Fearing Persecution

An article by Jacquelyn    No Comments

The Bible speaks of many different types of persecution, but just the thought of persecution can cause some people to fear. A teen once said that she wondered what the point of persecution was (if there was a point) and why we will be persecuted. You may have had similar thoughts, so here is what the Bible says on this topic.

First of all, we need to remember that nothing bad (ie: death, disease, natural disasters, and persecution) comes from the Lord; these things come from Satan and sin. So why will we be persecuted? Because of the sinful nature of humanity.

Surely, you have had personal experience with or heard of someone who has a low self-esteem who will verbally or physically abuse others so they, too, will have a low self-esteem. Or a friend who does poorly in school will badger his or her friend who does well. Or someone who drops out of school encourages his or her friends to do the same. Or a drunk who tries to get other people to join him or her. Or an office filled with slackers who do everything possible to ruin the life of that one person who is actually do his or her job. Gossipers who purposefully ruin the reputation of honest people… I could go on and on and on!

When a person is suffering, our first (sinful) reaction is to make those around us suffer, too, so we will not be alone in our misery.

Admitting when we are wrong and asking forgiveness is very difficult for a selfish and sinful heart to do. When people’s conscious are pricked by the behavior of others, very few will actually use that to think about what is wrong in their lives and determining to fix it. Instead, they turn on that good influence and either try to force that person into becoming as miserable as they are or they persecute that individual.

That is why Jesus was persecuted. He pricked the conscious of those who were doing wrong… pharisees, sadducees, and the average people. Yet only a small minority of these people decided to ask for the Lord’s forgiveness, change their lives, and follow Christ. The rest did everything possible to squash those who made them feel uncomfortable.

Also, it is sinful humanity nature to fear what we do not understand and to persecute whomever is different from the majority. True followers of Christ are very different. 2 Timothy 3:12 says: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.”

In John 15:20, Christ Himself warns us: “Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you…” That is why we are and will be persecuted!

Christians throughout the world have experienced dreadful persecutions ever since our Lord walked on this earth. Even at this very moment, we have brothers and sisters in Christ elsewhere in the world being killed for believing in Christ, but we need to remember that not all persecution means death. Many of us in Europe and North America do not face the threat of death (yet) but are instead persecuted verbally and emotionally by those around us… classmates, co-workers, our bosses, neighbors, friends, and even family members.

Christ warned of us this type of persecution, as well. In Luke 12:51-53, He says: “Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division: For from henceforth there shall be five in one house divided, three against two, and two against three. The father shall be divided against the son, and the son against the father; the mother against the daughter, and the daughter against the mother; the mother in law against her daughter in law, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.”

Does this mean we should live in fear of what tomorrow holds for us? NEVER! We should look gleefully and boldly forward, despite what may, for we have glorious promises from the Lord Almighty, who has never, ever broken a promise. Over and over again, Christ tells us not to be afraid nor be troubled, but to be filled with “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus”! (Philippians 4:7) Some excellent Scriptures you should read are: John 14:27; John 16:33; Philippians 4:7; and Philippians 4:19. So should we fear or worry? No!

In the words of Paul: “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:35-39)

That is among the greatest Truths in the Bible: “Nothing is able to separate us unwillingly from the love of God.” If you still worry and fear the future, then I suggest reading The Good Shepherd passage found in John 10.