The Persecuted
10
The Persecuted
There is a brand of Christianity today that seems unlike the kind that Jesus spoke about in the Gospels and that Paul spoke about in the epistles. It is an easygoing, popular kind of religion that is acceptable to the world because it involves no conviction and no cross, or at least no cross as Jesus spoke of it. When He told the crowds that they had to take up a cross in order to be His disciples, the crowds left Him and eventually killed Him. Humankind has no problem accepting and following a religious leader who permits them to stay in their sins, but they will crucify the man who dares to point them to a narrow gate that leads to a narrow way. Even Peter was amazed that following Jesus involved a cross. “Never, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to you!” (Matthew 16:22).
I met a Christian friend one day whom I had not seen in several years, and he was telling me his experiences as a Christian. “By the way,” he remarked, “the last time I heard you preach, you talked about Christians being persecuted. I’ll have to confess to you that I don’t agree with you. I have never been persecuted for being a Christian, and I don’t believe it’s a necessary part of the Christian life.”
We had to part company just then, but had we remained together I would have pointed out to him that the righteous have always suffered for their faith in one way or another. It began with Abel’s being killed by Cain—and Cain was a religious man, by the way. Moses chose “to be mistreated along with the people of God ” (Hebrews 11:25) rather than to compromise in Egypt. Jesus Himself told us that the prophets were persecuted. The book of Acts and all of church history since then verify our Lord’s prediction. “In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12).
Reasons for Persecution
The reasons for persecution are not difficult to understand. Jesus names two: We are persecuted “because of righteousness” and for His name’s sake. We must be careful to distinguish between persecution and punishment. Good people punish us for doing evil, and bad people persecute us for doing good. Peter knew the difference: “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed . . . If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name” (1 Peter 4:14–16).
Sad to say, some believers do not know the difference between being offensive and “the offense of the cross” (Galatians 5:11) or between being witnesses and being prosecuting attorneys. Jesus used the world falsely, and it is an important word. If I get into trouble because I talk too much or because I meddle or because I try to force my faith on other people, that is not persecution. If I am promoting my own cause and people reject me, that is not persecution. If I am arrogant and abusive in my attempt to witness for Christ and people want nothing to do with me, that is not persecution. But if I seek to do His will and honor His name and as a result I suffer, then that is persecution.
Some believers have an ego problem and want to be noticed and praised, so they deliberately get themselves into trouble in order to claim that they have been persecuted for the Lord. Christians who are devotedly carrying their crosses never have to manufacture persecution. If we live the way Jesus lived, then the world will treat us the way it treated Him, and we will share in “the fellowship of his sufferings” (Philippians 3:10).
True persecution comes “because of righteousness.” It is the result of the believer’s daring to live the Beatitudes. The world’s philosophy is exactly opposite of that which Jesus expresses in the Beatitudes, and these opposite viewpoints lead to opposing ways of life. The narrow road that we walk is not parallel to the broad road; it runs right down the middle. We are walking in one direction and the world is walking in the other, and it is impossible not to collide. Jesus tells us to be “poor in spirit,” but the world tells us to build up our egos and be important. Humility is not a virtue that is admired in today’s society. In fact, unbelievers look upon humility as a form of weakness. George Bernard Shaw stated their position perfectly when he said, “Leave it to the coward to make a religion of his cowardice by preaching humility.”
Neither is the world interested in mourning over sin. Unbelievers will quickly regret the uncomfortable effects of sin, but even that passes away. Meekness they consider weakness because, after all, it is the aggressive person who gets ahead in this world. “Winner take all, and the devil take the hindmost!” The world has no appetite for righteousness. Its motto is “Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die!” Mercy—purity of heart—and peacemaking are concepts that are rarely, if ever, found in the mind of the unbeliever. To show mercy when your enemy is under your sword’s point is to lose the victory. Such is “the counsel of the wicked” (Psalm 1:1).
The root meaning of the word righteousness is “to divide, to be different.” “If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (John 15:19). The holy Son of God was a cause of division when He was in the world, and those who seek to live like Him will produce the same results. “If they persecuted me,” said Jesus, “they will persecute you also” (John 15:20b). Jesus was different, and a world that thrives on conformity cannot tolerate differences. We are children of light, and they are children of darkness. We are alive in the Spirit, and they are dead in sins. We live by faith, and they live by sight. We understand them, but they do not understand us.
We are persecuted because of righteousness and “because of my name, for they do not know the One who sent me” (John 15:21). The Lord came to earth to reveal God’s name to us (John 17:6). Because the world doesn’t know God, it doesn’t know His Son, Jesus Christ; ignorance breeds suspicion, and suspicion breeds fear. People tend to attack whatever they fear. That explains why sinful men killed God’s Son and now try to kill those who have trusted Him. “For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him”(Philippians 1:29). In this day of tolerance, let a person announce that he or she is a homosexual or an abortion rights supporter, and few people, if anybody, will get upset. But let a person announce that he or she is a Christian, let the name of Christ come into the conversation, and war is declared.
Persecution is a normal part of dedicated Christian living. It is not the thermostat of the Christian life. Our love for Christ is that. But it is the thermometer; it helps us measure how much we are like the Savior.
Responses to Persecution
As believers, we must respond to persecution and not react. We need to be prepared with the right attitude of mind. “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because he who has suffered in his body is done with sin” (1 Peter 4:1). A proper attitude of mind is a weapon in the battle against Satan. We do not react, then resent, and then retaliate. That is the way the world acts when difficulties come. No, believers respond in a positive way, not because they seek persecution but because they expect it and are not surprised when it comes. Jesus tells us that there are three proper responses: We reign (Matthew 5:10); we rejoice (Matthew 5:12); and we release love (Matthew 5:43–48).
“For theirs is the kingdom of heaven” simply means that believers reign in life in the midst of persecution. They act like kings, not slaves. The more King Saul persecuted David, the more David reigned in life through faith in God. David knew that he was the rightful king, for God had anointed David and promised him the throne. So he acted like a king. When he could have killed Saul, David exercised self-control and let him go free. When David could have slain Shimei for his stones and slanders, David ignored the man and left the matter with God. When you know you are a king, it is beneath your dignity to retaliate because that only makes you like other people.
On March 11, 1830, a British girl was doing her lessons with her tutor, and the lesson that day had to do with the royal family. As she studied the genealogical chart in the book, she became aware of the astounding fact that she was next in line for the throne. At first she wept, and then she looked at her tutor and said, “I will be good!” The fact that little Victoria would one day be queen motivated her to live on a higher level, and the fact that you and I are already kings should motivate us not to retaliate.
After all, there are only three levels on which we can live: the demonic, the human, and the divine. Satan returns evil for good; people return good for good and evil for evil; but God returns good for evil. “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45). People with low self-esteem quickly react and retaliate because they must defend themselves. But believers who know they are kings are so filled with God’s riches that it is beneath their dignity to retaliate. Jesus could have summoned legions of angels, yet He willingly let sinful men slap Him in the face, spit upon Him, pluck out His beard, mock Him, and then crucify Him.
Our first response is to reign, and our second is to rejoice: “Rejoice and be glad” (Matthew 5:12). Impossible? The disciples did it when they were persecuted: “The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name” (Acts 5:41). Years later, Peter wrote: “If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed” (1 Peter 4:14). How is it possible for suffering people to rejoice? To begin with, we realize that it is a privilege to be persecuted for Jesus’ sake. The persecution is evidence that we are living like Him and glorifying Him, and that ought to make any Christian rejoice. “The fellowship of his sufferings” (Philippians 3:10) is the closest fellowship possible; when we are in the furnace, the Son of God is there with us.
But something else makes us rejoice: We have new opportunities to witness for Christ. Our English word martyr is a transliteration of the Greek word that means “witness.” Stephen suffered persecution, even to death, and one result was the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. When the world sees a godly believer rejoice in persecution, it realizes that the Christian life is something more than a mere religion. The greatest opportunities we have for witnessing come when the stones are flying.
Persecution also gives us an opportunity to grow. When the world praises us, we are in spiritual danger, but when the world persecutes us, we can be sure we are living for Christ and becoming more like Him. The furnace of suffering purges out the dross of sin. “He who has suffered in his body is done with sin. As a result, he does not live the rest of his earthly life for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God” (1 Peter 4:1b–2). Persecution has a way of driving us to God; it helps us examine our priorities and strengthen our spiritual roots. Suffering by itself never makes a person grow, but suffering in the will of God and for the glory of God is a great stimulus to spiritual development. “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I obey your word . . . It was good for me to be afflicted so that I might learn your decrees” (Psalm 119:67, 71).
This spiritual joy, of course, is not something that we work up; it is the gift of the Holy Spirit: “For the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you” (1 Peter 4:14). This joy comes from trusting and loving Christ. “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy” (1 Peter 1:8). Even our Lord Jesus endured the cross because of “the joy set before him” (Hebrews 12:2).
We respond to persecution by reigning, rejoicing, and releasing love. “But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). This is the consequence of reigning and rejoicing.
Christian love is not a shallow sentiment; it is a settled attitude of the mind and heart that leads to definite actions of the will. Christian love means that I treat you the way God treats me. This is why Jesus adds to His command to love our enemies, “that you may be sons of your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:45). God loved us when we were His enemies, and He sent His Son to die for us. We should treat our enemies the way God has treated us—we should be patient, forgiving, and willing to sacrifice for their good, even though they may not deserve it.
If we have sincere Christian love, it will reveal itself in our prayers and our actions. We will pray for our enemies that they might come to know the Lord—not so that our way will be easier but so that their way will be easier. We need the kind of love Jesus showed when He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). We need the kind of love Stephen showed when he prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit . . . Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:59–60). We do not need to pray that fire from heaven will consume our enemies (Luke 9:54–56).
But it is not enough to live and pray; we must act. By doing something positive for our enemies, we release God’s love to touch their lives. This is what Paul meant when he said that we “heap burning coals on his head” (Romans 12:17–21). Our motives may be questioned and our ministries rejected, but for Jesus’ sake we must do good to our enemies if ever they are going to experience the grace of God and become Christians. And even if they do not become Christians, we become better Christians for having done the will of God.
Rewards of Persecution
There are definite rewards for the believer who suffers persecution in the will of God. Some people may believe that rewards are a poor motive for obedience, but Jesus did not think so. To be sure, character is reward enough, but in His grace, Jesus was willing to add something extra. And, after all, whatever rewards we receive only bring greater glory to Him, both here and hereafter.
There is a present reward stated: “For theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10). He was not talking about entering the kingdom, because that is covered in the first Beatitude. He was talking about enjoying the kingdom. When you are able to exercise self-control in the midst of persecution and pray for your persecutors and do good to them, then you have entered into the secrets of the throne and the riches of His glory. No matter how little we may have of material things, we enjoy God’s spiritual riches as we reign in life through Jesus Christ. To be sure, there is a future reward, and the Lord names it, but right here and now we live like kings.
Another reward is our identification with Christ and the prophets: “For in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:12). What a holy band of saints to belong to! Here were believers “of whom the world was not worthy” (Hebrews 11:38 KJV), and we are privileged to fellowship with them. A person’s company is a great revealer of his or her character. “On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people” (Acts 4:23). While He was ministering on earth, Jesus was identified with the suffering prophets of old. “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets” (Matthew 16:14). All three of the men named were persecuted because of their faith and their faithfulness.
Today we can enter into the riches of the kingdom and the fellowship of the martyrs, but there is also a future reward: “Great is your reward in heaven” (Matthew 5:12). Never minimize the present power of a future reward. Moses turned his back on Egypt and suffered for it because “he was looking ahead to his reward” (Hebrews 11:26). Abraham walked by faith as he looked for that city God had promised him. Jesus encourages us today by promising us heavenly rewards tomorrow, and there is nothing wrong with this encouragement. “If we suffer, we shall also reign with him” (2 Timothy 2:12 KJV). One of the repeated themes of 1 Peter is suffering and glory; Peter wrote to encourage Christians going through fiery trials. It is easy for comfortable saints to despise promised rewards, but let them go into the fires and they might change their minds.
This is the last of the Beatitudes, the climax of them all. It is difficult to believe that people would persecute those who are humble and meek, who are seeking after righteousness, who are merciful and trying to make peace. But they do. The dedication of the saints only magnifies the depravity of the sinners.
The world welcomes a compromising Christian, but it hates the Christian who does the will of God. In some respects, this final Beatitude is the measure of the others. As we are growing in Christian character, we will experience more conflict. It is impossible to have one without the other.
We are never really finished with the Beatitudes because there are always new discoveries of our own hearts and of God’s grace. We grow in grace as we grow in knowledge—knowledge of Christ and knowledge of ourselves. We reign in life, but there is always new territory to conquer and control. We enjoy the kingdom that we might enlarge the kingdom. Jesus dealt with this theme in His statement about salt and light.