Many Will Turn Away From the Faith and Betray and Hate Each Other

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The next thing Jesus lists that will happen, after the persecution of Christians leading to many being put to death and being hated by all nations (Matthew 24:9), is this:

At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other… (Matthew 24:10, NIV).

This is what will happen under the pressure of the persecution. Some will turn away from the Christian faith. (Tweet that!) 

I guarantee this scares every true believer in Jesus. We wonder, Will I be one who turns away? Will I lose my faith? Will I be the one to betray fellow Christians? Will I hate other Christians…or be the hated one?

I believe those who are truly believers in Jesus will never turn away. (Tweet that!) Jesus himself will be with us and strengthen us.

Why is all this persecution happening? What is God doing? Why is He allowing this?  (Tweet that!) 

He is separating the true believers from those who are not true believers. The wheat from the weeds. His sheep from the goats, the fake sheep. (Tweet that!) 

Here is how Jesus explains what will happen a little later, in Matthew 25:31-34, 41 (NIV):

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left. [Tweet that!] 

"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world…' 

"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels' "

Do not be afraid, my Christian friend. You are safe in Jesus. Again, the words of Jesus in John 10:25-30 (NIV):

Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me, but you do not believe because you are not my sheep. My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. [Tweet that!] My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father's hand. I and the Father are one." 

Here's another passage of assurance:

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. [Tweet that!] For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day" (John 6:35-40, NIV).

Just stand. We are strong enough in Jesus to stand. Just stand there in your faith in Jesus! When you have reached the end of your strength, when you are frightened and weak and can do nothing more, when there's nothing left to say and nothing left to do, just stand. (Tweet that!) 

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand" (Ephesians 6:13).