24/08/2023
*CHRIST'S CHOSEN CHURCH OF GOD INT'L*
*VOLUME 51*
*AUGUST 27, 2023*
*LESSON 9*
*CRITICIZED FOR FAITH*
*LESSON PASSAGE*
Luke 6:22-23
*MEMORY VERSE*
"Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake", Matt. 5:11.
*BIBLICAL TRUTH*
True Christians are persecuted, called all kinds of names and criticized for refusing to walk in the ways of the world.
*BACKGROUND PASSAGES*
John 9:22; 16:2; Isalah 51:7; John 15:21; Matt. 5:3-12; 1 Pet. 4:14.
*REJOICE WHEN CRITICIZED FOR FAITH* (Luke 6:22-23)
*King James Version*
22. Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.
23. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.
*New International Version*
22. Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man.
23.."Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how your ancestors treated the prophets".
*LESSON PASSAGE OVERVIEW*
A gossip has an unclean heart, Matt. 15:10-20. Otherwise what kind of persons would attack Jesus Christ Himself with gossips, Matt. 9:10-12; 11:18-19; Mark 14:53-59; John 7:12.
If Christ was a subject of gossip, all who walk in faith must expect similar treatment. (John 15:18-19; 1 Pet. 2:19-20; 1 John 3:13). However Luke 6:22 tells us, "Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you... for the Son of man's sake". If one is foolish, lazy, untrustworthy, unfaithful, fraudulent, etc, and is hated, there is no blessing in that. By human standards, we say he/she deserves such treatment.
But if one is hated, persecuted, unduly criticized and gossiped about simply because he or she is a good Christian, generous, zeal