Times changing

[cupotea]

Ok so I just realized this last night. Is the world not becoming more like it was right after Jesus came into it than ever before? Think about it:

-most Christians are a little Christian and a little pagan, just like in the first century--from what I understand, many early Christians worshipped God but also worshipped pagan gods, just like some Christians today who don't really know what they're doing

-ACTUAL Christians are mocked and persecuted (ok, not as badly as in the first century--in America at least!)

-big evil Athiest (ok some of you might disagree and say that America is a Christian government, but I don't think so) "empire" rules us (and I'm not picking on America! Canada is just as evil and Athiestic, and I think the E.U. figures in there as well)

-we're prettymuch being forced to worship the state gods (while Bush hasn't made himself an official god yet, the First World does appear to have state gods. I think they're named Pecunia and Vanitas)

Now compare these points to any other time period in the past 2000 years. Weird, eh? Ok I don't really have a point; it's just that I thought I'd share it with you guys. Maybe you guys can make a point for me, haha.

 

[VirginiaHuguenot]

I think the world has seen better days, but I also think it's important to look at the big picture, as well as the promises of God in Scripture. Even in the days of the Reformation, Christians were slaughtered on a scale that is incomprehensible to most of us today. During the St. Bartholomew's Day massacre (1572), it is estimated that 100,000 French Huguenots were killed in a period of a few days or weeks. The River Seine of Paris ran red with blood. The number of Christians who have been killed for the faith throughout history is enormous and the 20th century has seen an incredible amount of destruction and murder, especially under Communist and (National) Socialist regimes. But though sporadic cases of persecution occur in America today, we still have the liberty to worship God in public and we have access to the Scriptures and Biblical literature on a scale that dwarfs any era previously. Russia is still on the brink of reverting back to a totalitarian state (if not already there), but the Communist Revolution failed. Materialism and secular humanism is rapant in Eastern Euprope, but the Berlin Wall fell. The Muslim world is still in darkness, but the dictator Saddam Hussein is awaiting trial. Millions died in China under Mao, but now capitalistic Hong Kong is part of China and the underground church is huge. There are usually good things as well as bad things to point to in history, but compare the number of Christians today in the world with the number right after the Resurrection. Compare the number of languages into which the Scriptures have been translated since the Reformation with the number of languages that had access to God's Word before Pentecost. Truly, God is working throughout history and the gates of hell shall not prevail against his church. Read Isaiah 9:6-7 and chapter 11 and know that the meek shall inherit the earth (Matt. 5:5). The victory belongs to Christ already, the battle is still playing out, but we know how it will end. Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord!

[Edited on 18-12-2004 by VirginiaHuguenot]

 

[RamistThomist]

itto: Andrew.
God loves to work his greatest works when the hour is the darkest. How can one say "After Darkness, Light" if we do not grant the temporary darkness?
If David were a pessimist looking at Goliath he would say, "He is too big. How can I kill him?"

If David were a biblicist he would say, "He is too big. How can I miss?"

Cheers

 

[RamistThomist]

BTW,
David was a biblicist; therefor, Goliath fell.

 

[Puritan Sailor]

I think we need to be careful. The church in the western world may be languishing somewhat, but it is thriving elsewhere, like China mentioned above. There have been similar times in history. 18th century France comes to mind. You can't get more atheistic than that, though America is sure trying.

 

[cupotea]

Ack my point wasn't that the world is falling apart! I was just saying that it's most like it was in the first century since the first century, comparing the First World to the Roman Empire.

 

[RamistThomist]

Yes,
I just took a class on Ancient History. I saw the exact thing. Wow...Harwood and I just agreed.

 

[Puritan Sailor]

Originally posted by Cottonball
Ack my point wasn't that the world is falling apart! I was just saying that it's most like it was in the first century since the first century, comparing the First World to the Roman Empire.

Sorry. I agree with you there. We are also fighting the old pagan and jewish heresies in the early church all over again too though with different names.