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In Matthew 10:16-25 BSB, it says

"16 Behold, I am sending you out like sheep among wolves; therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 But beware of men; for they will hand you over to their councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18 On My account, you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they hand you over, do not worry about how to respond or what to say. In that hour you will be given what to say. 20 For it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.21 Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rise against their parents and have them put to death. 22 You will be hated by everyone on account of My name, but the one who perseveres to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next. Truly I tell you, you will not reach all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes. 24 A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25 It is enough for a disciple to be like his teacher and a servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebul, how much more the members of his household!"

Moreover, it is repeated in Matthew 24:9 BSB,

9 Then they will deliver you over to be persecuted and killed, and you will be hated by all nations on account of My name.

Now the context of Matthew 10 is when Jesus is sending out the 12 disciples to preach to Israel and he is saying that they will be persecuted, hated, and called all kinds of horrible names. The context of Matthew 24 is a bit of the opposite case; it's now about the end of the Jesus' gospel ministry instead about the beginning of it. During both periods of time, Jesus said they would be persecuted, but now, why not in the middle of the two? Don't get me wrong - I do know of missionaries who are persecuted in other countries and people who go to church in their country despite their country having laws/enforcements against it, but the majority of professing Christians don't get physically, verbally, or mentally persecuted in the way that Jesus said they would be.

However, my questions are the following: according to pre-tribulation pre-millennialists, when will (if they will be) professing Christians be persecuted throughout the world to the full extent that Jesus intended when he said "all nations" would hate Christians? and does persecution (from the world) accurately measure how we are following Jesus since

18 If the world hates you, understand that it hated Me first. 19 If you were of the world, it would love you as its own. Instead, the world hates you, because you are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. 20 Remember the word that I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will persecute you as well; if they kept My word, they will keep yours as well. 21 But they will treat you like this on account of My name, because they do not know the One who sent Me. 22 If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin. Now, however, they have no excuse for their sin. John 15:18-22 BSB

and also since Jesus said to

4 Remain in Me, and I will remain in you. Just as no branch can bear fruit by itself unless it remains in the vine, neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in Me. John 15:4 BSB

So by being called to remain in Him, will we (according to pre-tribulation pre-millennialists) also, therefore, be called to be perfect and holy, bearing the fruits of the Holy Spirit, and thereby provoking the world to jealousy, thus producing persecution?

Also, I hope to make this question have non-opinionated and non-biased (as humanly possible) answers. If anyone has any suggestions on how to improve this question, please chime in below!

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  • Okay, thanks a bunch for your support! I 'm newer to the workings of this site so your comments helped a lot. Dec 2, 2018 at 5:07
  • Glad to help! I'm reopening your question, but you may receive some more feedback. For example, it'd be worth explaining a little better what you mean by "should" in your question title. Do you think there's a difference between when Christians "should" be persecuted and when they "will" be persecuted? Dec 2, 2018 at 5:14
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    Definitely, I think there is a semantical difference between the two. However, Christians "should" be persecuted if the words of Christ are to be fulfilled and they "will" be persecuted by the world because of their belief in Christ. So, in essence, "should" and "will be" lead to the same result. Although, I do see your point in saying that, since "should" sounds a little wrong and could be misinterpreted by some. Considered it revised. Dec 2, 2018 at 5:18
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    My own experience is that the naming of the name and the following of the Person of Jesus Christ always brings opposition, contempt, resistance and adverse behaviour. It is rare to receive anything else.
    – Nigel J
    Dec 2, 2018 at 11:39

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Your question tho aimed to a specific grouping of individuals, has peaked my interest. The question of when as you have pointed out is everyday, for people in various places tho not in your locale... One hears of people being gunned down in churches, wiped out of villages and the such... But what I get from you is when will there be arnachy right? Chaos as some others would term it... Get this, that would be after Rapture... Now altho I hold to no specific denomination tho I frequented them whilst growing, I know this sort of responce would be termed pre-trib... And whilst I am not a proponent for any official wording or doctrine of any specific group I do find this consistent with the scripture... I could cite them but of course you may be well versed yourself, so here it goes my reasoning:

Not all believers are and would be ready to depart in Rapture, some are like the 5 foolish virgin's whose oil has finished (yet they are still virgins tho foolish). They will be witnesses to affirm the event of the rapture and be the ones to counter the official (And I mean governmental) explanations for the bizzare events of the rapture and everything that follows... [Mass alien abduction may be the buzzword]... and the 'aliens' [angelic manifestations of The OTHER kind] are not the other worldly sci-fi entities you were brought up on... But rather spiritual entities, manifested...

Believers who were not 'ready' tho 'left-behind' will be very aware of what occurred, and will be the ones to continue witnessing, preaching, converting those who are left here, or even born then, about the God of the Rapture... but that is on the physical side, the spiritual side of this is that the rapture will be simply the withdrawing of the Restrainer (Holy Spirit) and with him all who house him in their hearts as referenced in Thessalonians (those who accept the free gift of salvation, offered by Yeshua [Jesus Christ])...

Now when the Restrainer is removed along with the saints he inhabits, then obviously, what was being restrained will be allowed free reign and may manifest fully in our physical world... take a look at popular media to get a glimpse of what is to come (spiritual expression [zombie apocalypse]) is just one buzzword I will use to set you thinking due to the Restrainer being removed... that is when the message would be prosecuted as referenced by the scriptures u cited, when God in the Spirit form (Holy Spirit) would not daily restrain but leave man to his choices and devices, yet still faithfully accept those who would hear even in those days, and believe, confess and even be matyred in His name...

The saving grace is we still have time! Today to be specific, make that decision today, be vigilant, be (spiritually sober), be ready!..

As further encouragement; Revelation 20:5-6:- Blessed and Holy are you, if...

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If I understand correctly John Darby, the father of Dispensationalism sees Mat 24:9 as pertaining to the time of the disciples in Israel as well as chapter 10.

The time of the disciples' testimony is characterised by false Christs and false prophets among the Jews; persecution of those who render testimony, betraying them to the Gentiles. But there is yet something more definite with regard to those days. There would be false Christs in Israel. There would be wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes. They were not to be troubled: the end would not be yet. These things were only a beginning of sorrows. They were principally outward things. There were other events which would bring them into greater trial, and test them more thoroughly-things more from within. The disciples should be delivered up, put to death, hated of all nations. The consequence of this among those who made profession would be that many would be offended; they would betray one another. False prophets would arise and deceive many, and, because iniquity abounded, the love of many should wax cold-a sorrowful picture. But these things would give occasion for the exercise of a faith that had been put to the proof. He who endured to the end should be saved. This concerns the sphere of testimony in particular. That which the Lord says is not absolutely limited to the testimony in Canaan; but as it is from thence the testimony goes forth, it is all connected with that land as the centre of God's ways. But, in addition to this, the gospel of the kingdom should be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations, and then should the end come - the end of this age. Now, although heaven is the source of authority when the kingdom shall be established, Canaan and Jerusalem are its earthly centre. So that the idea of the kingdom, while extending throughout the world, turns our thoughts to the land of Israel. It is "this gospel of the kingdom" [See Footnote #67] which is here spoken of; it is not the proclamation of the union of the church with Christ, nor redemption in its fulness, as preached and taught by the apostles after the ascension, but the kingdom which was to be established on the earth, as John the Baptist, and as the Lord Himself, had proclaimed. The establishment of the universal authority of the ascended Christ should be preached in all the world to test their obedience, and to furnish those who had ears to hear with the object of faith.

Footnote 67: The gospel of the kingdom was confined to Israel in chapter 10 and here this, though no subject of the teaching, is the subject supposed up to verse 14, but there is no formal distinction made: the mission in chapter 28 is to the Gentiles; but then there is nothing of the kingdom but rather the contrary, though Christ be only risen, but all power given to Him in heaven and earth.

Matthew 24

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