Accountability for Religious Persecution

[Pastor_Chick]

Who is ultimately accountable for religious persecution?

First of all, it may be beneficial to review some definitions:

1)Persecution: a program or campaign to exterminate, drive away, or subjugate a people because of their religion, race, or beliefs: (Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary)

2) Religious persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group of individuals as a response to their religious beliefs or affiliations or lack thereof.

(Sourc: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religious_persecution)

I started a thread with the name of "The Persecution Principle." It might have been better published as "The Religious Persecution Principle."

Anyway, the Scriptures say, "Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2 Tim. 3:12) And, "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." (Matt. 5:10-12)

However, there is an accountability to be rendered in the judgment. And, there is evidence in the writings that "corporate accountability" will be adjudicated in Heaven.

Reference: http://www.csda.kr/CSDAChurch/account.html

What are your thoughts?

[Pastor_Chick]

A little more to ponder:

Let the principle once be established in the United States that the church may employ or control the power of the state; that religious observances may be enforced by secular laws; in short, that the authority of church and state is to dominate the conscience, and the triumph of Rome in this country is assured. (GC 581)

...it is not the true church of God that makes war with those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. It is the people who make void the law, who place themselves on the side of the dragon, and persecute those who vindicate God's precepts. (ST 04-22-89; pr 07)

Those who have an opportunity to hear the truth, and yet take no pains to hear or understand it, thinking that if they do not hear, they will not be ACCOUNTABLE, will be judged guilty before God the same as if they had heard and rejected. There will be no excuse for those who choose to go in error when they might understand what is truth. (RH 04-25-93; pr 10)

The wheat is not to sow itself among the tares; for although we may not practice the works of some of the members of the secret orders, in joining them we are registered in heaven as partakers of their evil deeds, RESPONSIBLE for their works of evil, and bound up in bundles with them as tares. Thank God, it is not too late for Christians to sever themselves from all unholy connections, and come fully unto the side of Christ. (RH 01-10-93; pr 16)

The names of those who sin and refuse to repent should not be retained on the CHURCH books, lest the saints be held ACCOUNTABLE for their evil deeds. (5BC 1096)

...if one neglects the duty Christ has enjoined, of trying to restore those who are in error and sin, he becomes a partaker in the sin. For evils that we might have checked, we are just as responsible as if we were guilty of the acts ourselves. (DA 441)

If God abhors one sin above another, of which His people are guilty, it is doing nothing in case of an emergency. Indifference and neutrality in a religious crisis is regarded of God as a grievous crime and equal to the very worst type of hostility against God. (3T 281)

Reference: http://csda-adventistchurch.to/egw_protests.html

"There will be more and still more external parade by worldly powers. Under different symbols, God presented to John the wicked character and seductive influence of those who have been distinguished for their persecution of His people. The eighteenth chapter of Revelation speaks of mystic Babylon, fallen from her high estate to become a persecuting power. Those who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus are the object of the wrath of this power." (14MR 152)

[Pastor_Chick]

I found even more applying to this topic:

Those who have step by step yielded to worldly demands [laws and policies of secular society] and conformed to worldly customs [secularism and materialism] will not find it a hard matter to yield to the powers that be [civil law enforced by federal courts], rather than subject themselves to derision, insult, threatened imprisonment, and death. (5T 81)

Then will come the times which will try men's souls; for the confederacy of apostasy [threefold union of the papal spirit, spiritualism, and apostate Protestantism] will demand that the loyal subjects of God shall renounce the law of Jehovah [which requires perfect obedience to God], and repudiate the truth of His word [regarding the dangers of “spiritualism,” “popery,” and apostate doctrines of modern Protestantism]. (Mar 204)

The time is drawing on when its legislators shall so abjure the principles of Protestantism as to give countenance to Romish apostasy [state-regulation of religious observances]. The people for whom God has so marvelously wrought, strengthening them to throw off the galling yoke of popery, will by a national act [the Lanham Act of 1946] give vigor to the corrupt faith of Rome [state-regulated religious observances], and thus arouse the tyranny which only waits for a touch to start again into cruelty and despotism. With rapid steps are we already approaching this period [as a result of the agenda of the National Reform Movement]. When Protestant churches shall seek the support of the secular power, thus following the example of that apostate [catholic] church, for opposing which their ancestors endured the fiercest persecution, then will there be a national apostasy which will end only in national ruin. (4SP 410)

The [apostate] Protestants of the United States will be foremost in stretching their hands across the gulf to grasp the hand of spiritualism [by consulting with unconverted lawyers advocating worldly policy; see AA 290 and 8T 69 in tandem below]; they will reach over the abyss to clasp hands with the Roman power [state-regulated religious observances]; and under the influence of this threefold union ["confederacy of apostasy"], this country will follow in the steps of Rome in trampling on the rights of conscience [respecting sincerely-held religious beliefs]. (GC 588; 1911)

Through spiritualism many of the sick, the bereaved, the curious, are communicating with evil spirits. All who venture to do this are on dangerous ground. The word of truth declares how God regards them. In ancient times He pronounced a stern judgment on a king who had sent for counsel to a heathen oracle: "Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? (AA 290)

Matters have been presented before me that have filled my soul with keen anguish. I saw men linking up arm in arm with lawyers, but God was not in their company. Having many ideas regarding the work, they go to the lawyers for help to carry out their plans [which amounts to a species of "spiritualism"]. I am commissioned to say to such that they are not moving under the inspiration of the Spirit of God. "Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron?" 2 Kings 1:3. Men in responsible positions are uniting with those in the church and out of the church, whose counsel is misleading. Is it necessary for the Lord to come to you with a rod to show you that you need a higher experience before you can be fitted for connection with the family above? Will you link up with men who have a faculty for accusing, for thinking and speaking evil of the things that God approves [viz., liberty of conscience and commandment-keeping]? (8T 69)

The persecutions of Protestants by Romanism, by which the religion of Jesus Christ was almost annihilated [put to death], will be more than rivaled when Protestantism and popery are combined [to restrict the religious liberty of those "obscure Adventists" who obey every precept of Jehovah]. (3SM 387; 1889)

(all brackets and underlining supplied)

What corporate Protestant body has linked up with lawyers in the United States to "seek the support of the secular power," to enforce state-regulated "religious observances," and for "trampling on the rights of conscience?"

There is a "corporate accountability" for this "religious persecution."

[Israfel]

I agree with you Pastor Chick for these thoughts on the subject! The bible justifies itself quite extensively on the answer to your question. It is indeed an interesting subject matter.

Today looking at it closely, with Bible in hands, there are ample examples to demonstrate that. The plan of redemption is based on corporate accountability: Adam sinned and all humanity is partaking in the consequences and are condemned. Christ came, died for all based on that same principle and it has sufficed the law.

So of course, I believe that there will be in the Day of Judgment a reckoning of that sin in which many from ages past to our day, have participated into.

Do we need to mention the many examples that Yahweh has written down for our ensample: Dathan and Abiram Numbers 16; Acan (Joshua 7), the Jews at the crucifixion of Christ. (Acts 2:36-38) Those who do not want to be accountable for the actions of their leaders, must come out from among them, and be ye separate. (Revelation 18:4) They must repent, come to the Saviour and live the Victorious life in Him. (1 John3:9) Israfel

[Pastor_Chick]

A little more to ponder:

Originally Posted By: EGW

Let the principle once be established in the United States that the church may employ or control the power of the state; that religious observances may be enforced by secular laws; in short, that the authority of church and state is to dominate the conscience, and the triumph of Rome in this country is assured. (GC 581)

...it is not the true church of God that makes war with those who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. It is the people who make void the law, who place themselves on the side of the dragon, and persecute those who vindicate God's precepts. (ST 04-22-89; pr 07)

Those who have an opportunity to hear the truth, and yet take no pains to hear or understand it, thinking that if they do not hear, they will not be ACCOUNTABLE, will be judged guilty before God the same as if they had heard and rejected. There will be no excuse for those who choose to go in error when they might understand what is truth. (RH 04-25-93; pr 10)

The wheat is not to sow itself among the tares; for although we may not practice the works of some of the members of the secret orders, in joining them we are registered in heaven as partakers of their evil deeds, RESPONSIBLE for their works of evil, and bound up in bundles with them as tares. Thank God, it is not too late for Christians to sever themselves from all unholy connections, and come fully unto the side of Christ. (RH 01-10-93; pr 16)

The names of those who sin and refuse to repent should not be retained on the CHURCH books, lest the saints be held ACCOUNTABLE for their evil deeds. (5BC 1096)

...if one neglects the duty Christ has enjoined, of trying to restore those who are in error and sin, he becomes a partaker in the sin. For evils that we might have checked, we are just as responsible as if we were guilty of the acts ourselves. (DA 441)

If God abhors one sin above another, of which His people are guilty, it is doing nothing in case of an emergency. Indifference and neutrality in a religious crisis is regarded of God as a grievous crime and equal to the very worst type of hostility against God. (3T 281)

Reference: http://csda-adventistchurch.to/egw_protests.html

"There will be more and still more external parade by worldly powers. Under different symbols, God presented to John the wicked character and seductive influence of those who have been distinguished for their persecution of His people. The eighteenth chapter of Revelation speaks of mystic Babylon, fallen from her high estate to become a persecuting power. Those who keep the commandments of God and have the faith of Jesus are the object of the wrath of this power." (14MR 152)

The above "reference" has been confiscated by the General Conference attorneys, so if you wish to read it, try the following URL:

http://loudcry.eu/egw_protests.html