For follow-up discussion and general commentary on the topic. Comments are sorted chronologically.
Lynda Hickman
The push for Christians to compromise their convictions is becoming more and more aggressive.
A. W. Tozer once said, "There are two religions: Christianity and all the others."
And it is "all the others" who are attempting to eviscerate the very life out of believers in Christ Jesus by accusing those who will not compromise of being intolerant.
The days that we were warned about in 2 Peter 2 are certainly upon us. While we are not yet being physically persecuted, the persecution is here nevertheless.
As followers of Christ Jesus, we must get a determination as never before, faithfully putting His living Word into our hearts and minds so that when the day comes, and it will, that we are being persecuted physically, we will have a reliance on His strength just as those in the 1st century church.
We may not yet be standing in a coliseum such as the Colosseum in Rome, surrounded by ravaging lions, but the serious persecution is not far off.
Gene Coleman
Lynda Hickman, I question the statement “While “we” are not being physically persecuted “. My understanding is the total number of Christians that are being arrested, beaten and killed today exceeds that ever done in all past history, particularly in Muslim and Communist run dictatorships. Hope I am wrong, but you might want to check it out. Many Christian missionaries now have to hide their purpose and identities to serve in many areas of our current world don’t they?