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The scriptures say:
Joh 15:18 "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
Mar 13:9 "But watch out for yourselves, for they will deliver you up to councils, and you will be beaten in the synagogues. You will be brought before rulers and kings for My sake, for a testimony to them.
Mar 13:10 And the gospel must first be preached to all the nations.
Mar 13:11 But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
Mar 13:12 Now brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.
Mar 13:13 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.
In these passages, Christ was warning the early church that it would face persecution - that they would all be hated for His names sake. However we also know that this warning also extends into the here and now, because of the words in the Olivet Discourse when the disciples asked Christ about the ‘time of the end’.
"Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.” – Matthew 24:9
These words were said so long ago and all the while we the modern church have assumed that this event was coming at some undetermined time in the future. Over confident in our non-persecuted and North American lives we didn’t realize that all the while letting our guard down, the adversary was very much at work. I believe the church have been caught with our proverbial ‘pants down’.
Confident in our religion, Christians have forgotten the very thing that makes us so. We have forgotten how to tap into the resource of our power source. We have neglected to not only read the word, but we have forgotten to commune with God and to pray earnestly against the one we call ‘adversary’.
“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8
It seems as of late this adversary has been very, very busy. Behind the scenes the adversary has been implementing a new plan – a plan where Christianity -that is unadulterated, true blue Christianity - ultimately becomes illegal.
Canada remembers a story from back in 2002 when pastor Stephen Boissoin was found guilty of hate crimes under and Alberta court for a letter he wrote to a Red Deer paper - speaking out against homosexuality.
This sent a message loud and clear across the nation that once held biblical values, were not protected under the premise of freedom of speech.
Recently, there has been more icing spread on this crumbly cake.
In recent news, a Canadian ministry named “MacGregor Ministries” came under scrutiny from the Canadian Government. MacGregor Ministries, a ministry that teaches doctrine and the differences between Christianity and the cults, came under fire as their reference materials were deemed to be ‘critical’ of the beliefs of others.
In our own ministries study titled, Exposing False Doctrine, we look at the Christian charge, right and duty to expose false doctrine; albeit in a loving way. MacGregor Ministries has been denied that right by the powers that be.
The real issue centered on the ministries ‘charitable’ status as defined by the Canadian Government. During a routine audit of the ministries finances certain practices were labeled as ‘hate’ and ‘uncharitable’.
As one reads through the interview1 with the founders of the MacGregor ministry you can see how they were asked to compromise their faith.
"There was nothing we could do that would please them," she said. "They wanted us every time we criticized something to say, 'So Christianity is equal to Buddhism, Islam, Mormonism, Jehovah's Witnesses… Just decide for yourself.'"2
Under Canada’s version of hate laws, any speaking out against a group, a belief or lifestyle can land someone in violation of the law. Section 319(1) of the Criminal Code prohibits the communication of statements made in any public place which incite hatred where such incitements are likely to lead to a breach of the peace. The problem lies within the definition of ‘public place’ and the end result of ‘lead to a breach of peace.’ Those statements are very open ended for interpretation and much deliberation has been done in this regard. For more on this, I suggest reading the following online articles:
The auditor of the MacGregor account instructed the MacGregor’s that they needed to say that all religions were equal., Lorri MacGregor was to stop writing the ministries magazine on the cults, and any future DVDs that were done on the Bible, must not be persuasive.
The couple, of course, could not compromise. Nor could they afford a court battle to defend the ministries activities. In efforts to not spend the donated charity money on the lawyers, they opted to voluntarily revoke their own charitable license. The couple is now filing under a new ministry name of ‘MM Outreach Media Ministries” in the United States and applying for 501(c)3 status. But the MacGregor’s warn that they were told that within five to 10 years, the U.S. government will be in the same position as the Canadian government and they will also go after Christian apologetics groups.
Friends, Canadian ministries have to put on a different pair of shoes as they tread lightly on the mission fields before them. More and more you will see such ministries not apply for, or retain their ‘charitable’ status under Canadian laws. What this means is a serious lack of income from donations, as they will no longer be able to issue receipts for tax purposes, less incentive remains for people to give freely. I encourage everyone who currently supports these ministries to continue to do so, and to prayerfully consider these gifts even when the prospect of a tax break is not available. Berean Watchmen Ministries is a registered 'non-profit' corporation and not a 'charity' for the exact reasons mentioned above. For now, as a non-profit corporation we are still allowed to say and preach whatever is on our hearts with no direct persecution from the government.
Bible prophecy talks about this very age that we find ourselves in; an age of cults, and new age beliefs and mysticism; A terrible and perilous age, when the church herself not only fails to speak out against these beliefs, but embraces them within arms of ecumenism.
"Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;" -- 1Timothy 4:1
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” -- 2 Timothy 4:3-4
"And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many" -- Matthew 24:11
In a time where the bible warns that more false doctrine, more false ministers and prophets will arise… In a time that their will be a great apostasy and many people will leave from the ‘true’ faith… Yes, it is in this time that the adversary will go to great lengths to prevent and arrest the efforts of ministries who hold to the gospel truth. Satan will use whatever tool necessary to arrest the effectiveness of these ministries, and yes – even using the government.
Our adversary is sly and wise. He is not to be taken for granted, and he is trying to cripple the evangelistic work that those who hold to ‘sound doctrine’ are promoting. We must gird ourselves with the armor of the Holy Spirit and resist the one who would destroy us.
We need to pray for these ministries. We need to pray for our churches, our leaders and all those in ministry. Only by the power of God can we withstand the wiles of the devil and allow truth to be spoken.
Increasing persecution is promised in the times to come. No corner on planet earth will be exempt. It’s time to get off of our complacent pews, pick up our swords, stand and be counted for the Lord.
May God bless and keep each of us in the ministry we are called to; in His name, and for His Glory. May we all live and breathe by the Word of God.
"And we labor, working with our own hands. Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we endure" 1 Corinthians 4:12
- J.R. Hall
Sources:
1. ‘Canada orders ministry by Christians shut down’, World Net Daily Online, http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=59600
2. ibid.
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