The facts

[ByTheSpirit]

I've seen some post here openly questioning whether Christians, the Church, would be willing to die for Christ much like Muslims (some Muslims) do for Allah. And to be completely honest it's really irratating! Here are some statistics...

In 2012, the number of Christian martyrs worldwide was 1,201.
In 2013, the number nearly doubled to 2,123 with more than half being in Syria.

These numbers being reported by Open Doors, a non-denominational group that supports persecuted Christians. (Time Magazine)

But that is just the easy to identify cases of a Christian dying for their faith. Some have estimated the number of martyrs in this same time period to reach into the 100,000 mark! (Christianity Today)

Sure, there are 2 billion "Christians" on the planet, so that number is rather small in comparison, but I ask those who would question the loyalty and fervor of other believers:

What gives you the right to sit at home, or work or wherever you post on CF from, and post such degrading and destructive things about other believers, about the Church that Jesus' very blood sanctified, which is so ignorantly false? What? Please inform us.

I mean it, honestly. If the Church is as lukewarm and deplorable as some would have us believe then why are we just beginning to see persecution rise against us? I believe almost 100% now that this year or within a couple even here in the USA Christians will be violently persecuted. If we were so worldly that we had lost our way, then why doesn't the world accept us?

For once, stop with all the bringing down and tearing apart. God forbid, and hear me now, God forbid some poor soul from a persecuted land should ever see how we conduct ourselves here and imagine that is what Christians in "free" lands are like. I refuse to lower myself any further to that level.

There are TREMENDOUS saints doing TREMENDOUS things in the Kingdom of God here on Earth! Absolutely beautiful things that God is doing through His children and people, the Church. You know what? God bless you! God bless you over and above your ability to contain the blessing for what you may be doing for the Kingdom. Those of you who are doing the work of God in the Kingdom that is. Honestly, even if all you can do is spend time with God in prayer, you are doing a TREMENDOUS work for the gospel. You may not be able to physically go overseas to help, or even outside, but rest assured your prayers accomplish more anyway than any act of servitude could. Only the Holy Spirit can draw people to Christ, and prayer fuels that energy going forward.

 

[jiminpa]

I'm sorry, but I disagree with your premise here. They ones who are usually accused of calling the church "lukewarm" are just challenging us all to grow, and they are leaving it up to us to get with God and determine how much and in what direction that growth is. I, for one, appreciate the challenge. But some people on this forum, one of whom is an outright liar and was busted for it in another thread, will not tolerate even the smallest amount of conviction and cry "legalism" if someone says anything that the Holy Spirit may prick them with.

There are those on this forum who need challenged to grow. There are those who are completely dishonest, and who are only here to sow unbelief because they are slaves to their own unbelief. There are sock accounts of people who have been banned. There are people who are battling sins and need the challenge along with the encouragement of true grace, (the power to overcome). I'm speaking of myself too in this list.

Personally, I'm not going to get upset when someone comes on here and calls us to a higher place than we currently are. It's the ones trying to drag the rest of us down with them that bother me.

I love your challenge about martyrdom. Are we ready, if things keep going the way they are, to stand and die? Or how about living as if we already have?

 

[ByTheSpirit]

I agree jim, and I probably could have worded this OP better. I am just not sure calling everyone lukewarm or even carnal is a good way of getting us to delve deeper into God's love ya know? I do agree with what you say that we all benefit from being challenged, but challenging someone is different than insulting them. I just think we could all use a deal of humility and self awareness when dealing with and discussing such issues. The whole don't take the splinter from your brothers eye when you have a log in yours type thing.

And actually this started out as mainly aimed at those who question the length of faith we have. Would we die for Christ in other words and just kind of grew from there unintentionally. I went off on a tangent really and would have been better served staying on topic. Those who die for Islam should be noted do so mainly out of hate for other cultures and beliefs. Those who die for Christianity do so because they love God enough to refuse compromising their faith for another breath of air. Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we will NOT serve any foreign god or idol even if it costs us our life!

 

[jiminpa]

I agree jim, and I probably could have worded this OP better. I am just not sure calling everyone lukewarm or even carnal is a good way of getting us to delve deeper into God's love ya know? I do agree with what you say that we all benefit from being challenged, but challenging someone is different than insulting them. I just think we could all use a deal of humility and self awareness when dealing with and discussing such issues. The whole don't take the splinter from your brothers eye when you have a log in yours type thing.

And actually this started out as mainly aimed at those who question the length of faith we have. Would we die for Christ in other words and just kind of grew from there unintentionally. I went off on a tangent really and would have been better served staying on topic. Those who die for Islam should be noted do so mainly out of hate for other cultures and beliefs. Those who die for Christianity do so because they love God enough to refuse compromising their faith for another breath of air. Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, we will NOT serve any foreign god or idol even if it costs us our life!

It's cool. I think we sharpen each other, sometimes even by clarifying when we agree with each other.

 

[lismore]

Sure, there are 2 billion "Christians" on the planet, so that number is rather small in comparison, but I ask those who would question the loyalty and fervor of other believers:

2 billion is an awful lot don't you think? Where are they?

 

[ByTheSpirit]

2 billion is an awful lot don't you think? Where are they?

Just statistics brother. It includes all variations of Christianity too, Protestants, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, etc.

 

[lismore]

Just statistics brother. It includes all variations of Christianity too, Protestants, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, etc.

It would maybe include people who were baptised as a baby in the CoE years ago and now believe they will be reincarnated as birds in the next life?

 

[ForJesusChrist]

There are about 2.1 billion Christians in the world, which is about 1/3 of the planets population.

 

[ByTheSpirit]

It would maybe include people who were baptised as a baby in the CoE years ago and now believe they will be reincarnated as birds in the next life?

It's quite possible. I know a few Catholics (not CoE obviously) but still, they believe that they were baptized as infants and no matter how they live now will be redeemed in the future. They are part of that 2.1 billion I'm sure...

In reality, I did a study and sermon on this for my church not long ago and the report brought me to tears man. Kid you not, it's depressing. You see we were doing a series on missions, and the whole 8 weeks before I spoke people were focusing on the lost in specifics and so when I gave my lesson, I shocked everyone by stating to begin, today I want to focus on Christians....

Of course here in America almost 80% of the country calls themselves Christian. A shockingly high number considering how rampant abortion and homosexuality is here. But here are the statistics just for the USA that the Barna group found in a study. The one on Jesus living a sinless life is really the one that upset me the most.

"For the purposes of the survey, a "biblical worldview" was defined as believing that absolute moral truth exists; the Bible is totally accurate in all of the principles it teaches; Satan is considered to be a real being or force, not merely symbolic; a person cannot earn their way into Heaven by trying to be good or do good works; Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; and God is the all-knowing, all-powerful creator of the world who still rules the universe today. In the research, anyone who held all of those beliefs was said to have a biblical worldview.

The research indicated that only 9% of all American adults have a biblical worldview as defined above." (Christianity Today)

"One-third of all adults (34%) believe that moral truth is absolute and unaffected by the circumstances. Slightly less than half of the born again adults (46%) believe in absolute moral truth.

Half of all adults firmly believe that the Bible is accurate in all the principles it teaches. That proportion includes the four-fifths of born again adults (79%) who concur.

Just one-quarter of adults (27%) are convinced that Satan is a real force. Even a minority of born again adults (40%) adopt that perspective.

Similarly, only one-quarter of adults (28%) believe that it is impossible for someone to earn their way into Heaven through good behavior. Not quite half of all born again Christians (47%) strongly reject the notion of earning salvation through their deeds.

A minority of American adults (40%) are persuaded that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life while He was on earth. Slightly less than two-thirds of the born again segment (62%) strongly believes that He was sinless.

Seven out of ten adults (70%) say that God is the all-powerful, all-knowing creator of the universe who still rules it today. That includes the 93% of born again adults who hold that conviction." (Christianity Today)

Statistics like this (if true) are the reason that even though so many claim Christ, there is so much evil in the world.

Just for the point of emphasis, before someone comes on here and proclaims they are correct in saying the church is deplorable and wicked and this proves it. A born again Christian who is truly regenerated does NOT accept Jesus had sin, or that we can earn our salvation, among the other things above. So at the beginning with the 9% having a complete biblical worldview is probably more of an accurate picture of Christianity in America at least, and perhaps even worldwide.

 

[lismore]

Just for the point of emphasis, before someone comes on here and proclaims they are correct in saying the church is deplorable and wicked and this proves it. A born again Christian who is truly regenerated does NOT accept Jesus had sin, or that we can earn our salvation, among the other things above. So at the beginning with the 9% having a complete biblical worldview is probably more of an accurate picture of Christianity in America at least, and perhaps even worldwide.

Yes I would agree with you there. I think the 2 billion Christians statistic is an extreme exaggeration.