Opposition to the clear message of Christ revealed in Scripture is not something unique to any who preach the Truth in Christ, but is ALWAYS the case when the LORD causes His Word to have free course in a field that is dominated by the dead works of man's traditions. Our LORD was denounced in every evil way imaginable as He walked this earth. He told His Church that religionist's would persecute them, and in so doing, think that they were doing God as service- Matthew 5:1-20, John 16:1-15.

Take the time to read those two portions of Scripture, and the LORD being your teacher by His Spirit, you will note the following:

1. "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:10 We are indeed blessed when the religious world reacts to the clear, distinctive message of Christ, God's grace, and the Gospel as revealed in God's Word. If there is no reaction from dead works religion, one of two things is true: either the LORD has so completely blinded them that they CANNOT hear, or perhaps, to this point, He has not yet raised up a true Gospel witness, and therefore men and women sleep the sleep of death without any knowledge of the truth. The fact that now there is some reaction is an evidence that the LORD is beginning to shake down the heretofore established works religious institutions there. Prayerfully, it is to shake out of that deadness and draw away any lost sheep that may still be in darkness, but whom the Great Shepherd who redeemed them, MUST call out of that dead, religious fold- John 10:2-4.

2. "These things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me." John 16:3. Our attention must not be to attempt to answer the nay-sayers, who by the LORD Jesus own testimony are unconverted religionists. We are not to stop and attempt to heard goats, but rather care for the LORD'S sheep, as the LORD directs evidenced by Him causing them to know their own sinfulness before a holy God, and the utter wretchedness of their supposed 'righteous works,' and made to see the ONLY righteousness of God in Christ that He earned and established as the God/Man, and that the Father imputed to the spiritual account of His elect, once for all there at the cross, Romans 5:9-11. The message of the cross is still the only answer to any question or opposition of men. 1 Corinthians 1:18-31- "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God" The only reason men oppose it is because of the pride of their own heart, and having established themselves as judges over the Word, refusing to bow to the Word, but defending instead their own works and traditions, even as our LORD confronted in His generation as described in Mark 7, which I would encourage you to read as well.

All who are taught of the LORD by His Spirit of grace attest His gracious work begun in their heart , that the apostle Paul described in declaring: "Being confident of this very thing, that he which has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:"(Philippians 1:6). Works religion has always opposed THE DOCTRINE OF CHRIST (2 John 1:9) even as the seed of the serpent has always opposed the seed of the woman since the FALL (Genesis 3:15) and Cain vs. Abel (Genesis 4). And yet, the truth is that where sin abounds, GRACE does much more abound(Romans 5:20). Christ said, 'I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall NOT prevail against her, Matthew 16:18.

The arguments that men throw up are not because the message of Christ is in any way faulty (God forbid!), but rather it is a false defense of their own sin, rebellion, and blindness in a self-professing righteousness and self-justifying before God, refusing to bow to the truth. Our LORD Jesus told such in His day, John 5:39,40 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life

Continued opposition simply means continued hardness of heart and rebellion, until/unless the LORD intervenes by His grace, as He will do and does for any of His sheep that the Father has chosen, and Christ has redeemed, and who the Spirit will most certainly call to Himself out of religion...case in point the Samaritan woman (John 4) and above all, the apostle Paul (Acts 9, Galatians 1, 1 Timothy 1:13).