Human emotions and feelings are seen as damnation and easily terrified

Philippians 1:27-30

Click for a description of the mark of the beast.
Click for a description of the image of the beast.

“Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel…” Philippians 1:27

To live for Christ is to die to elements of our human nature, which is to die to the flesh, with all of the emotions, feelings, thoughts, etc. that cause us to be like an uncontrolled ship blown with every wind. “…knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.” Romans 6:6 “For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake…” 2 Corinthians 4:11 In the process of dying to the impulses of the flesh, our conduct is to be worthy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and as Paul says through the Holy Spirit, “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Hebrews 12:11

We live in a world today that has made war with those living for the Gospel of Christ, and it is nearly impossible to come across, or even hear of, true believers who welcome death of the flesh to live by the way of Christ Jesus. The irony is that today’s culture is also dead to the flesh as they live by the atheistic entity that gives them what to think, feel, say, and do. This entity enlivens the image of the beast to live and speak through people, but in our death to the flesh, as Christians, we want Holiness to live in us. The masses living by the theistic entity are groomed to the mark of the beast by what they say and do, but as Christians dead to the flesh, we shun the evil influences working through fleshly human beings. As followers of Jesus Christ, our desire is to stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.

“…and not in any way terrified by your adversaries, which is to them a proof of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that from God. For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake, having the same conflict which you saw in me and now hear is in me.” Philippians 1:28-30

Our adversaries are those living by the entity that gives them what to say, do, think, and feel, and any sign of emotional weakness [human weakness] is a sign to them of our damnation, weakness, etc. They attack the weaknesses of human nature where a person can be made to feel afraid and terrified. In contrast, our steadfast and stable nature is a sign of our Salvation by the forgiveness of sin, dying to the flesh and living to Christ. In this world, in the process of dying to the flesh, there is suffering, mental and emotional agony, and conflict is part of the refining fire.

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ…” 1 Peter 1:6-7

In Philippians 1:22-24, Paul wrote about a specific conflict he was having in his old age, about whether to surrender to physical death or strive to continue in the work of the Gospel, “But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.”

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“….to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets,“
‘I will not impose any other burden on you, except to hold on to what you have until I come.’”
“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown.”
Revelation 2:24-25, 3:11