Preparing for Persecution

 

There is a story which goes back to the days when communism reigned in Russia with an iron fist. Testimonies of the underground church would surface from time to time. On one Sunday, a group of believers gathered for worship. They arrived throughout the day so they would not arouse suspicion by KGB informants. By dark, they were all inside, windows closed, doors locked. They began by singing a hymn quietly, when suddenly the door was pushed open and in walked two solders with weapons, demanding that they all line up on the wall. One shouted, “If you wish to renounce your commitment to Jesus Christ, leave now!” Two or three left quickly and after a few more seconds, two more. Finally, a couple more slipped out into the blackness of the night. After a few moments of complete silence, the soldiers closed and locked the door. They said, “Keep your hands up in praise to God. We too are Christians and we have learned to not trust anyone who is not willing to die for their faith.”

Could American Christians – like their brothers and sisters in other parts of the world – be next in line for a wave of harassment, and even persecution? That seems to be the feeling among church leaders and the trend of our corroding culture. Since COVID-19 struck in 2020 we’ve seen churches threatened and fined for gathering to worship in defiance of state lockdown orders. The newly installed Biden administration promises to push the country further towards socialism and the forced acceptance of same-sex marriage and transgenderism. Those who voice dissent will be marginalized and maybe even silenced. We’ve already seen Big Tech and social media platforms crack down on content that doesn’t support the radical left’s agenda.

While none of us goes out looking for trouble, we can be sure that as America moves towards a morally unhinged pagan view of life, trouble will find us!

We tend to think of persecution as a bad thing. However, that’s not how the early church viewed it. Peter wrote to a group of believers facing intense harassment for their faith, “If you’re abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate. It’s the Spirit of God and his glory in you that brought you to the notice of others. If they’re on you because you broke the law or disturbed the peace, that’s a different matter. But if it’s because you’re a Christian, don’t give it a second thought. Be proud of the distinguished status reflected in that name!” (1 Peter 4:14-16, MSG).

Passages like this one and others in the New Testament teach that God has a hidden purpose behind persecution. First, we see that persecution purifies the church. Just as a silversmith removes the dross from silver by intense heat, so too persecution melts away the make-believers from the true believers. Once the name of Christ costs you something, you’ll see the fair-weather followers fade away. That means it’s time for pastors to stop preaching feel-good cotton candy sermons, because a pep-talk won’t prepare God’s people for hard times. The days of “cultural Christianity” are gone – because that weakened, watered down church won’t survive.  

Second, persecution prospers the church. Paradoxically, persecution spreads the Gospel rather than killing it (Acts 8:1, 4). Saul tried to stamp out the early church by killing Stephen and we know how that turned out! Tertullian (160-220 AD), the bishop of Carthage, once remarked that “The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” Persecution is like blowing on a dandelion head; the winds only spread the Gospel seed farther faster.

Third, persecution preaches Christ in a way that prosperity can’t. The reason for this is because persecution gives the Gospel credibility. When the church suffers for Christ it gets people’s attention. They say, “What is it about this Jesus that makes you willing to endure harsh treatment?” As the apostle Paul said, “everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Tim. 3:12).

While none of us desire to be persecuted for being a Christian we should be willing to take abuse for the sake of the Gospel since Jesus took the nails for us. Remember, as Christians it’s not our job to be popular. We are not contestants on American Idol. We are not Christ’s speechwriters or PR team, airbrushing Jesus so He has greater appeal to people who don’t want to hear what He said about sin and judgment. He’s the King, He calls the shots, we’re just His ambassadors. So let’s represent the real Jesus, who “when He was reviled did not revile in return” (1 Peter 2:23). When Christians show love and respect towards those who treat us disdainfully, we disarm their hate, prejudice, and anger. We show them a picture of Christ, the Lamb of God. -DM