Refining of Salt — 3: Persecution

8 Refining of Salt—3: Persecution

Salt —the Secret of Divine Life It is my fervent prayer, that wherever you go, whether you may be travelling or labouring for the Lord, or perhaps only sitting quietly, the Lord should use you as the salt of the earth. Perhaps only a few kind words that you speak, may be the simple means by which the Lord will help you to fulfil this precious ministry. May the Lord so possess and change you, that many who are passing through sorrow, sickness, trouble and affliction will be able to taste through you the joy of possessing divine life.

Needless to say, God can never use you in this way unless first of all that divine life comes into you. Once we were conducting a campaign in a city in North India for about seven weeks. We announced that at the conclusion of this campaign we would have a love-feast. Every family should bring some food and then all the food would be mixed and shared by all. Accordingly, they all brought food with great love, and the love-feast was a very happy occasion. Soon after, we left that city. A few months later, the missionary of that city also announced a love-feast on Christmas day. He asked all the people to bring their own food so that they could all share it together. However, when the day arrived, none brought any food. The missionary was very angry. He said to them, 'Only a few weeks ago you all brought such nice food; why could you not do so today?' The people replied, 'On that previous occasion we tasted the fellowship of love and we were constrained to bring our food.

But now we can see no love, but only words.' It is only when you have the experience of love yourself that you will be able to lead others into it. First you must become salt. Then automatically, the divine love will come into you and will be poured through you into others.

We read in God's Word that He has chosen us. He wants to refine us and make us good salt. In Matthew chapter 5 we see the divine processes through which God wants to take us. No matter how handicapped we might be, yet by taking us through these divine processes God can make us acquire the divine virtues. Perhaps earthly prosperity might be possible for children who are clever and intelligent, but not for children who fail to get promotion year after year. But spiritual blessing is available to all. People might be dull and foolish, or they might come from poor families, or from some backward country, or from unfavourable circumstances; yet they also can be made into good salt and be endued with divine virtues. Day after day, often early in the morning, the Lord Jesus Christ went about seeking to save sinners. As a result, people who had become absolutely worthless because of their shameful lives, were transformed into mighty men and women of God. Since that time God has done great things through them. Now let us consider one more stage of refining salt.

Persecution —a blessing In Matthew 5:10, we read these words: 'Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for their's is the kingdom of heaven.' Many years ago, there was a lame man, a Punjabi. He was truly born again and was baptized. Any one could see from his shining face that God had wrought some wonderful work in his life. However, the people of his village persecuted him and tried to turn him back to his old religion. When they found him firm and strong in his faith, they took his things and threw them out of his house. They treated him with contempt. They would not allow him to draw water from their well. They even threatened to injure him. Undaunted by all these things, the lame man went and lived under a tree, and took water from a distant place. A missionary heard of his faith and came to see him. He told him that he had heard of his danger and wished to help him and save him. But the man refused to leave the village. He replied, "God has saved me and changed my life to use me as His witness in this village. Even though I might have to die for the Lord's sake, I am prepared for it, and I will not leave this place.' Every morning he would begin his work with a shining face. He prayed for those who were persecuting him. After sometime, the people in the village were convinced that he was a man of God. They came to him and asked forgiveness, and confessed that they had never realised that he had found God in such a wonderful way. Thus through one lame man many received the experience of salvation. By learning to bear persecution we receive strong faith and we learn to cling to our Lord. God's Word says, 'Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for their's is the kingdom of heaven' (Matthew' 5 :10).

Some years ago a Muslim man came to me and said he wanted to become a Christian. He was a university graduate. 'Have you been to meetings anywhere?' I asked him. 'No,' he replied. I asked him how he had become interested in the Gospel. He told me that one day he had gone to see a Hindu friend in his neighbourhood. There was a small verandah in front of his friend's house and while he stood there a sweeper came to sweep it, and put his basket in a corner. While this man was sweeping, a Hindu shopkeeper also came to the house and entered the verandah. He was wearing a dhoti, and his dhoti happened to touch the basket. The man got very angry. He removed his shoe and started beating the sweeper with it, saying, 'Why did you put your basket here?' 'That is my duty; I have only come to sweep,' he replied. So saying, the sweeper turned his other cheek to him and continued 'God bless you.' When it was all over, the Muslim who had been watching said to the sweeper, "Why did you allow him to beat you? It was not your fault; you were only doing your duty. It is entirely his fault; he should have lifted up his dhoti a little and walked carefully.' But the sweeper replied, 'If my Lord suffered so much for me, should I not suffer a little for His sake?' The Muslim continued his story and said to me, 'It was the sweeper's love that worked in me. That is the reason I now want to become a Christian.' He became a Christian, was baptized, and became a good witness for the Lord. 'Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake.' Thus we can see how love can be shed abroad in the hearts of others if we endure persecution patiently.

There is another example in Acts 7:54 to 60. Here we see a man of God called Stephen filled with the Holy Ghost. He was persecuted because of the testimony he bore for the Lord Jesus Christ. He had done many good works. The widows, the poor and the orphans had been blessed through him. Notwithstanding, the religious leaders were angry with him. They accused him falsely. Yet we see how he forgave them. Stephen was willing to be stoned. He faced death with a shining face. Instead of cursing the men who stoned him, he prayed, 'Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. Have mercy upon them and forgive them.'

A man called Saul was watching all this. The men who stoned Stephen had laid their clothes at his feet, and we read in Acts 8:1, that Saul was consenting unto Stephen's death. He was a witness to his death. He saw his shining face. He heard him pray, 'Forgive my enemies.' And he would have wondered how any man could suffer so joyfully. Later, that very same man Saul became the great apostle Paul. What a great change it was! That work began in him on the day of Stephen's death. He had been one of the bitterest enemies of the Lord Jesus Christ. He had dragged believers into jail and killed many of them. Now he became a servant of Christ. We read in Acts 16:24, 25 how the bare bodies of Paul and another disciple were beaten and their feet put in the stocks. In spite of all this, at midnight, they prayed and sang joyfully. They did not murmur or complain or curse their enemies. They sang praises unto God. The example of Stephen so changed Saul that he was able to bring new life and blessing to all in the jail. Soon after, all these prisoners were also singing songs of praise to God. Generally, when men go to jail, the first night they will be cursing everyone. These prisoners were quite different. Instead of cursing, fighting and quarrelling, as prisoners usually do, they sang praises to God. Then God sent an earthquake which shook the whole place and their chains fell off. Every one's bands were loosed. The jailor, thinking that all the prisoners had escaped, was about to kill himself. Then Paul said to him, 'We are all here, don't kill yourself (verses 26, 27). 'Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for their's is the kingdom of heaven.' It is a great honour, privilege and joy to be persecuted for God's sake. Thus a small quantity of salt had changed the whole jail. The inmates of the jail were murderers, thieves and rogues. Now they all became lambs. These converted prisoners became witnesses to the Lord Jesus Christ. In this way the Gospel was preached in Europe. Thus, because Stephen bore persecution joyfully, although he himself died, new life, new joy and new blessing came to the Church throughout the whole world. These blessings have kept on spreading and are continuing to do so even until now. God's Word says in 2 Tim. 3:12, that whosoever you might be, whatever your country, or condition or qualification, if you want to live a godly and pure life, and if you want to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, you will have to endure persecution.

There are many people these days working in the railway, police and other Government Departments, who are in the habit of receiving bribes. They share what they get with many people, even with their Inspectors and Officers. But if you want to be faithful, you must be prepared to be persecuted by ungodly people. How many suffer because they refuse to take a bribe or give a bribe! Many lose their promotions for many years. So be patient, even though you have to suffer. God's Word says that you are going to be abundantly rewarded in heaven.

Rejoice in persecution In Matthew 5:12 we read, 'Rejoice, and be exceeding glad.' When you are persecuted and falsely accused by men, perhaps the authorities in your schools and colleges, be patient. Do not worry about your promotion which has been withheld. God will give you more than you have lost. Some school teachers have to record false attendance. If they refuse to do so, they will be persecuted, and their colleagues will scheme against them. If you are wrongfully suffering in that way, thank and praise God, for He will surely reward those who suffer joyfully. Even though you may lose your job or promotion and go through extreme suffering, rejoice in it, and think of the blessing that others are going to receive through you. We must be willing and ready and prepared for persecution of every kind, through neighbours, friends or relatives. It is a strange thing, when we lived a worldly life, full of sin and shame, our worldly friends loved us; now that we want to follow the Lord Jesus Christ and lead a holy life, they persecute us. Nevertheless, give thanks to God who will reward you for bearing persecution. See Acts 1:50-52. Through some faithful men, God's Word came to Antioch in Pisidia, and many lives were changed. Instead of being thankful to these men for this wonderful ministry, the people of that region began to hate them and persecute them. They said, 'We don't want you, go away from here. We don't want you.' The disciples left Antioch and went to their friends in Iconium, and told them their experiences. Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and with joy. They did not murmur or complain. They thanked God for the privilege of suffering persecution, because they knew that through the same persecution salt was going out through them. It is because of that salt, that you now see the true Life in many parts of the world.

We know from secular history that many believers had to bear extreme persecution. Many were killed for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as we love to watch a football match in a big stadium today, in the same way the Romans loved to observe hungry lions devouring Christian believers. They would bring them from all parts of the country, men, women and children, and they would threaten them saying, 'Unless you deny the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be thrown into the ring.' First they would throw the children before the eyes of their mothers, so that they would see their own children devoured by the lions. Those men were so hard-hearted! They would threaten the Christians again and again, 'Now we give you time to deny the Lord Jesus Christ. If you refuse you will be eaten by the lions.' But those brave men and women never yielded to their threatenings. Singing songs of praise they would go into the theatres to be devoured by the lions. Many Romans, who saw the shining faces of the believers marching to be torn by the lions, were converted at that time. Some faithful Christians were dragged by the hair through the streets. Some had chilli powder poured into their eyes. Even then they did not deny their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This went on for three centuries. That is how, by their joyful suffering, they laid the foundation of the true Church.

There are some Christians who put a thilakam (a religious mark of the Hindus) on their foreheads. They are ashamed to be called Christians. They wish to be identified with Hindus. During the communal riots in Karachi (Pakistan), a Christian woman with this mark on her forehead was seen by a Mohammedan. He thought that she was a Hindu, so he approached her with a dagger to kill her. The woman began to shout, 'I am a Christian.' He asked her, 'Are you a Christian? Then what about that mark on your forehead?' She immediately put her hand to her tongue and rubbed it off. Many Christians are ashamed of the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. They are afraid to suffer persecution. As a result, their lives are barren, shameful and corrupt.

When we bear our persecutions joyfully, we are abundantly rewarded. Our great reward is that through us many more will taste divine love and see divine light. 'Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for their's is the kingdom of God.' Never mind when people falsely accuse you. If you want to grow spiritually, do not take any notice of their false charges. The disciple is not above his Master. The more we obey the Lord Jesus Christ, the more we will be falsely accused by ungodly people. But thank God for the privilege of being His. 'Ye are the salt of the earth.' Is your life good salt?

May the Lord prepare us into good salt which not only gives taste, but shows abundant grace and compassion for all those around. As the salt of the earth we can wipe away many tears and bring joy to many homes, and thus make sorrow and misery to flee away from them. God is calling you for such a ministry. Please tell me faithfully, has your life become like good salt? Can you tell me of any person who has tasted divine life through you? Your father, mother, brother or sister? When I became a Christian my mother said, 'Why did you leave such a high religion like ours?' I replied, 'Please tell me one thing. Does anyone love me more than you do? Yet, answer me, what can you do for my soul's salvation?' She replied, 'How could I help you in such a matter?' Then I continued, 'That is the very reason why I have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour. He has saved my soul. I have begun to pray for your salvation too.' What a joy it was, one day, to hear my mother say, 'I am ready.'

If you humble yourself and confess your sins, the Lord Jesus will wash you in His blood and give you new life. With that life you can become like salt, always giving new taste, new life and new blessing wherever you go.