Abiding at the Feet of Jesus | A Look at the BeatitudesSýnishorn

What picture comes to mind when you hear the phrase “religious persecution”? Do you imagine the Roman coliseum under the reign of Nero? Do you think of the underground Church in closed countries? What about here in the United States? Do believe you face any religious persecution here?

The essence of the persecution arises when the Spirit of God in you is at war with the spirit of the world in others. 

Christian persecution encompasses any hostility experienced from the world as a result of one’s identification as a Christian. From verbal harassment to hostile feelings, attitudes, and actions, Christians in parts of the world with severe religious restrictions pay a heavy price for their faith. Beatings, physical torture, confinement, isolation, severe punishment, imprisonment, slavery, discrimination in education and employment, and even death are just a few examples of the persecution they experience on a daily basis. 

When I read the Bible and consider Church history, I see many stories of people who were persecuted and reviled simply for their faith. I remember how Christ was reviled and crucified for the simple gospel message. I think of how many of the apostles were martyred for spreading the gospel. As I began to look at this Beatitude and compare it to what I read in the Bible, it seemed somewhat far off, something of the past. 

I live in the United States of America. We have religious freedoms that typically keep us sheltered from persecution. It seems like persecution for faith, at least in this country, may be a thing of the past. However, the longer I live, the more I see the climate of our world and country drastically changing in this area. I also have come to understand that persecution comes in all shapes, forms, and sizes, and that true Kingdom children will likely experience some form of persecution for righteousness’ sake at some point in their lives. 

As I write this book, the latest statistics show that Christians are the most persecuted people group on a global scale. Each month 322 Christians are killed for their faith. Each month 214 churches and Christian properties are destroyed. Each month 772 forms of violence are committed against Christians—atrocities like beatings, abductions, rapes, arrests, and forced marriages. According to the Pew Research Center, over 75 percent of the world’s population live in areas with severe religious restrictions. Christians in more than sixty countries face persecution from their governments or surrounding neighbors simply because of their belief in Jesus Christ. 

Persecution is a reality of Kingdom life, and it is evidence that we are a part of it. It’s common for Christians to look for proof of our conversion, and God supplies evidence of peace, joy, and love. However, one piece of evidence we don’t look for is conflict and persecution. The spirit that is in you is in direct opposition to what is in the world. If we take this one step further, we must acknowledge that if we never see opposition or persecution on some level, we might not be living our lives in the way that God calls us to live.

This sounds a bit crazy to me, but remember that these Beatitudes are Kingdom principles that sound backward in view of our cultural norms. Jesus tells us that we are blessed when we are reviled and persecuted. He tells us to rejoice—that is, to be filled to overflowing with joy and gladness. Wow! How contrary is that to our human, fleshly responses?

When you obey God and live your life for His purposes, it produces an eternal reward that supersedes any pain, persecution, or suffering you may endure in this life. Persecution will be a natural repercussion of becoming more like Christ as you abide in Him. However, it is this abiding relationship which will give you the boldness and courage to continue walking full of faith in the face of persecution.

Questions to Journal: 

  

1. How would you define persecution for Christ’s sake? Have you ever experienced persecution? What was your response?

2. Become informed and involved in helping or praying for the persecuted church through a ministry such as OpenDoors or Voice of the Martyrs.