Hi Lupac,
but why did a lot of Christians in Rome refuse to deny Christ, and then get put to death, if they believed they would be saved anyway.
Arion gave a good answer. I would just like to mention knowing the rulers at the time were the Romans and the empire had absolute authority requiring obedience and worship by their law. They disliked this new Christian religion as being some kind of threat to their authority. If people were brought before the courts for any reason and found to be Christians, they would be asked to recant - to deny their faith in Jesus and make a public sacrifice to the Roman gods, thus acknowledging the divinity of the emperor. If they refused, they would be killed.
Rev 21:8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters,
and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.
So what were the writers of the Gospels to do, recant and show reverance to them as gods? This would be to lie and deny Christ in public for all to see. Their lives were totally dedicated to serving and obeying what Christ had taught them and spreading this good news.
Luke 11:33 "No one, when he has lit a lamp, puts it in a secret place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, that those who come in may see the light.
This make seem like a small lie in order to save ones life, but they were looking beyond this life to the kingdom. They were probably not totally surprised as Christ told them this would happen.
Mat 24:9 "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.
They were the Apostles, their lives were example for all believers to come.
Mark 8:35 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.
Though they carried this to the ultimate literal extreme and was killed for what they believed, we now do this spiritually everyday.
1John 3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
1Co 15:31 I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.
And I thought, "what if I died as a baby, and everything I'm seeing and going through now is just a test, and it's not real
Ecc 9:5 For the living know that they will die;
But the dead know nothing,
And they have no more reward,
For the memory of them is forgotten.
They will come up in the resurrection of the dead with everybody else and be judged.
Rev 20:11 Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them.
v. 12 And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.
v. 13 The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works.
v. 14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
v. 15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.
Only the Elect's name are written in the Book of Life, Christ, all else will go to the Lake of fire, which will be the Elect ruling with Christ on earth. Since they are young they will not be punished, but they will grow up and "learn righteousness."
Isa 26:9 With my soul I have desired You in the night,
Yes, by my spirit within me I will seek You early;
For when Your judgments are in the earth,
The inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.
mercy, peace and love
Kat
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Topic: I don't know what to do. (Read 21973 times)