Living Before the World as Followers of Jesus Christ

1 Peter 2:11-12

Click here for a description of the mark of the beast

“I beg you, as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul“

Those of us who live by the teachings of the Bible are strangers in this Christless world. The community around us do not recognize our citizenship as being part of their social network, which is held together through the mark of the beast. The enticement of fleshly lusts is used to oppose the soul of the followers of Jesus Christ. We are advised to abstain from the fleshly desires that creates conflict within us and to live honorably among those who detest our existence. The masses will maliciously insinuate that we are guilty of something just to agitate the Holy Spirit in us. But Jesus says when they speak against us, it is a reason to rejoice because greater is our reward in Heaven, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven.” Matthew 5:11-12

Today, the mark of the beast is in this world, and people in every city around the globe is living by its inner presence, “All who dwell on the earth will worship it, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb.” Revelation 13:8 Everyone who refuses to serve through the mark of the beast are treated as if we don’t have a right to exist within their social network. They have authority in every human made institution imaginable, and warmth towards Christians is found mostly within hospital stays, doctor visits, mental health appointments, etc. They want us to disappear. “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” John 15:18-20

The thing that has power over physiology is able to make us feel things that makes war against the Spirit of Jesus Christ. It does not want our body to be the Church of the Holy Spirit, it wants to establish the body as the seat of government for the mark of the beast. It uses its power to form emotions, feelings, thoughts, and behaviors to make war against the soul. It feeds into dishonorable sexual desires, substance abuse, and the list goes on. The Word of God is a discerner of thoughts and feelings and helps us to maintain the soul as the home of the Holy Spirit, “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” Hebrews 4:12-13

Today, we who live by the teachings of the Bible are called haters and enemies of humanity. That’s because the Bible embraces the family as set up by God since Adam and Eve. They say it is loving and supportive to embrace same sex marriages as a family structure. Also, the Bible embraces the sanctity of all life including senior citizens and the unborn. The society of today mandate “Advance Directives” to push for families to decide when to end their loved one’s life. They also protest and riot to change laws and the US Constitution to kill unborn children. The Bible tells us to care for widows, the “ancients,” and to cherish the life of the unborn. The list goes on and on of why the followers of Jesus Christ are spoken against as evildoers in this Christless world.

There is a day of judgment coming in the afterlife, and all the things spoken against us by those who live by the mark of the beast will count for us in the presence of God. “Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before the throne of God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books.” Revelation 20:11-12

“Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, 
having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, 
they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.”
1 Peter 2:11-12

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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