This week on Youtube, semi-superstar VenomFangX (VFX) announced the closing of his video ministry due to death threats. I found myself conflicted within about his decision to back away from the camera, and as a result I put out a short video asking the simple question, ‘what has happened to Christians these days?’ The early Christians suffered threats and lived with far more dangers than we do today. They were martyred regularly for refusing to renounce Christ – or even for refusing to stop preaching the good news… yet today, it is common for Christians on the internet to close down everything and go into hiding when someone emails a threat.
Not to brag, but my life has been threatened by all sorts of fanatics on the net over the last decade or so. Do you know how many of these threats ever amounted to anything? None. Not One. Some threats were ambiguous, where others were more detailed, containing personal details and information that certainly frightened me, but never enough to close down happyjesusday.com or any other ministry I’ve been a part of. For me, closing down due to threats amounts to showing shame in the Son of God. It amounts to a lack of faith in His faithfulness.
While I didn’t bash VFX – I did criticize Christians of todays era that are too quick to toss in the towel. The comments posted on the videos discussing VFX, for the most part, were very supportive of his quitting – very understanding – and entirely contrary to the Way of life Jesus and the Apostles set forth.
Today, the church I attend had a guest minister. He was a man from India who had traveled extensively until finally attending a Bible college here in the states. He told us of some of the martyrdom still happening today. He shared some of the horrific ways our brothers and sisters in Christ are suffering at the hands of those who hate our Lord, and I have to tell you, it brings real shame to the western Christians.
If we can’t stand to some verbal threats, how will we stand when the crap really hits the fan? How will we stand against such things as the mark of the beast? I can almost hear the western churches now – “Well, we had to accept the mark – they were going to kill us otherwise – and after all -Jesus forgives all sin..”
Its garbage. We need to get a little more determined; a little stronger; a little more faithful.
The Hard Stuff – Suffering For Christ
Posted by Christoferl in Commentaries, YT Related on July 20, 2008
This week on Youtube, semi-superstar VenomFangX (VFX) announced the closing of his video ministry due to death threats. I found myself conflicted within about his decision to back away from the camera, and as a result I put out a short video asking the simple question, ‘what has happened to Christians these days?’ The early Christians suffered threats and lived with far more dangers than we do today. They were martyred regularly for refusing to renounce Christ – or even for refusing to stop preaching the good news… yet today, it is common for Christians on the internet to close down everything and go into hiding when someone emails a threat.
Not to brag, but my life has been threatened by all sorts of fanatics on the net over the last decade or so. Do you know how many of these threats ever amounted to anything? None. Not One. Some threats were ambiguous, where others were more detailed, containing personal details and information that certainly frightened me, but never enough to close down happyjesusday.com or any other ministry I’ve been a part of. For me, closing down due to threats amounts to showing shame in the Son of God. It amounts to a lack of faith in His faithfulness.
While I didn’t bash VFX – I did criticize Christians of todays era that are too quick to toss in the towel. The comments posted on the videos discussing VFX, for the most part, were very supportive of his quitting – very understanding – and entirely contrary to the Way of life Jesus and the Apostles set forth.
Today, the church I attend had a guest minister. He was a man from India who had traveled extensively until finally attending a Bible college here in the states. He told us of some of the martyrdom still happening today. He shared some of the horrific ways our brothers and sisters in Christ are suffering at the hands of those who hate our Lord, and I have to tell you, it brings real shame to the western Christians.
If we can’t stand to some verbal threats, how will we stand when the crap really hits the fan? How will we stand against such things as the mark of the beast? I can almost hear the western churches now – “Well, we had to accept the mark – they were going to kill us otherwise – and after all -Jesus forgives all sin..”
Its garbage. We need to get a little more determined; a little stronger; a little more faithful.
Christian, martyr, stand, threats
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