Sermon XXXIII - Reasons why righteousness must expect to suffer - Matthew 5:10
fomenter of sedition, and responsible for turning the world upside down. In the early days of Christianity, all the troubles in various regions were attributed to the Christians, and they suffered under this label, as if they were responsible for all the turmoil. In a similar vein, when pagans set dogs upon Christians, they would dress them in animal skins to provoke the dogs to attack. This is the harsh treatment that the people of God have repeatedly encountered. They seek to walk righteously before the Lord, and there is such beauty and excellence in righteousness that people dare not persecute them under that name. Consequently, they attach some other name, create false accusations and slanders, and use that as a pretext to inflict suffering upon them. Hence, the saints may suffer for the sake of righteousness at the hands of wicked individuals without being aware of it. I had intended to delve further into this by way of conviction, to expose the hearts of those who oppose the people of God for the sake of righteousness, even though they may not realize it. It would be beneficial to restrain certain individuals and perhaps prompt them to reflect if they could only recognize that it is for righteousness' sake. However, time constraints prevent me from elaborating further at present, so we shall let this matter rest.
SERMON XXXIII
OR Reasons why righteousness must expect to suffer
"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." - MATTHEW 5:10
John preached with a tone of terror, proclaiming that the axe was now at the root of the tree. Christ's preaching, on the other hand, conveys His doctrine by revealing the blessings bestowed upon those who embrace it. In this lengthy sermon, Christ begins with blessings that surpass the comprehension of reason, both collectively and individually. He starts with the poor in spirit and concludes with those who are persecuted. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, and blessed are they that are persecuted."
Righteousness itself incites opposition from the hearts of men and leads them to persecute it. Scripture provides abundant evidence for this fact. Take, for instance, the case of Cain, who, as Scripture tells us, "was of that wicked one and slew his brother. And why did he slay him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous."
Cain attacked his brother solely because his own works were evil and his brother was righteous. It was for the sake of righteousness, marking the first instance of persecution in the world. I will mention another Scripture: 1 Peter 2:19. "For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully." Here, suffering is solely due to conscience toward God. There is no need to cite further examples.
The reasons for this are as follows:
Firstly, righteousness itself opposes the corruption of men's hearts. It stands in the way of their sinful inclinations, and men can endure much in every aspect except when it challenges their corruptions.
Righteousness opposes each man's corruptions in its own unique manner. While a godly person can endure anything, except when it is against righteousness, wicked individuals can bear much (for some
possess patient and tranquil spirits), but not when it opposes their corruptions. This, they cannot tolerate.
Secondly, carnal hearts cannot comprehend righteousness. They witness people fervently professing righteousness but fail to understand it. Righteousness remains an enigma to them, as expressed in 1 Peter 4:4: "Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you." They find it strange that you do not engage in the same sinful excesses as they do.
Thirdly, righteousness condemns the world. Just as Noah condemned the world, those whose righteousness surpasses others expose the shortcomings of the rest. This condemnation occurs both within their own consciences and through the observations of others.
They cannot bear being condemned, even if it is only partially or by those who perceive their deficiencies in comparison to the righteousness achieved by others. Their hearts become filled with resentment.
Fourthly, righteousness compels individuals to remain steadfast in their principles, regardless of changing times. Regardless of how circumstances may shift, if righteousness is deeply ingrained in the hearts of men and women, it will motivate them to adhere to their principles and continue on their chosen path, even if heaven and earth were to collide. The truth is, there is no way to avoid suffering unless one possesses principles that can bend in accordance with the times. Those individuals, I assure you, will steer clear of suffering.
Some people possess remarkable wit in devising distinctions that enable them to adapt to any situation. They have a distinction for one set of circumstances, another for different circumstances, and a third for yet another scenario. However, if righteousness prevails in their
hearts, they will remain steadfast in their course. As the times change, opposition will inevitably arise. The wind does not oppose weathercocks; it simply turns them in its direction. But if something is fixed and unyielding, the wind will bluster against it.
Righteousness maintains a harmonious relationship between the heart and God, regardless of which way the wind blows. Therefore, it must face the blustering winds of opposition. Those who adhere to their principles are viewed by the world as being stubborn, whereas
God and their own consciences recognize that it is the principles of righteousness within them that keep their hearts steadfast with God.
Consequently, they must endure suffering.
Fifthly, righteousness signifies a special claim of having a closer relationship with God than others, which the world cannot tolerate.
When individuals walk in righteousness beyond others, it reveals to the world that these individuals lay claim to a special connection with God. This provokes the world's fury, and thus righteousness must anticipate suffering.
By way of Application:
Firstly, we can observe the wickedness of the world that opposes righteousness. Righteousness, which should make the world enamored by its beauty, is the very target of ungodly men. Righteous individuals should be regarded as the greatest blessings in the world.
If the world truly understood, they would consider righteous individuals who reflect the image of God to be as valuable as the sun, moon, and stars, if not more. However, such is the wickedness of the world that it directs its wrath and hatred towards them, persecuting them.
Secondly, when righteousness is persecuted in the world, do not deem any cause unjust or unrighteous simply because it faces
persecution. Do not assume that a cause or its proponents are unrighteous because they are persecuted. On the contrary, persecution can be an indication of righteousness. If we were to judge based on this rule, even Christ himself and his apostles would not be considered righteous, and their cause would not be deemed righteous. It is crucial not to pass such unjust judgments.
Thirdly, one must be cautious not to place excessive reliance on a righteous cause, thinking that it will be sufficient to shield them from suffering. No, this is a misconception. Many people believe that as long as their cause is righteous and they conduct themselves well, they will be spared from suffering. However, the truth is that one's cause may be good, their character may be virtuous, and they may handle their cause admirably, yet they may still experience suffering.
Therefore, be prepared for suffering.
Lastly, if righteousness must endure persecution, let those who profess righteousness take care not to provide any other grounds for persecution apart from their righteousness. The world will persecute you no matter what, even if you are righteous. Troubles will come your way. Therefore, since you are destined to encounter opposition in the world, be mindful not to suffer as evildoers. Do not let your suffering be a result of actions that your conscience tells you are not right. The people of God must walk with utmost care in the midst of the world, for there will always be something they must endure. They should avoid adding to their sufferings. I have often contemplated that when those who profess religion live among carnal and wicked individuals, due to their commitment to religious principles and their readiness to suffer for them, they need to be the most inoffensive in all matters. They should be willing to serve all men to the best of their ability with a clear conscience. By doing so, they can demonstrate that whenever they oppose others, it is solely out of
conscience and not stubbornness. This way, when they stand against anything that goes against them, they can prove that their opposition arises from conscience rather than stubbornness. This applies to all who profess religion, urging them to be willing to serve others and be flexible in doing good. They should convince others that if there is anything they cannot yield to, it is because they cannot, not because they will not.
Now, let us turn to the main point: "Persecuted for righteousness."
You may ask, how is it possible for people to oppose those who do good? Surely, there must be something else behind it. Swetonius recounts an incident about Tiberius who desired to have a virgin strangled. Some informed him that it was against Roman law to treat a virgin in such a manner. In response, he ordered the virgin to be defiled before being put to death. Similarly, the world treats righteousness and righteous causes. They have something in their consciences that tells them they must not oppose what is righteous.
Therefore, they defile righteousness and attempt to distort its true meaning, enabling them to oppose it more freely.
However, there are certainly individuals who persecute righteousness without being aware of it themselves. Many individuals, if fully convinced that something is righteousness and a just cause, would not oppose it. Yet, they may still oppose righteousness. They can manipulate circumstances to create a semblance of freedom from opposition, while God sees that their hearts are against righteousness.
Firstly, all individuals in the world naturally have hearts opposed to righteousness. Therefore, where a new nature is absent, there will be opposition to righteousness. As a result, most people still possess a natural inclination against righteousness. If we were to enter the
most despicable place and ask each person, "Do you hate righteousness?" they would vehemently deny it. However, the undeniable truth is that all individuals are naturally enemies of righteousness. Therefore, there are certainly those who are against righteousness without their own awareness.
Secondly, individuals with great intellects, who have the ability to comprehend things profoundly, may still be opponents of righteousness. Some may argue, "What about scholars, learned men?
They know whether something is good or not. If they knew it was good, they would never oppose it." Such reasoning is mistaken.
Certain individuals can go against their consciences. Furthermore, those with the greatest intellects do not always grasp the full understanding of Christ's teachings. The scribes and Pharisees were the most knowledgeable individuals during Christ's time, yet they were the greatest adversaries of Jesus Christ.
Thirdly, even individuals who are morally righteous can oppose righteousness. For example, the scribes and Pharisees were morally righteous. The same applies to Paul, who persecuted the church and displayed great animosity towards them. What was Paul like during his days as a persecutor? He was not a drunkard, adulterer, or blasphemer, at least according to the prevailing standards of that time. In fact, Paul himself attested to his blamelessness concerning the law (Philippians 3:6). Before his conversion, Paul led a morally upright life, and no one could accuse him of any evil deeds. Yet, he fiercely persecuted righteousness. Similarly, Trajan, known for instigating the third of the ten early persecutions, was considered the most morally upright and just among all emperors. He was praised for treating his subjects as he would wish to be treated if he were a subject himself. Moreover, when giving a sword to an officer, he said,
"Use this sword for justice. But if you see me commit injustice, use it
against me" (to his own officer). Despite being morally just, Trajan was a deadly enemy of Christians and a abominable persecutor. It is not merely one's nature that determines whether they will oppose righteousness, as even those with a gentle disposition can become fierce and furious opponents when they come face-to-face with righteousness. Titus Vespatian, for instance, was renowned for being a delight to humankind, and yet he was a staunch enemy of the people of God.
However, some may argue that these individuals opposed righteousness due to their different religious beliefs, even if they had a gentle disposition.
Fifthly, moreover, a man or woman can be devout in their religious profession and still be a great persecutor, sometimes even the greatest. Those who are deeply devout in their own way tend to be the most vehement persecutors of those who follow a different path.
We have an example of this in Acts 13:50. When Paul preached and faced opposition, it was the devout and honorable women, along with the city's chief men, who incited persecution against him and Barnabas, driving them out of their territory.
However, you might ask if there is any example of a godly person persecuting another. If you ask me to find an example of a godly person with true piety persecuting others, I would struggle to provide one. I would need to search from Genesis to Revelation to find such an example. The only instance that comes to mind is King Asa, who, in a fit of rage, struck and imprisoned a prophet when he delivered
God's message to him. It is worth noting that Scripture describes King Asa as a godly man. Therefore, persecution becomes even more dangerous for those who engage in it.
Secondly, the persecution endured by the righteous is more grievous because it is unparalleled. Although in the next verse, I will demonstrate that it has been the fate of God's people to face persecution, I cannot find any evidence in the entire Bible that godly individuals suffered at the hands of other godly individuals in a consistent manner. Therefore, if we find ourselves in an era where the godly suffer at the hands of the godly, it is an unprecedented time, unlike anything previously recorded. We have never read of such a situation in the entire Word of God. The persecution they face is the most severe.
If you ask how we can discern those who oppose righteousness without their own awareness, I would first tell you that the Scriptures make it clear that men can oppose righteousness and godly individuals, thinking they are serving God. In John 16:2, Christ foretells that his disciples will suffer at the hands of those who believe they are doing God a service by killing them. But you may ask, how can we identify them?
Firstly, we can recognize them when they oppose something under the banner of righteousness without examining or understanding it.
As soon as there is a semblance of righteousness, they vehemently attack and oppose it before even examining its reality. This is a dangerous sign that their hearts are against righteousness. To illustrate this, let's consider a simile: imagine a man who sees a broad seal and immediately tramples it underfoot without further investigation. Would this man not be charged with felony, if not treason? He might argue that he didn't know what it was, but the response would be that he should have examined it. Likewise, when something is presented as righteousness and has an appearance of religiosity, it may indeed not be right. However, it is essential to withhold judgment until it has been thoroughly examined. If a
person opposes something with only a pretense of righteousness, one must be certain that it is indeed a pretense and not righteousness.
Therefore, whenever one intends to take action against others (particularly in religious matters) or align with those who oppose, it is crucial to have a solid foundation, thoroughly examine the matter, and be able to provide a rationale for opposition. One must be able to say, "I oppose this, and here are my grounds and reasons for doing so. I have examined it and found it to be contrary to the will of God."
Secondly, when a person becomes more loose in their conduct, they become more opposed to a particular way. Conversely, if they become better and more restrained, they develop a more favorable opinion of that way. This is highly suspicious and suggests that what they oppose is righteousness. Let me clarify with an example: individuals exhibit fluctuations in their behavior; sometimes they are much better than at other times. Even individuals with profane principles and wicked tendencies may experience moments of conscience and restraint, driven by common gifts that keep them in check. However, when these restraints fail to hold against the overpowering force of their corruptions, they break free and act against their consciences. Therefore, we must examine their hearts.
How do they feel about a cause or person when they are at their best?
Perhaps they begin to think favorably of such individuals and causes at that time. Yet, when their lusts are most intense and overpowering, they become the hottest and most vehement opponents of those same individuals and causes. This is highly suspicious, indicating that it is righteousness they oppose. Here's the logic behind it: if they were opposing something evil rather than good, the better they become, the more they should oppose it.
Conversely, the worse they are, the more they oppose it, suggesting that what they oppose is not evil but rather good. Consider this: when you are healthy, strong, and inebriated at a tavern, you scorn,
mock, and speak against certain individuals. Now, suppose the hand of God rests upon you, and you find yourself on your sickbed, apprehending that you are nearing the end of your earthly existence, about to face eternal judgment from God. Are those individuals still as loathsome to you as they were when you spoke against them in the tavern? If you spoke against them because they were wicked, the closer you come to facing God's judgment, the stronger your aversion towards them should be. However, we often find the opposite to be true. Many individuals who would not consider themselves persecutors of righteousness speak against those individuals more vehemently when their lusts are inflamed by wine, food, pride, strength, and good health. They do so more passionately during those times than they would on their sickbeds when they are about to stand before the Lord to give an account. This discovery confirms that they are persecuting righteousness, regardless of their initial pretenses.
Thirdly, individuals who oppose others under the pretext of faults they themselves were once much guiltier of before professing religion and righteousness can be identified. Oddly enough, they were able to tolerate those faults when they were more deeply mired in them. Yet now, they find themselves unable to bear with those same faults.
For instance, let's say someone starts to profess their religion more than before. Now, your hearts are against them, but how? You make some pretence that they committed some fault, and that's why you oppose them. But I appeal to your consciences: weren't they more faulty before they made such a profession of religion? Yet you were more tolerant of their faults back then. Your consciences tell you that your servants, children, and spouse were more disobedient then, yet you were more patient with their faults before their profession.
Therefore, it is righteousness that is opposed, rather than anything else.
Fourthly, another way to recognize opposition to righteousness is when people are partial in their opposition. They can stand by it and even defend it, but they are not as severe against others who are guilty of equally or greater faults. Surely, then, it is righteousness that is opposed, rather than the faults that are claimed.
Fifthly, when people rejoice upon hearing of faults in those who profess religion, when they are glad to have that pretense and find joy in having something to use against them, it is an indication that righteousness is what they truly hate. If it were evil that they hated, upon discovering that someone who professes religion has committed a scandalous act, their hearts would mourn, realizing that religion has been wounded. However, when you find joy upon hearing of such an evil act committed by someone who professes religion more than others, it is a sign that it is righteousness that your hearts are against. If you claim to be troubled by the discovery of such a person's falsehood, then if your spirit is right, you would mourn and lament over the sin that has been committed.
Sixthly, you would be concerned with repairing the breach that has been made in the profession of religion. When someone reveals their falsehood, showing great zeal in their profession but later becoming scandalous, and you realize the damage it has caused to religion, your response should be to strive to compensate for it by being more devout yourself. However, this is not the case with many people.
Therefore, it is righteousness that their hearts are most opposed to, rather than anything else.
Seventhly, when those who oppose what is good find their greatest strength in aligning with the worst sort of people, the rabble and the
refuse of society, it is a warning sign to be cautious. It is righteousness that you oppose.
Eighthly, when individuals know in their consciences that they have ulterior motives in their opposition, when they examine things according to their conscience and realize that their motives are selfish, driven by self-interest, it is evident that their opposition is motivated by such self-respect. Certainly, if false ends drive us, it is not righteousness that we are motivated by. The wrath of man does not accomplish the righteousness of God, and the corrupt desires and false motives of individuals cannot achieve righteousness.
There are various other signs that could be given, but I would like to conclude with a word of exhortation, urging people to be cautious about what they oppose. There are many things I had considered speaking about in terms of exhortation. People should be wary of their opposition. It is the time when Christ is opposing Antichrist more than ever before. Therefore, although Christ was patient towards persecutors in the past, they should not expect the same patience now because it is a time of tearing down the man of sin.
Christ is more active and stirring now. We see Christ in action more than before. Christ has risen, and if Christ is risen, his enemies must be scattered. So, even though much was overlooked in the past, now that Christ is active and stirring, be cautious about opposing what is good. Furthermore, in these times, there is more light and revelation than before. There are more professors of religion now than ever before, which means there is a greater danger of opposing the saints.
Moreover, we are currently in a period of discovering and searching for the ways of God that we were previously unaware of. In such times, when we start professing things that we previously opposed, shouldn't we rise above opposing those who do not do the same things we do? Lastly, let's consider that England has been guilty of