If The World Hates You: Persecution

“More Christians died for their faith in the 20th century than in the previous 19 centuries of Christian history combined”.  George Weigel, Ethics and Public Policy Center.

This trend continues unabated into the 21st century.  The worst persecution of believers is occurring in countries where Islam or Communism dominates their governments.  Many of our brethren in the Lord have been imprisoned and even killed because of their faith.

However, even in the West a milder form of persecution has been growing.  So far, we haven’t seen the intense persecution of Christians that began in the 1st century and has continued off and on in many places at different times.

Our Culture

Persecution in our culture today has a lot to do with sexuality and gender.  Christians believe in traditional Biblical values and definitions which have been the norm in nearly all societies for thousands of years.  The new sexual orthodoxy in much of Western civilization considers traditional views on these matters to be unenlightened, backwards,  “heresy”.  Those who disagree are viewed as “haters”, and often suffer consequences such as loss of status, respect, or even employment.

Most of us don’t experience persecution in our daily lives, and our country is still populated with many people who either follow Jesus or are sympathetic to Judeo-Christian values. But we have all seen the downward slide in our culture toward a new intolerance of our values, and it seems to be getting worse.

Read “They’re Back: the Ancient Gods” for more background.

Par for the Course

This should be no surprise to us if we read the Scriptures.  Peter, writing in the A.D. 60s during Nero’s persecution, writes; “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” (1 Peter 4:12).  And Paul, writing at about the same time in 2 Timothy 3:12, “…all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…”.

Many groups have been persecuted in the past, especially the Jewish people, and depending on time and place, many other religions and cultural groups.  We see this in our current news with so many hating Israel, and Jewish people in general.  But why?  What is the root of this behavior?    

“The World”

Jesus, in the upper room on the night he was betrayed, had much to say about this to his disciples.  In John 15, he makes the following statements in verses 18-20: “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you…If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” 

Jesus uses the term “world” to indicate a system, a way of thought and practice, a result of humanity’s fall, where people are out for themselves.  His entry into this world was the opposite, revealing God’s system of thought and practice, a message that would “turn the world upside down” (Acts:17:6).  And many hated him and his followers because of this.

Jesus pointed out that this was predicted hundreds of years earlier, where he quotes two Psalms in John 15:25, “But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’” (Psalms 35:19, 69:4).

Why the Hate?

Jesus so offended the “world” of his day that he was arrested and killed by none other than the religious authorities.  He continues in John 15:22, “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have been guilty of sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin.”  They hated Jesus because he wasn’t afraid to call out their sin.

Isn’t that something like what we are experiencing today?  If we believe and are known for our beliefs that certain behaviors are sinful in God’s eyes, aren’t we hated as well?  I wonder if the extreme hatred toward the people of God is a result of conscience?  Paul writes in Romans 2:15 “They (non-Jewish people) show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them.” Deep down, I think persecutors feel the conviction of the Holy Spirit and lash out.

What Should We Do?

So what should our response be if we do experience persecution?  Fight back?  Argue?  Try to defend ourselves?  To be sure, there are times when we need to stand up for our rights as Paul frequently did in his ministry.  However, we should always be kind and loving toward those who hate us.  Jesus also said in Matthew 5:44, “love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you”.  There are many examples of persecutors who were loved into the kingdom of God by those they were persecuting.  

Peter sums up what our attitude should be in 1 Peter 4:13-14, “But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.”

If we really follow Jesus, persecution is inevitable.  In fact, persecution has spurred the growth of the Church, when the persecutors see God’s people react as we are told to do by Jesus, and as he showed us when he forgave those who nailed him to the cross.  

Rather than complain and moan about the degeneration of our culture and the increasing persecution, which we are all prone to do, let’s rejoice if we are called to suffer for his Name.  Let’s pray for all of our persecuted brothers and sisters, and let’s pray for our enemies.  And let’s pray for the revival of his Church in our day so that we can stand strong in Him!