TO ALL THAT LIVE GODLY IN CHRIST

DIFFERENT RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD

TO ALL THAT LIVE GODLY IN CHRIST In the society in which we live today, we live around

people of all different cultures, race, and religion, we have different religions in all different forms and fashion.

Each human being regardless of their religion greed or race has three God- given rights which God alone can give.

THE RIGHT TO SERVE God (religious right).—Exod.20:1-11

THE RIGHT TO LIFE. –Exod.20:12,13,16 THE RIGHT TO PRIVATE PROPERTY .—Exod.20:15,17.

GOVERMENTS did not give us these rights, but they (the governments)

are to protect these rights that are given to us by God. But seeing that the heart or mind of men is without the knowledge of God,they are prone to do things that is in direct oppositions to the mandates of God.But we are warned and told in scripture in 2 Tim 3:12 “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”KJV

What is persecution? Persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an

individual or group by another individual or group. The most common forms are religious persecution, ethnic persecution and political persecution, though there is naturally some overlap between these terms. The inflicting of suffering, harassment, isolation, imprisonment, internment, fear, or pain are all factors that may establish persecution.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Religious Persecution therefore will be when a person, or persons, persecute another person, or persons, based on their religion or religious belief, that may be in opposition to their religion.

Religious persecution---from a biblical point Est. 3:4-6 5 And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not,

nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.

6 And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had showed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.

Est. 3:8,9 And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a

certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer them.

9 If it please the king, let it be written that they may be destroyed: and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver to the hands of those that have the charge of the business, to bring it into the king's treasuries.

Dan 2:49-3:6 3 Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold, whose height was

threescore cubits, and the breadth thereof six cubits: he set it up in the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon.

2 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king sent to gather together the princes, the governors, and the captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, to come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

3 Then the princes, the governors, and captains, the judges, the treasurers, the counsellors, the sheriffs, and all the rulers of the provinces, were gathered together unto the dedication of the image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up; and they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages,

5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up:

6 And whoso falleth not down and worshipped shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

7 Therefore at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and all kinds of musick, all the people, the nations, and the languages, fell down and worshipped the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king had set up.

8 Wherefore at that time certain Chaldeans came near, and accused the Jews. 9 They spoke and said to the king Nebuchadnezzar, O king, live for ever. 10 Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the

sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship the golden image:

11 And whoso falleth not down and worshipped, that he should be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

12 There are certain Jews whom thou hast set over the affairs of the province of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and bed-nego; these men, O king, have not regarded thee: they serve not thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in his rage and fury commanded to bring Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego. Then they brought these men before the king

14 Nebuchadnezzar spake and said unto them, Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, do not ye serve my gods, nor worship the golden image which I have set up? 15 Now if ye be ready that at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp,

sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the image which I have made; well: but if ye worship not, ye shall be cast the same hour into the midst of a burning fiery furnace; and who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?

16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.

17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.

18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.

19 Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated.

20 And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.

24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king.

25 He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.

26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the mouth of the burning fiery furnace, and spake, and said, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, ye servants of the most high God, come forth, and come hither. Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, came forth of the midst of the fire.

27 And the princes, governors, and captains, and the king's counsellors, being gathered together, saw these men, upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was an hair of their head singed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them.

28 Then Nebuchadnezzar spoke, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.

29 Therefore I make a decree, That every people, nation, and language, which speak any thing amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill: because there is no other God that can deliver after this sort.

30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, in the province of Babylon.

Acts 6:7-15 8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among

the people. 9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of

the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.

10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake. 11 Then they suborned men, which said, We have heard him speak blasphemous

words against Moses, and against God. 12 And they stirred up the people, and the elders, and the scribes, and came

upon him, and caught him, and brought him to the council, 13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak

blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: 14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this

place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. 15 And all that sat in the council, looking stedfastly on him, saw his face as it

had been the face of an angel.

Acts 7:54-60 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they

gnashed on him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven,

and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man

standing on the right hand of God. 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, and stopped their ears, and ran

upon him with one accord, 58 And cast him out of the city, and stoned him: and the witnesses laid

down their clothes at a young man's feet, whose name was Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus,

receive my spirit. 60 And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin

to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.

Acts 8:1-4 And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a

great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.

2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him.

3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.

4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.

Religious persecution from a historical point

The twelfth Apostles Stephen suffered the next in order. His death was occasioned by the faithful manner in which he preached the Gospel to the betrayers and murderers of Christ. To such a degree of madness were they excited, that they cast him out of the city and stoned him to death. The time when he suffered is generally supposed to have been at the passover which succeeded to that of our Lord's crucifixion, and to the era of his ascension, in the following spring. Upon this a great persecution was raised against all who professed their belief in Christ as the Messiah, or as a prophet. We are immediately told by St. Luke, that "there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem;" and that "they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles." About two thousand Christians, with Nicanor, one of the seven deacons,

suffered martyrdom during the "persecution that arose about Stephen."

James the Great

The next martyr we meet with, according to St. Luke, in the History of the Apostles' Acts, was James the son of Zebedee, the elder brother of John, and a relative of our Lord; for his mother Salome was cousin-german to the Virgin Mary. It was not until ten years after the death of Stephen that the second martyrdom took place; for no sooner had Herod Agrippa been appointed governor of Judea, than, with a view to ingratiate himself with them, he raised a sharp persecution against the Christians, and determined to make an effectual blow, by striking at their leaders. The account given us by an eminent primitive writer, Clemens Alexandrinus, ought not to be overlooked; that, as James was led to the place of martyrdom, his accuser was brought to repent of his conduct by the apostle's extraordinary courage and undauntedness, and fell down at his feet to request his pardon, professing himself a Christian, and resolving that James should not receive the crown of martyrdom alone. Hence they were both beheaded at the same time. Thus did the first apostolic martyr cheerfully and resolutely receive that cup, which he had told our Savior he was ready to drink. Timon and Parmenas suffered martyrdom about the same time; the one at Philippi, and the other in Macedonia. These events took place A.D. 44.

Philip

Was born at Bethsaida, in Galilee and was first called by the name of "disciple." He labored diligently in Upper Asia, and suffered martyrdom at Heliopolis, in Phrygia. He was scourged, thrown into prison, and afterwards crucified, A.D. 54.

Matthew

Whose occupation was that of a toll-gatherer, was born at Nazareth. He wrote his gospel in Hebrew, which was afterwards translated into Greek by James the Less. The scene of his labors was Parthia, and Ethiopia, in which latter country he suffered martyrdom, being slain with a halberd in the city of Nadabah, A.D. 60.

James the Less Is supposed by some to have been the brother of our Lord, by a former wife of

Joseph. This is very doubtful, and accords too much with the Catholic superstition, that Mary never had any other children except our Savior. He was elected to the oversight of the churches of Jerusalem; and was the author of the Epistle ascribed to James in the sacred canon. At the age of ninety-four he was beat and stoned by the Jews; and finally had his brains dashed out with a fuller's club.

Matthias Of whom less is known than of most of the other disciples, was elected to fill the

vacant place of Judas. He was stoned at Jerusalem and then beheaded.

Andrew Was the brother of Peter. He preached the gospel to many Asiatic nations; but on

his arrival at Edessa he was taken and crucified on a cross, the two ends of which were fixed transversely in the ground. Hence the derivation of the term, St. Andrew's Cross.

Mark Was born of Jewish parents of the tribe of Levi. He is supposed to have been

converted to Christianity by Peter, whom he served as an amanuensis, and under whose inspection he wrote his Gospel in the Greek language. Mark was dragged to pieces by the people of Alexandria, at the great solemnity of Serapis their idol, ending his life under their merciless hands.

Peter Among many other saints, the blessed apostle Peter was condemned to death,

and crucified, as some do write, at Rome; albeit some others, and not without cause, do doubt thereof. Hegesippus saith that Nero sought matter against Peter to put him to death; which, when the people perceived, they entreated Peter with much ado that he would fly the city. Peter, through their importunity at length persuaded, prepared himself to avoid. But, coming to the gate, he saw the Lord Christ come to meet him, to whom he, worshipping, said, "Lord, whither dost Thou go?" To whom He answered and said, "I am come again to be crucified." By this, Peter, perceiving his suffering to be understood, returned into the city. Jerome saith that he was crucified, his head being down and his feet upward, himself so requiring, because he was (he said) unworthy to be crucified after the same form and manner as the Lord was.

Jude The brother of James, was commonly called Thaddeus. He was crucified at Edessa, A.D. 72.

Bartholomew Preached in several countries, and having translated the Gospel of Matthew into the

language of India, he propagated it in that country. He was at length cruelly beaten and then crucified by the impatient idolaters.

Thomas Called Didymus, preached the Gospel in Parthia and India, where exciting the rage of the

pagan priests, he was martyred by being thrust through with a spear.

Luke The evangelist, was the author of the Gospel which goes under his name. He travelled with

Paul through various countries, and is supposed to have been hanged on an olive tree, by the idolatrous priests of Greece.

Simon Surnamed Zelotes, preached the Gospel in Mauritania, Africa, and even in Britain, in which

latter country he was crucified, A.D. 74.

John The "beloved disciple," was brother to James the Great. The churches of Smyrna, Pergamos,

Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, and Thyatira, were founded by him. From Ephesus he was ordered to be sent to Rome, where it is affirmed he was cast into a cauldron of boiling oil. He escaped by miracle, without injury. Domitian afterwards banished him to the Isle of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation. Nerva, the successor of Domitian, recalled him. He was the only apostle who escaped a violent death.

Barnabas Was of Cyprus, but of Jewish descent, his death is supposed to have taken place about A.D. 73.

And yet, notwithstanding all these continual persecutions and horrible punishments, the Church daily increased, deeply rooted in the doctrine of the apostles and of men apostolical, and watered plenteously with the blood of saints.

Paul

Paul, the apostle, who before was called Saul, after his great travail and unspeakable labors in promoting the Gospel of Christ, suffered also in this first persecution under Nero. Abdias, declareth that under his execution Nero sent two of his esquires, Ferega and Parthemius, to bring him word of his death. They, coming to Paul instructing the people, desired him to pray for them, that they might believe; who told them that shortly after they should believe and be baptised at His sepulcher. This done, the soldiers came and led him out of the city to the place of execution, where he, after his prayers made, gave his neck to the sword.

There hundreds of faithful men and women who die as martyrs who fear not death but would rather give their life than deny their Lord.

Martyrs like JOHN HUSS JOHN ROGERS JOHN WYLIFFE WILLIAM HUNTER MRS. PREST. JEROME OF PRAGUE Just to name a few.

From Foxe’s Book of MartyrsDuring the Reign of Queen Mary (Bloody Mary) in England – [1553-1558]Mrs. Prest for some time lived about Cornwall, where she had a husband and children whose bigotry compelled her to frequent the abominations of the Church of Rome. Resolving to act as her conscience dictated, she quitted them and made a living by spinning. After some time, returning home, she was accused by her neighbors and brought to Exeter to be examined before Dr. Troubleville and his chancellor Blackston. As this martyr was accounted of inferior intellect, we shall put her in competition with the bishop and let the reader judge which had the most of that knowledge conducive to everlasting life. The bishop bringing the question to issue respecting the bread and wine being flesh and blood, Mrs. Prest said, “I will demand of you whether you can deny your creed, which says that Christ does perpetually sit at the right hand of His Father, both body and soul, until He comes again; or whether He be there in heaven our Advocate and to make prayer for us unto God His Father? If He be so, He is not here on earth in a piece of bread.

 If He be not here, and if He do not dwell in temples made with hands but in heaven, why shall we seek Him here? If with one offering He made all perfect, why do you with a false offering make all imperfect? If He is to be worshipped in spirit and in truth, why do you worship a piece of bread [the Eucharist]? Alas! I am a poor woman, but rather than to do as you do, I would live no longer. I have said, Sir.”

Some persons present convinced the bishop she was not in her right senses and she was permitted to depart. The keeper of the bishop’s prisons took her into his house where she either spun, worked as a servant, or walked about the city discoursing upon the Sacrament of the altar. Her husband was sent for to take her home, but this she refused while the cause of religion could be served. During the liberty granted her by the bishop, before-mentioned, she went into St. Peter’s Church and there found a skillful Dutchman who was affixing new noses to certain fine images which had been disfigured in King Edward’s time. To him she said, “What a mad man you are to make new noses for those who shall all lose their heads.” The Dutchman accused her and laid it hard to her charge. But she said to him, “You are accursed, and so are your images.”

He called her a whore. “No,” said she, “your images are whores and you are a whore-hunter; for doesn’t God say, ‘You go a whoring after strange gods, figures of your own making’? You are one of them.” After this she was ordered to be confined and had no more liberty.

During the time of her imprisonment, many visited her, some sent by the bishop and some of their own will. Among these was one Daniel, a great preacher of the gospel in the days of King Edward, but who, through the grievous persecution he had sustained, had fallen off. Earnestly did she exhort him to repent with Peter and to be more constant in his profession.

Mrs. Walter Rauley, Mr. William, and John Kede, persons of great respectability, bore ample testimony of her godly conversation, declaring, that unless God were with her, it were impossible she could have so ably defended the cause of Christ. Indeed, to sum up the character of this poor woman, she united the serpent and the dove, abounding in the highest wisdom joined to the greatest simplicity. She endured imprisonment, threatenings, taunts, and the vilest epithets, but nothing could induce her to swerve; her heart was fixed; nor could all the wounds of persecution remove her from the rock on which her hopes of felicity were built.

Such was her memory that, without learning, she could tell in what chapter any text of Scripture was contained: on account of this singular property, one Gregory Basset, a rank papist, said she was deranged and talked as a parrot, wild without meaning. At length, having tried every manner without effect to make her nominally a Catholic, they condemned her.When sentence was read condemning her to the flames, she lifted up her voice and praised God, adding, “This day have I found that which I have long sought.” When they tempted her to recant, she said, “That will I not. God forbid that I should lose the life eternal for this carnal and short life. I will never turn from my heavenly husband to my earthly husband; from the fellowship of angels to mortal children; and if my husband and children be faithful, then am I theirs. God is my father, God is my mother, God is my sister, my brother, my kinsman; God is my friend, most faithful.”Being delivered to the sheriff, she was led by the officer to the place of execution without the walls of Exeter called Sothenhey, where again the superstitious priests assaulted her. While they were tying her to the stake, she continued earnestly to exclaim “God be merciful to me, a sinner!” Patiently enduring the devouring conflagration, she was consumed to ashes and thus ended a life which in unshaken fidelity to the cause of Christ was not surpassed by that of any preceding martyr.

John Rogers (Bible editor and martyr)

First martyr under Queen Mary I of England, clergyman, Bible translator, Commentator, Translator and printer of the English language bible. The first person executed by Bloody Mary., Esq, Christian Minister, Married in Belguim, Roman Cardinal

William Hunter was a Marian martyr burnt to death in Brentwood at the age of 19 on March 27, 1555 on Ingrave Road. He had lost his job in London as a silk-weaver because he refused to attend the Catholic mass, despite an order that everyone in the City of London had to attend,[1] and had come to live with his parents in Brentwood, but got into a dispute when discovered reading the Bible for himself in Brentwood Chapel. He refused to accept the Catholic dogma of transubstantiation according to which the bread and wine of the communion become the body and blood of Jesus.[2]He was taken before Antony Browne, then the local Justice, but later Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, but refused to retract his position. Hunter was then sent to Bishop Bonner in London. He resisted both threats and bribes—Bonner offered to make him a Freeman of the City of London and give him £40—and was eventually returned to Brentwood to be burnt. He was the first Essex martyr of the reign of Mary Tudor.[3]The site is now Brentwood School, which was founded by Antony Browne in 1558, under a grant from Queen Mary (not, as some believe, as a penance when Queen Elizabeth I came to the throne). The Martyr's Elm was grown on the spot of Hunter's incineration.The site is marked by a plaque with the inscription“ WILLIAM HUNTER. MARTYR. Committed to the Flames March 26th MDLV.Christian Reader, learn from his example to value the privilege of an open Bible. And be careful to maintain it. ”

The Burning of William Hunter, Martyr

William Tyndale

Heb 11:36-40 And others had trial of cruel mocking's and scourgings, yea,

moreover of bonds and imprisonment: 37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted,

were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;

38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:

40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.

Now there are laws today, that if and when executed could and will cause great Religious persecution. For example -- The Equal Opportunity act which says-----

Offensive Behavior (1) A person shall not otherwise than in private, do any act which— (a) is reasonably likely, in all the circumstances, to offend, insult, humiliate or intimidate another

person or a group of persons;(b) is done because of the gender, race, ethnicity, origin or religion of the other person or of some or all of the persons in the group; and(c) which is done with the intention of inciting gender, racial or religious hatred.(2) For the purposes of subsection (1), an act is taken not to be done in private if it—(a) cause words, sounds, images or writing to be communicated to the public;(b) is done is public place;(c) is done in the sight and hearing of persons who are in a public place.

(3) This section does not apply to acts committed in a place of public worship. (4) In this section— “public place” includes any place to which the public have access as of right

or by invitation, whether express or implied and whether or not a charge is made for admission to the place.

Daily Express wed 26th August 2015

CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO [1ST AUGUST 1976] Whereas the People of Trinidad and Tobago—

(a) have affirmed that the Nation of Trinidad and Tobago is founded upon principles that acknowledge the supremacy of God, faith in fundamental human rights and freedoms, the position of the family in a society of free men and free institutions, the dignity of the human person and the equal and inalienable rights with which all members of the human family are endowed by their Creator;

(b) respect the principles of social justice and therefore believe that the operation of the economic system should result in the material resources of the community being so distributed as to subserve the common good, that there should be adequate means of livelihood for all, that labour should not be exploited or forced by economic necessity to operate in inhumane conditions but that there should be opportunity for advancement on the basis of recognition of merit, ability and integrity

(c) have asserted their belief in a democratic society in which all persons may, to the extent of their capacity, play some part in the institutions of the national life and thus develop and maintain due respect for lawfully constituted authority;

(d) recognize that men and institutions remain free only when freedom is founded upon respect for moral and spiritual values and the rule of law;

(e) desire that their Constitution should enshrine the above-mentioned principles and beliefs and make provision for ensuring the protection in 12 The Constitution LAWS OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

(c) the right of the individual to respect for his private and family life; (d) the right of the individual to equality of treatment from any public authority in the exercise

of any functions; (e) the right to join political parties and to express political views; (f) the right of a parent or guardian to provide a school of his own choice for the education of

his child or ward; (g) freedom of movement; (h) freedom of conscience and religious belief and observance; (i) freedom of thought and

expression; (j) freedom of association and assembly; and (k) freedom of the press. 5. (1) Except as is otherwise expressly provided in this Chapter and in

section 54, no law may abrogate, abridge or infringe or authorize the abrogation, abridgment or infringement of any of the rights and freedoms hereinbefore recognized and declared. (2) Without prejudice to subsection (1), but subject to this Chapter and to section 54, Parliament may not— (a) authorize or effect the arbitrary detention, imprisonment or exile of any person; (b) impose or authorize the imposition of cruel and unusual treatment or punishment; (c) deprive a person who has been arrested or detained— (i) of the right to be informed promptly and with sufficient particularity of the reason for his arrest or detention; (ii) of the right to retain and instruct without delay a legal adviser of his own choice and to hold communication with him; 18 The Constitution LAWS OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO.

The Truth will always offend people, especially when they see the wrong of their wrong, but they don’t want to give up their wrongs.

John 3:19-22 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world,

and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil hated the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God

Matt 18:7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be

that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!

Matt 13:21 Yet hath he not root in himself, but endured for a while: for when tribulation or

persecution arises because of the word, by and by he is offended.

Mark 4:17 And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when

affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.

Rom 9:32-33 Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of

the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone; 33 As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumbling stone and rock of offence:

and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.

1 Peter 2:8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at

the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.

Some Hope given to us for persecution comes. 1 Peter 2:20 For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take

it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God.

1 Peter 5:10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.Matt 5:10-12Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

James 5:10-11 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord,

for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. 11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the

patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

Rom 8:17-18 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be

that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18 For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be

compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Acts 5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they

were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name