Christians who preach and adhere to the biblical doctrine of Christ are facing ever increasing danger for refusal to compromise their belief in God's word in exchange for a favorable reputation of being well liked. Nevertheless, those who believe and accept all of God's word are assured of the truth that the apostle Paul put forth when he said, "For do I now persuade men or God, or do I see to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ" (KJV, Galatians 1:10).
The Old and New Testaments of the Bible clearly illustrate the danger of sharing the full gospel of Jesus which proclaims both the mercy and severity of the Lord and his commandment to all men to repent (Matthew 4:17). Realizing the safety risks involved with an unwavering stance on the truths of the Bible doesn't deter the dedicated believer from proclaiming the gospel, but it should deter them from underestimating the ferocity that can be stirred in those with the spirit of rebellion.
The fourth chapter of the book of Luke recounts a time when Jesus went into the synagogue on the sabbath. The scripture says he was given the book of Esaias to read aloud which he did. The passage he read spoke of himself and is recorded in verse eighteen. He read, "The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor. He hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord."
Such words were soothing to the ears of those who listened attentively. Verse twenty-two says that the audience, "...Wondered at the gracious words that proceeded out of his (Jesus) mouth." However, when the very same Jesus began to remind them of truth they didn't want to hear, they became so enraged that they sought to murder the Savior that day. Luke 4:25-29 records that Jesus said, "But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land. But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet, and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian. And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath. And rose up and thrust him out of the city and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong."
The same truth would have been well received by many Gentiles, however, they've been angered by other truths that caused no anger in Israel. Serious Bible students would do well to understand that when it comes to preaching the gospel in all the world, it's not a matter of the specific truth that angers a select group of people, but rather the fact that truth, in and of itself, often incites fury.
Thought-provoking Christian articles at: Heavenly Manna.
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