Matthew 10.22 promises, you will be hated by everyone because of My name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

This section contains one of God’s most stern warnings to us about His expectation from us to serve Him as witnesses of His work in the world through Jesus the Savior. He reminds us that we are to share Him with others but warns that in sharing Him we will suffer for Him, for even those in our own household will reject the Lordship of Jesus.

This rejection by men of our message of God’s love will cause us to want to deny Him but those who refuse to identify with Him before men, He will refuse to identify with before God. Imagine thinking you are going to heaven only to have God remind you of your refusal to go public with your faith so He now refuses to publicly allow you into heaven!

The means for us to remain faithful is for His people to carry their cross just as Jesus carried His cross. This means we are to deny ourselves and the pursuit of our will in order to do the work of God regardless of the cost, just as Jesus did not come to Lord as King, though He is, but served as Savior, to the point of being put to death by His subjects.

The increase of wickedness in our day is the direct result of Christian men refusing to identify with Jesus in the marketplace. This must change if our country is to become more godly and if these same men expect to enter heaven like they enter church on Sunday.