Second Class Citizens

Just after the time of Christ, in Rome, the early church suffered from persecution under Nero. Many Christians were arrested, imprisoned, and made sport of in the Coliseum. Eventually, the Christians dug the catacombs so that they could at least live and fellowship. Every week, a few brave souls would venture out to get some food and other needed commodities from sympathetic Romans, and then scurry back to their holes... That is, if they made it back in time.
In Russia, during the reign of the communistic regime, Christians were also considered second-class citizens... They were the last ones to get jobs, the last to receive education, and the last to expect any sort of pity from their superiors. Many of the children there had to face extreme pressures at school, as the teacher and all the students would publicly ridicule the idea of creation and a Supreme God. Many of the younger youth could not stand against it, falling prey to peer-pressure. Godly parents really could do nothing but pray....
In Germany, during WWII, the Jews were hunted out and killed, their businesses were closed, and they were forced to find ‘underground’ housing. The ‘fit’ ones were brought into labor camps, and forced to help the Nazi forces. If they were not considered ‘fit,’ they were simply done away with.
In China, Christians suffer as a ‘lower class’ because they do not conform to the guidelines set up by the government for the church.

“These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country. And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” Hebrews 11:13-16

Are we willing to become second-class citizens in this country? Are we willing to pay more, get less, and be ridiculed for our faith? What I mean by that is probably totally different than you may think. No, in this country, Christianity is not really looked down upon, but then again, what is TRUE Christianity? What I am looking at is the basic rules and laws of today. Are we willing, as good Christian citizens, to truly render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s? Do we follow the speed limit, even when everyone else is going 5-10 miles per hour over it? Do we put the correct amount of money on our title when we buy a car, (for tax purposes) even though the people that we are buying it from think we are cracked? Are we willing to pay more for legal software when it might be cheaper and easier to leave the (pirated) software on the computer that was there when you bought it. (well, I don’t really know if it was pirated...) (I know how this hits home... God convicted me of using software that came on my computer... I finally called the company up, and they said that it wasn’t even a valid product key... Recycle Bin, anyone?) What about the student discount? Well, I’m not really a student anymore... But, I... NO! Will I pay more just to be honest? These are just some things that I have been pondering lately. No, we don’t face imprisonment, but we do face a loving God that wants us to be morally and ethically pure in a world that does not care whether you are good, bad, or alternative.

Here is an excerpt from Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress when they were traveling through Vanity Fair:

“Now, these pilgrims, as I said, must needs go through this fair. Well, so they did; but behold, even as they entered into the fair, all the people in the fair were moved; and the town itself, as it were, in a hubbub about them, and that for several reasons: for,
First, The Pilgrims were clothed with such kind of raiment as was diverse from the raiment of any that traded in that fair. The people, therefore, of the fair made a great gazing upon them: some said they were fools; ⁽¹⁾ some, they were bedlams; and some, they were outlandish men.
Secondly, And as they wondered at their apparel, so they did likewise at their speech; for few could understand what they said. They naturally spoke the language of Canaan; but they that kept the fair were the men of this world: so that from one end of the fair to the other, they seemed barbarians each to the other. ⁽²⁾
Thirdly, But that which did not a little amuse the merchandisers was, that these pilgrims set very light by all their wares. They cared not so much as to look upon them; and if they called upon them to buy, they would put their fingers in their ears, and cry, ‘Turn away mine eyes from beholding vanity,’ ⁽³⁾ and look upward, signifying that their trade and traffic was in heaven.” ⁽⁴⁾
(1) 1 Cor. 4:9,10; (2) 1 Cor. 2:7,8.; (3) Psa. 119:37; (4) Phil. 3: 20,21.

"Content to let the World go by
To know no gain or loss..."

“And what shall I more say? for the time would fail me to tell of Gedeon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthae; of David also, and Samuel, and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” Hebrews 11:32-40

Is the world worthy of us???