Persecution: A price to pay for being a Christian ?

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, (2Ti 3:12)

John Macarthur:”I am absolutely 100% convinced that the weakness of the church in America, the superficiality of the church, the shallowness of the church, the hypocrisy of the church is directly related to the absence of any cost or any price to be paid to be a Christian. If you don’t have to pay a price, heh, just jump on the bandwagon. If persecution came to America, you see a very different kind of Christianity. A whole lot of people who are really good to talk about Jesus won’t be talking about Jesus any more. Who profess to know Jesus and to be part of the church, they will stop talking very fast if the price was as high as it is for some people.”

A testimony of Dr Daniel Wong, a professor at Master’s College, who faced persecutions as a Christian first hand from Red Guards during the Cultural Revolution in China.

Dr. Daniel K. Wong

Professor of Biblical Studies B.S., Swatow UniversityM.Div.,  Th.M., Talbot School of Theology Ph.D., Dallas Theological Seminary

Dr. Wong has received awards for excellence in thesis writing and in eschatology. His specialties include Johannine literature, parables, and Old Testament prophecy and its use in the New Testament. He has served as pastor of a Chinese church in Los Angeles since 1984, and prior to joining TMC, he was president of Chinese for Christ Theological Seminary. In 2002, 2003-2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007, he was recognized in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. Dr. Wong has published a number of journal articles, periodical articles, and songs. He is currently writing a nineteen volume New Testament Commentary Series with Kregel Publications.

Source: http://www.masters.edu/academics/profiles.asp?depname=95

An Everlasting and Eternal God

I. There is but one only, living, and true God, who is infinite in being and perfection, a most pure spirit, invisible, without body, parts, or passions; immutable,  immense, eternal, incomprehensible, ……(Of God, and of the Holy Trinity -WCF Chapter II -I)

A Dead Giant Sequoias - World's largest trees in terms of total volume

Psa 90:2  Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
Isa 57:15  For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity
Psa 93:2  Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.
Jer 10:10  But the LORD is the true God; he is the living God and the everlasting King.

From everlasting to everlasting, God is God. He is always there, He is the ever existing one. Nothing causes God into existence, He alone creates all things. This concept of everlating is very hard for  finite minds like ours to grasp, we are used to see the cycles of  birth and death: man and beasts and plants. For these living things, some sort of parents gave out the seeds (with all the genetic code)  for the next cycle of life for that creature. For inert things made by man,  there is a someone, with a level of intelligence, who did some thinking and causes it to be made.We also know that inert things just don’t last forever, things we make with our hands will crumble after a while whether they be made of stones or metal. It is thus very hard for us to grasp something or someone Who has no beginning and no end, such is the nature of God. Just focus our thinking about the eternal nature of God will cause our minds to go into a vortex of infinity.

God is not like us, time has no hold on Him. He is not subjected to the ravages of time or decay. He does not grow weary or weak with age, He is the “King of Ages”, He is constant for all eternity and His mighty  strength remains the same: Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable -Isa 40:28

We ought to remind ourselves from Hab 1:12  “Are you not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One?”. When our thoughts and meditations and focus is on Him, we can trust and rest upon His everlasting arms.   The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms (Deu 33:27). When our faith in our God, it is great joy and comfort to know that He is the eternal God with the everlasting arms. We can rest, for our peace, security and assurance comes from God and not in our finite selves.

Yes, Lord ! You are the eternal and everlasting God. As finite creatures, our only appropriate responses are summed by these verses:
To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1Ti 1:17  )
Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting! Amen and Amen. (Psa 41:13)