The Marks of Christ

We all know that the world today hates us as Christians, so why are we supposed to witness to people about God? I mean, people are going to hurt us and call us bad names, etc. If you want the answer to this question, read Romans 8:17:

"And if children, the heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together."

To me this says that if we suffer like Christ did, we will inherit Heaven as our home. Now, when I say that we should suffer like Christ, I don't mean that we should carry a wooden cross up a hill and have someone nail us to it. See, since the world hates Christians, we would constantly get beaten everytime you talk about Jesus. There are some countries where people are killed if they talk about Him. Acts 16:22-23 says:

"And the multitude rose up together against them: and the magistrates rent off their clothes, and commanded to beat them. And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely"

This is what happened back then when you talked about Christ in some places. People were beaten, whipped, thrown in prison, and other worse stuff. Did that ever stop a child of God? Read 2 Corinthians 11:23-27 and find out:

"Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more: in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among the false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and in nakedness."

I don't know about you, but to me it sounds like the Apostle Paul suffered a lot for the cause of Christ. He had a lot more courage than many Christians nowadays. Now if someone so much as slaps one of us across the face, we normally say, "I'm done. This is too hard." But Paul was beaten, stoned, and thrown in jail, and he still didn't stop doing God's work. I want you to think about that next time you're out talking to people about Jesus Christ. Galatians 6:17:

"From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus."

Paul could rightfully say that in my opinion. Before I end this post, I want you to ask yourself a few questions. Do you bear in your body the marks of the Lord Jesus? Are you doing God's work? Will you try harder to preach the Word in the future? Are you willing to be beaten for the cause of Christ?

God bless you,



Josh