How we should respond to persecution

We have seen that suffering, trials and persecution are opportunities for Christian growth and witness. They are a sign that we truly are salt and light in the world and that our faith is real and deep. Discovering the hidden blessings in sufferings and persecution help us keep a right perspective about the true values in life and remind us that the kingdom we serve is not of this world. Today we will look at how we should respond to troubles in life.

We should not be afraid!

Persecution is a paradox – our enemies may kill us, but they can do us no harm! Jesus is saying that even those closest to us—our parents, brothers, relatives, and friends—may betray us. We may be killed since everyone may hate us because of our allegiance Christ. But he promises that not a hair of our heads will perish! By standing firm, we will win our souls (Luke 16-18).

“Don’t be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God, who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows. (Matthew 10:28-31)

Actually, Jesus is telling us not to fear the secret police, spies, torturers, executioners, corrupt police, burglars and terrorists, because they can only kill the body, but they cannot touch our soul! Therefore we are to obey the commandments of God fearlessly under all circumstances.

Keep on doing what is right and entrust yourself to God!

So if you are suffering according to God’s will, keep on doing what is right, and entrust yourself to the God who made you, for he will never fail you. (1 Peter 4:19)

We should not be surprised that we are facing hardships and persecution because we are Christians. Instead, we should be glad! The trials we are going through make us partners with Christ in his suffering, and afterward we will have the wonderful joy of sharing his glory when it is displayed to all the world (1 Peter 4:12-13). The best thing to do when we are being insulted because we are Christians are to keep on doing what is right and entrust ourselves to God. The Almighty God, who made us, will never fail us!

Bless those who persecute you!

But I say, love your enemies! Bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you. Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and on the unjust, too. If you love only those who love you, what good is that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:44-48)

In other words, we are to overcome our fear by praying for those who persecute us and even pronouncing the blessing of God upon them! If people persecute us because we are Christians, we must not curse them, but rather pray that God will bless them! We are never to pay back evil for evil to anyone and never to avenge ourselves. We must live in such a way that everyone can see that we are honourable and are seeking to live in peace. In that way we conquer evil by doing good (Romans 12:14-21)!

Flee from persecution!

While we are not to fear, Jesus advises us to flee from areas of persecution! “When you are persecuted in one town, flee to the next” (Matthew 10:23). He also said that if a village doesn’t welcome us or listen to our message of the Kingdom of peace, we should just shake off the dust of that place and leave it (Matthew 10:14)! This is practical commonsense as he told us to be smart and wise in all our dealings with people. In other words we are to avoid persecution if possible, but not be afraid of it.

The apostle Paul urges the believers to pray and give thanks for all people but especially for those in authority. He wants us to constantly pray in this way so that we may all live in peace and quietness, in godliness and dignity, and be able to preach the gospel and see people saved (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Be patient and respond gently!

To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, without enough clothes to keep us warm. We have endured many beatings, and we have no homes of our own. We have worked wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. We respond gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world’s garbage, like everybody’s trash—right up to the present moment. (1 Corinthians 4:11-13)

In these words the apostle Paul exhibits the right attitudes towards all the suffering, hardship and persecution he went through. Be patient and respond gently, - this is the summary of his approach to people who treat him like the world’s garbage!

Pray for protection and deliverance!

I come to you for protection, O Lord my God. Save me from my persecutors—rescue me! (Psalm 7:1)

All your commands are trustworthy. Protect me from those who hunt me down without cause. They almost finished me off, but I refused to abandon your commandments. In your unfailing love, spare my life; then I can continue to obey your decrees. (Psalm 119:86-88)

Don’t forget about those in prison. Suffer with them as though you were there yourself. Share the sorrow of those being mistreated, as though you feel their pain in your own bodies. (Hebrew 13:3)

Exercise:

How did you respond when you were insulted because you were a Christian?

What is the most important thing you have learned this week?

Continue to memorise this portion of Scripture:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans (8:35-39)