesus, stand firm. We stand firm because Christ is our strength, and He empowers us to serve the Father by the power of the Holy Spirit. This is what the early church stood on, and what brothers and sisters have stood on for 2 millennia. This is still the goal.
2 Timothy 1:3-18
I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.
Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us toa a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. 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. Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.
You are aware that all who are in Asia turned away from me, among whom are Phygelus and Hermogenes. May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains, but when he arrived in Rome he searched for me earnestly and found me— may the Lord grant him to find mercy from the Lord on that day!—and you well know all the service he rendered at Ephesus.
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