RESOURCES — SHORT ARTICLES

 

SHORT ARTICLES BY TOM ELSEROAD
	2021-03-23	Jesus Takes It Personally When His People Are Persecuted
		Rom 6:8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him Rom 8:17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. Joh 15:18 "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. There is a close relationship between Christ and His followers. Scripture teaches us that we as the Church are His body (Ep.5:22-23). Paul tells us that we as Christians are predestined by the Father “to be conformed to the image of His Son” (Ro.8:29). In spiritual baptism we are buried with Him and raised with him (Ro.6:3-8). Believers have fellowship with His sufferings (1Pe.4:13; Ph.1:29; 3:10-11). We are crucified with Christ. We no longer live ourselves, but Christ lives in us (Ga.2:20). As long as we suffer with Him we will also be glorified with Him (Rom. 8:17). Paul tells us that we are already set together with Christ in the heavenlies (Ep.2:6)! So intimate is this fellowship between Christ and His people that when the Lord first appeared to Paul, He said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting ME?” (Ac.9:4). He did not say, “Why are you persecuting My disciples?” or “Why are you persecuting My people?” Jesus takes it personally when His people are persecuted! Jesus expressed this same principle in Matthew 25:40. “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” What the world does to or against Christians, they do to Jesus. What happens to the body of Christ, happens to Christ! Notice how that the Christian life is a participation in and identification with Christ all the way! His crucifixion is OUR crucifixion, His death is OUR death, His resurrection is OUR resurrection, His life is OUR life (Ro.6:3-8). Rom 6:3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Rom 6:4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. God has appointed His Son to be heir of all things (He.1:2). Heb 1:2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds Every adopted child will receive by divine grace the full inheritance Christ receives by divine right (Mt.25:21; Jn.17:22; 2Co.8:9). As proof of the Believers’ ultimate glory is that he suffers (Jn.15:20; 2Co.4:17; 2Tm.3:12). 2Tm 3:12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. Pastor Tom Elseroad

 

An Evangelical Free Church of America

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