The Gospel is a martyr’s gospel. As the song goes, it bids us come and die that we may have true life.
Growing up, my view of the End Times was that we, the Church, would either (a) not be here for it, or else (b) we would hide out and just make it through. My revelation of the end-time events has certainly changed since then and that’s why the reality of the Gospel’s native environment makes even more sense to me now.
The whole center of the Good News is that Christ became a man and died in our stead. He was the ultimate intercessor and mediator. Through his death He brought men and God together for a glorious new covenant.
A few months later one of the greatest revivals in history broke out in that very same town. It was a revival led by weak disciples who had abandoned Jesus in His hour of “need”. But through the death of Jesus they found a new strength. These same men almost all went on to be martyrs. The apostolic call nearly always also a call to martyrdom. Even in the midst of persecution by the Romans and the Jewish leaders, the Gospel could not be stopped.
The truth of Jesus Christ and salvation through His death springs up all the more when evil men try to snuff it out.
In China there is intense persecution against the Christian Church. But the Chinese Church is growing at an unparalleled rate. They are seeing thousands of genuine soul conversions every single day.
In Egypt, men and women are having visions of Jesus, and are giving their lives to Him with the kind of wholehearted abandon we often only hear about here in America.
In the days of old, whenever Jerusalem would stray from the Lord during times of blessing, He would bring them back by sending judgment.
Trials and tribulations always force us to choose, and the right choice is to repent and return to the Lord. James 4:12 - “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also e glad with exceeding joy.”
Other than reminding myself of the Holy Call to lay down my life to be a partaker of the Divine Nature, I suppose the point of this post is somewhat two-fold:
1. We will be here for the end-time events, and there will be a great harvest in the midst of the global trouble that will be happening.
2. God will not allow the Church in America to stay settled in complacency. If we do not turn, He will get our attention through judgment. And when He does we have to be prepared to repent and to turn, rather than to be offended at His leadership. He desires a pure and spotless Bride that loves Him with all her heart, soul, mind and strength.
- Shawn
Ronni said:
That was AWESOME!
The apostolic call nearly always also a call to martyrdom.
Yeah it does… and we as Americans seem to water that down, “oh that means I’ll be persecuted by being made fun of and not getting a promotion, etc…”
It makes me wonder, what if it did come down to our very lives? A friend of mine and I were talking last night, saying how most Christians would say they would die for Christ now… but how many really would when there was a gun pointed in their face? How many? Are we truly willing? I don’t think we truly grasp how real a reality it is in the world.
So think about it and be truthful… are you REALLY willing to die? True gruesome torturous death?
Yeah I’ve never been a “pre tribulation” person… just never made sense to me…
Posted on March 7, 2008 at 12:23 am
Robin said:
You know, I grew up pre-trib, but ever since Onething 2006, my eyes have been opened. Now, I can find nothing in the Word that points to it. What IHOP teaches, however, makes SO much sense to me and I find that it is Biblical.
Your timing here Shawn is interesting. I just came home from a video shoot that my friends and I are doing to interject into our Easter drama. It is the martyr’s deaths of the 12 original disciples.
Ever since hearing the truth about the endtimes, I have been sobered by the reality of it. And I have been searching my heart. Because I hate for anyone to get hurt. I hate suffering, especially of the ones I love. I question my guts. Will I, if faced with martyrdom, really choose Christ, and be willing to suffer myself and see my loved ones suffer. But I love God with all my heart and I pray He prepares me in Him to be ready for whatever comes. And I just trust when that moment comes, He will give me the strength that I need to follow what is real inside me: Him.
Posted on March 8, 2008 at 10:42 pm
shawnblanc said:
@ Robin: Thanks for sharing. The fear of denying Christ in the midst of martyrdom is something a lot of people fear. I was talking about it the other day with some friends and we came to the conclusion that one of the ways we prepare ourselves to love God even unto death is to continue to say yes to Him in the little areas and the small things of our every day lives.
And that video sounds very cool!
Posted on March 9, 2008 at 9:12 pm
Jerod Santo said:
Shawn-
I enjoy your writing style and share your faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Your conclusion, rather how you come to your conclusion, concerning the church, Which is His body, and the end-times baffles me.
I guess I just don’t get it. You believe that God will drag us through the Day of Jacob’s Trouble simply because people are often killed for their testimonies?
How about a little supporting evidence from the Bible? Surely that verse in James you reference is not speaking in the context of the end days. It even says that the ‘trial that is to try you’ ought not be thought of as an uncommon thing. Let me just say that Daniel’s 70th Week will be no common thing!
James is referring to the sufferings for Christ that come upon any Christian who desires to live godly in Him (2nd Tim 3:2).
One such Christian, and the prototypical servant of Christ (1st Tim 1:15), who died a martyrs death and lived a life of beatings and betrayal, wrote this to the church of the Thessalonians:
“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”
So here we have Paul, one of the leaders of the “greatest revivals in history” stating that what happened to him, and others who suffered like him, was not the wrath to come. “For God hath not appointed us to wrath.” Comforting words indeed!
@Robin, this seems to point to a pre-trib removal of the church to me…
But does it really matter and why should we discuss such things that we’ll probably never see eye-to-eye on?
Because we are supposed to endeavor to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
You see, there is only one hope of our calling (Eph 4:4). Unfortunately today, if you asked 10 Christians what there hope is, you’d probably get 5 or 6 different answers.
When people believe they are destined for wrath, and that they have the great tribulation to look forward to, they lose what the real Christian hope is, and start hoping for things like food, shelter, protection.
What is that hope? To be pleasing to the Lord Jesus Christ when we see Him face-to-face. To hear “well done, thou good and faithful servant” (Matt 25:21).
Posted on March 31, 2008 at 4:32 am
Jerod Santo said:
A minor correction: The verse quoted in your post and referenced in my comment is actually 1st Peter 4:12-13, not James 4:12.
Posted on March 31, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Sean said:
Hey man, not trying to rush anything but it’s been awhile. What’s goin’ on in the life and mind of Shawn Blanc? The world wants to know. Also, thanks for being faithful with this blog, you’re writing has inspired me to write and focus my time and my life.
Posted on May 2, 2008 at 6:57 pm
Ryan said:
Shawn!
What’s the deal with you creeping in on the Rizzo/Nashman onething podcast? Especially since it’s HD Video - you staring blankly through the back window is quite hilarious…
Were you wondering who was taking your seat next to Candace ala the “Shawny Nash” Show? Or were you seeing who was really watching and would comment to you about it!?
I win!
Couch
Posted on May 19, 2008 at 12:08 pm
shawnblanc said:
@ Sean: Hey man, writing on here has taking a slump, it’s true. But thanks for the encouragement.
@ Ryan: Ha! The story is that I was in the prayer room and was just pacing. I walked by the back window and saw them talking but I didn’t think they were recording at the time.
Posted on May 20, 2008 at 5:31 pm