If we know God, we will remain 'rooted and grounded in love' (Eph.3:17) - and rooted in the church too. But in due course, they will all be exposed (if they don't repent), and then they too will fall away, like others before them. But God has been long suffering with all of them, and so they are all still in the church. There are many believers who having a root of bitterness within them have defiled others in the church (Heb.12:15). They will act like wholehearted brothers when in the midst of the church, and talk about judging themselves and taking up the cross etc., But when they are in the midst of their worldly friends and their unconverted relatives, they will seek man's honour and behave and speak in such a way as to be accepted by them. Many will become hypocrites in a time of persecution. We read further in Daniel 11:34 that 'many will join with these evil men in their hypocrisy'. Vengeance belongs to God alone (Rom.12:19).

I have realised that God can deal with these agents of the Accuser better than I can. I want to concentrate all my energies on fighting Satan. I only forgive them, bless them, love them, AND LEAVE THEM ALONE. It is sheer waste of time to reply to such people. When people accuse me by letter, I do not reply. When anyone comes to quarrel with me, I either keep quiet, or get up and go away. Many years ago I decided that I would never fight with any human being concerning any matter - and I have never regretted that decision. We fight only with Satan, and we leave it to the angel of the Lord to deal with all our human opponents. We do not fight against such people, because we refuse to fight with flesh and blood (Eph.6:12). On the other hand, there will also be many in the last days 'whom the Lord hates, who go around sowing discord among the brothers' (Prov.6:16-19). Wise leaders of God's people will share their wisdom with many others.'(Dan. 'Those who have spiritual understanding will have a wide teaching ministry in the last days. God's purposes are different for each person.But one thing is certain: If you desire only to glorify God in your earthly life and to walk in the will of God, you will be immortal until your life's work is done.

Some of God's finest saints have been killed in Communist lands even in our lifetime.

The Bible clearly teaches that the church will go through the great tribulation before Jesus comes, and that many of God's finest saints will be killed during that time (Rev.13:7). Many God fearing missionaries have been killed in heathen lands.

As far as we know, all the apostles, except John, were killed. History tells us that Peter himself was finally crucified - and no angel came to rescue him then. Every true prophet in the Old Testament was persecuted. James was killed by King Herod (Acts 12:2). True servants of God are always persecuted. We read in Daniel 11:33, that in the last days, godly people will be attacked,imprisoned and killed.

The Inevitable by Daniel Hope