Persecution and the Seventh-day Adventists – Part 2

Jesus was very explicit with regards to the persecution. In his teachings he warned his followers that they too, like him, will be persecuted and put to death.

 “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me.” Matt 24:9

 “But before all this, they will seize you and persecute you. They will hand you over to synagogues and put you in prison, and you will be brought before kings and governors, and all on account of my name.” Luke 21:12

“Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” John 15:20

All three declarations by Jesus point to the following details.

1.   The persecutors – non-Christians

2.   The persecuted – Christians

3.   The reason for persecution – because of Jesus... his name.

Persecution according to Jesus is simply stated this way: Anyone who becomes a “believer” of Jesus will get the ire of the non-believers. The name of Jesus on the believers places them in line for persecution.

Ever since Saul of Tarsus ordered the stoning of the Christian martyr Stephen, the Christians have come under persecution and death. In the death of Stephen and his group of believers the sole reason for their persecution was not the Sabbath. Saul – the Sabbath-keeper was the persecutor and the reason for his heinous act was the believers’ faith in Jesus.

Nero and the other pagan rulers down through the ages have persecuted the Christians, and like Stephen the reason for the Christians plight was their faith and love for Jesus. The Sabbath was never an issue in the persecution of Christians down through the history of Christendom. (the SDA church was not around until the late 1800s and therefore their doctrine was not around as well)

History points to the following details with regards to persecution:

1.   The persecutors – non-Christians

2.   The persecuted – Christians

3.   The reason for persecution – because of Jesus... his name.

The Christians in Iraq are now experiencing the greatest persecution in recent history. Their churches are bombed, their members – including children, are beheaded and shot at point-blank range and all these recorded in videos and displayed in the internet.

About 100,000 Christians have fled to the hills where there is no food and water and photos have surfaced showing the young children dying of thirst and starvation.

What is the reason for all the suffering and death in this group of people? It is the word “CHRISTIAN” - a believer and follower of Jesus Christ. What is happening to them is exactly the direct consequence of believing and following Jesus.

The tragic plight of the Christians in Iraq today is consistent with Jesus’ warning to all his followers. It is also consistent with the details in the persecution of the believers since the time of Stephen.

Who are the persecuted Christians in Iraq? Are they Seventh-day Adventists? Do they keep Saturday sacred?

Who are the persecutors of these Christians? Are they Catholics? Is the Sabbath the reason for persecution?

The SDA church’s doctrine about the persecution actually originated from a woman who is the author of the church’s non-biblical doctrines. Doctrines that she claimed were given to her by an angel in a vision.

There is no doubt that her doctrines contradict Jesus, the bible and history.