Grace Fellowship Grace Fellowship ChurchChurch

Pastor/TeacherPastor/TeacherJim RickardJim Rickard

Thursday, Thursday, November 4, 2010November 4, 2010

www.GraceDoctrine.orgwww.GraceDoctrine.org

DoxologyDoxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him, all creatures here below;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.—Amen.Amen.

Memory VerseMemory Verse

Phil 2:5, Phil 2:5, “Have this attitude in “Have this attitude in

yourselves which was also yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus.”in Christ Jesus.”

John 15:18-21John 15:18-21 Obstructions to Divine Good Production:Obstructions to Divine Good Production:

Reason #1:Reason #1: Satan’s Cosmic System hates the Satan’s Cosmic System hates the believer! believer!Reason #2:Reason #2: We are not of this world-Election We are not of this world-Election

out from the World! out from the World!Reason #3:Reason #3: “The servant is not greater than “The servant is not greater than his Lord,” therefore we too will have his Lord,” therefore we too will have persecutions! persecutions!Reason #4:Reason #4: “The Cosmos does not know “The Cosmos does not know God and is ignorant to His Plan.” God and is ignorant to His Plan.”

Doctrine of PersecutionsDoctrine of Persecutions

IX. Gentile Persecutions: IX. Gentile Persecutions:

A. During the period A. During the period covered by Acts there was covered by Acts there was

not much Gentile not much Gentile persecution, yet great persecution, yet great

dangers and risks existed. dangers and risks existed.

B. At Philippi, Paul and B. At Philippi, Paul and Silas were cruelly Silas were cruelly

persecuted, Acts 16:19-40, persecuted, Acts 16:19-40, just as Paul and Barnabas just as Paul and Barnabas suffered much at Iconium suffered much at Iconium

and at Lystra, Acts 14:5, 19. and at Lystra, Acts 14:5, 19.

C. During Paul’s life the C. During Paul’s life the Roman authorities were Roman authorities were not actively hostile to not actively hostile to

Christianity, it was still too Christianity, it was still too miniscule to bother with. miniscule to bother with.

D. The Persecutions of Nero.D. The Persecutions of Nero.

Following the great fire in Following the great fire in Rome, July 64 AD, Nero Rome, July 64 AD, Nero

having blamed it on having blamed it on Christians began a reign of Christians began a reign of persecutions against them.persecutions against them.

He made them scapegoats He made them scapegoats and the legal decisions and the legal decisions

which were favorable to which were favorable to the Christian faith were the Christian faith were

soon overturned.soon overturned.

He also began ordering He also began ordering Christians to be thrown to Christians to be thrown to dogs, while others were dogs, while others were crucified and burned, crucified and burned,

Tacitus (Tacitus (AnnalsAnnals xv. 44). xv. 44).

E. Persecution in Asia: E. Persecution in Asia:

In Rev 1:9, John is in “Patmos In Rev 1:9, John is in “Patmos for the word of God and the for the word of God and the

testimony of Jesus”, and testimony of Jesus”, and persecution had broken out persecution had broken out

among the Christians in Asia. among the Christians in Asia.

1. At Smyrna, there is 1. At Smyrna, there is suffering, imprisonment and suffering, imprisonment and

prolonged tribulation; but prolonged tribulation; but told that if faithful unto told that if faithful unto

death, Christ will give them death, Christ will give them the Crown of Life, Rev 2:10. the Crown of Life, Rev 2:10.

2. At Pergamum, 2. At Pergamum, persecution has already persecution has already

resulted in Antipas, resulted in Antipas, Christ’s faithful martyr, Christ’s faithful martyr, being slain, Rev 2:13. being slain, Rev 2:13.

3. At Ephesus and Thyatira 3. At Ephesus and Thyatira Christians are commended Christians are commended for their patient enduring, for their patient enduring,

indicating that there had been indicating that there had been persecution, Rev 2:2, 19. persecution, Rev 2:2, 19.

4. At Philadelphia attempts 4. At Philadelphia attempts to cause the members of to cause the members of

the church to deny Christ’s the church to deny Christ’s name, Rev 3:8. Their name, Rev 3:8. Their

patience is commended.patience is commended.

5. No distinct persecutions 5. No distinct persecutions mentioned at Sardis or mentioned at Sardis or

Laodicea. They had Laodicea. They had enough problems of their enough problems of their

own in regard to their faith.own in regard to their faith.

F. The Roman Empire as F. The Roman Empire as Persecutor: Persecutor:

2nd and 3rd Centuries: 2nd and 3rd Centuries:

1. To become a Christian 1. To become a Christian meant great renunciation, the meant great renunciation, the

joining of a despised and joining of a despised and persecuted sect, attack of persecuted sect, attack of great prejudice, and the great prejudice, and the

possibility at any moment of possibility at any moment of imprisonment and death.imprisonment and death.

For many it meant the rack, For many it meant the rack, the blazing shirt of pitch, the blazing shirt of pitch, the lion, the panther, or in the lion, the panther, or in

the case of maidens an the case of maidens an infamy worse than death” infamy worse than death”

(Workman, 103). (Workman, 103).

2. It was not the worst 2. It was not the worst emperors, but the best, who emperors, but the best, who

became the most violent became the most violent persecutors. persecutors.

3. Pliny a proconsul of 3. Pliny a proconsul of Bithynia in ~ 112 AD, Bithynia in ~ 112 AD,

during Trajan’s reign tried during Trajan’s reign tried to “stem the tide of the to “stem the tide of the

advancing Christian faith.” advancing Christian faith.”

He rounded up Christians He rounded up Christians and demanded that they and demanded that they renounce their faith, and renounce their faith, and

pay allegiances to the pay allegiances to the Roman gods and Emperor Roman gods and Emperor via sacrifices and worship. via sacrifices and worship.

4. Under Trajan’s 4. Under Trajan’s successor, Hadrian, the lot successor, Hadrian, the lot of the Christians was full of the Christians was full

of uncertainty: persecution of uncertainty: persecution might break out at any might break out at any

moment. moment.

5. The Decian Persecutions, 5. The Decian Persecutions, 250 A.D., were particularly 250 A.D., were particularly severe. There was hardly a severe. There was hardly a

province in the empire where province in the empire where there were no martyrs.there were no martyrs.

6. Other persecutions 6. Other persecutions during the reign of Roman during the reign of Roman Emperors noted in Fox’s Emperors noted in Fox’s Book of Martyrs include:Book of Martyrs include:

a. Domitian, A.D. 81a. Domitian, A.D. 81

b. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, b. Marcus Aurelius Antoninus,

A.D. 162 A.D. 162

c. Severus, A.D. 192 c. Severus, A.D. 192

d. During the reign of d. During the reign of Maximus, in A.D. 235, Maximus, in A.D. 235,

Seremianus the president of Seremianus the president of Cappadocia, “did all he could Cappadocia, “did all he could to exterminate the Christians to exterminate the Christians

from that province.”from that province.”

e. Valerian, A.D. 257e. Valerian, A.D. 257

f. Aurelian, A.D. 274f. Aurelian, A.D. 274

g. Diocletian, A.D. 303 g. Diocletian, A.D. 303

7. Persecution in the Army 7. Persecution in the Army for refusal to worship for refusal to worship

Roman deities especially Roman deities especially Mithra, “the invincible Mithra, “the invincible

saviour,” special deity of saviour,” special deity of soldiers.soldiers.

8. “The Third Race” was a 8. “The Third Race” was a belittling name given to belittling name given to Christians, placing them Christians, placing them

behind the Romans and Jews. behind the Romans and Jews. Yet we are a new creation, Yet we are a new creation, (a new spiritual species), (a new spiritual species),

2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15. 2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15.

9. Tertullian’s Apology: 9. Tertullian’s Apology: “We live beside you in the world, “We live beside you in the world,

making use of the same forum, making use of the same forum, market, bath, shop, inn, and all market, bath, shop, inn, and all

other places of trade. We sail with other places of trade. We sail with you, fight shoulder to shoulder, till you, fight shoulder to shoulder, till

the soil, and traffic with you.”the soil, and traffic with you.”

10. The persecution of the Church 10. The persecution of the Church by the Roman Empire ended in by the Roman Empire ended in

March, 313 AD, when March, 313 AD, when Constantine issued the document Constantine issued the document known as the “Edict of Milan,” known as the “Edict of Milan,”

which assured to each individual which assured to each individual freedom of religious belief. freedom of religious belief.

Grace Fellowship ChurchGrace Fellowship ChurchThursday, November 4, 2010Thursday, November 4, 2010

Tape # 10-121Tape # 10-121

Obstructions to Divine Good Production, Part 16Obstructions to Divine Good Production, Part 16Persecution, Part 7Persecution, Part 7

Upper Room Discourse, Part 435Upper Room Discourse, Part 435

John 15:21; Rev 1-2 John 15:21; Rev 1-2 

James H. Rickard Bible Ministries 2010