By David M. Ephraim
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3:12-15)
The tendency is to think that only the pastors, elders, deacons, ministries leader and the adults are the only one who will suffer persecution and be misunderstood. However, the Bible says, “all who live godly” will. We must understand that all who dedicate themselves to follow Christ’s way of life must expect to be misunderstood, maligned, and subjected to suffering of every kind.
Jesus said,
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. John 15:18-21
Why do they hate you?
I want to give three (4) reasons for this hatred:
When you walk with your friends and talk with your co-workers, your Christian life tells them that they are guilty. When your co-worker says he went to the casino over the weekend, and you say, “Well God’s doesn’t want His people in those places.” Then another co-worker says, “I picked up a fine girl at the club and boy what a night we had! The wife will never know. She’s on a retreat.” But you say, “I love my wife, I’ll never do that.”
A classmate says, “Girl, I have the answers for the final exam, we can get 100.” “Sorry, that’s not right.” Hey, your parents are at work, let’s invite the guys over and have a pajama party. “No, I can’t. It goes against what I believe.” Your friend says, “Don’t worry; you can get home late today. Do what you want to do, it’s the American way.” But you say, “Whether I eat, or drink, or whatever I do, I do all to the glory of God. And give no reason of offence to any man. Seeking to please all, in all things that they might be saved.” (see 1 Cor. 10:31, 33).
Friends, the deeds of the world are reproved by the righteous life and the open testimony of your Christian walk.
So now! Some serious questions must be asked: “Does the world hate you? If not, why not? Has your world (neighborhood, classroom, office area) become more Christian or have you become more worldly?” If I follow you for a week, checking your classrooms and places of employment, will I find enough evidence to convict you of being a follower of Christ?
When I last checked, the Scriptures it said, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should SHEW forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light,” (1Peter 2:9).
You can’t live as the world! We must ask ourselves these questions to see where we are spiritually.
As I said before, “If I followed you for a week, will I find the evidence?
How have you affected your world? Has it become more Christian or have your become more worldly?
The Scripture gives insight to us being Christians.
I want to pause here for a moment to say that, “It is incorrect to define Christians as good or bad. If you’re a bad Christian then you’re not a Christian at all.” Jesus says, “He that is not with me is against me,” (Luke 11:23). With that said, let’s continue.
My favorite said,
“We must inevitably be under the control of the one or the other of the two great powers that are contending for the supremacy of the world. It is not necessary for us deliberately to choose the service of the kingdom of darkness in order to come under its dominion. We have only to neglect to ally ourselves with the kingdom of light. If we do not co-operate with the heavenly agencies, Satan will take possession of the heart, and will make it his abiding place. The only defense against evil is the indwelling of Christ in the heart through faith in His righteousness. Unless we become vitally connected with God, we can never resist the unhallowed effects of self-love, self-indulgence, and temptation to sin.[1]
The Seventh-day Adventist Commentary says,
In the great conflict for the soul of man, there is no middle ground; neutrality is impossible. Every man is either a patriot or a traitor. He who is not wholly on the side of Christ is wholly on the side of the enemy, that is, the weight of his influence is in that direction. To be almost, but not wholly, with Christ is to be, not almost, but wholly against Him.[2]
It begins at childhood. “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; 15And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus” 1 Timothy 3:14, 15.
The Jewish nation was told to teach their children. (Deuteronomy 1:18, 19)
Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.
Parents must teach their children! It is in teaching them that they begin to hide the Word of God in their hearts so that they will not sin against Him. Without the Word in their hearts, they have now knowledge of RIGHT or WRONG, and the only guide that they have is a worldly guide, which is against God.
If mama thinks that offering libation to the gods is fine, then the children will offer libation to the gods. If mama thinks that Friday night is cleaning night, then the children think that Friday night is cleaning night. If daddy lies all the time, then the children will lie. If daddy uses Sabbath to conduct worldly business then the children will do the same.
What we teach them now, will by in large determine who they will be. This is why Paul said to Timothy, “and that from a child thou has known.”
So the question is, “What are you teaching your child today?”
We are studying Daniel this quarter in the adult Sabbath School lesson. Of all the ancient Hebrew writers he stands out boldly. Not only did he influence his generation, but also his prophecies influence us today. Actually, his message can mean even more today, as we live prior to our Lord’s soon return.
But what made Daniel so unique and how did he become that way?
To comprehend Daniel we need to know where he came from and the times in which he lived. Many state Daniel’s history at the tragedy in Jerusalem. “In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah came Nebuchanenezzar king of Babylon unto Jerusalem, and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand” Daniel 1:1, 2. Note “the Lord gave Jehoiakim into his hand,” the year 605 B.C., and it was the first of three invasions with the others coming in 598 and 586. He was not more than eighteen years, when he was snatched with his three friends, the only captives mentioned by name, and marched some 800 miles to Babylon. Well before this, however, Daniel had been prepared to stand.
It was during the reign of King Josiah who came to the throne at the age of eight years old. At sixteen he was soundly converted, and by eighteen he led one of the most far-reaching revivals in the history of the Jewish nation. In the process of repairing the temple, he found the “book of the law” hidden in pillar of the temple which resulted in the greatest Passover service ever recorded (2 Kings 23:21-13 and 2 Chronicles 35:1-9).
Although King Josiah would fall in battle in 608 B.C., the effect of his leadership carried over for many years. During this time, the school of the prophets profited greatly. Daniel and his companions were probably students of these schools where they studied the Scriptures under the leaders like Habakkuk, Jeremiah, Zephaniah, and Nahum. So well grounded where they in the truth, that when they were in Babylon they were able to stand. So we find them standing against improper diet, against bowing to idols and against being false witnesses. We find them praying to the God of their childhood.
We see young Samuel in the temple, young Jeremiah being called and Elihud counseling Job. Then Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived says, “Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.” Proverbs 20:11. While men reveal themselves through their works (Matt. 7:16–20), a child, by his openness shows more clearly his inner nature and gives some indication of the man he will become.
Therefore, when we look at our children and see who they are, we as parents can begin the process of training them. “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6. If not and that child is left to himself he will bring his mother to shame.” See. Proverbs 29:15.
We see that Daniel remained faithful because of how he was raised and so did Samuel, Jeremiah, Joseph and Timothy. If we give our children the things that are needful and raise them up in the Lord, Scripture says, “When they are old, they will not depart from it.”
So, if from a child they know the Holy Scripture, they will hide the Word of God in their hearts, and they will not depart from it is what the Scripture tell us.