Most Christians would prefer not to face persecution. Are any of us just dying to be persecuted? Probably not. But the fact is that many Christians in the world are dying in the midst of persecution. We learn in Acts 8 that persecution is not a bad thing. I am not sure we should pray for persecution, but we can learn from persecution that God is in control. That He can turn even bad things into opportunities for His glory, and for His Gospel to be spread.
The church since its inception has been a solid body of believers encouraging one another in all ways. She is under Christ who is her head, and led by the Holy Spirit, to fulfill the great commission, and to selflessly serve others. Theophilus, the 2nd century apologist, described the church as such, “God has given to the world which is driven and tempest-tossed by sins, assemblies, holy churches, in which survive the doctrines of the truth.” I believe that we have the same hope today as the early Church had, and we continue in that same great legacy.
Jesus makes it clear here and in other passages such as John 16:33 that His followers will suffer tribulation in this world. Paul states it plainly in 2 Timothy 3:12 that “And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” You do not even have to be successful at living a godly life for persecution to arise against you for simply the desire to live in righteousness is enough to provoke it. Since it is not a question of if you will be persecuted but rather a question of when, then you need to be prepared for it.
In 1 Peter, Peter warned his readers about the coming of a more intense period of persecution. He again stressed mental readiness. However, the section of scripture could also be applied to the historical reality of the Neronian persecution. Christians were blamed for the burning of Rome. Some were covered with pitch and used as living torches to light the imperial gardens at night. Throughout this letter Peter weaves the themes of salvation, sanctification and suffering as the sources of encouragement in the present and preparation for the future. They will do the same for us. God has saved us for the purpose of sanctification, and such holiness will result in suffering at the hands of the unrighteous.
Books beyond number have been written about Christianity’s earliest martyrs. And Evangelicals today do well to read them. They remind us that our faith is about far more than just a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is and always has been about counting the cost, laying down our lives, taking up our cross and following him. For we are called to present our bodies as living sacrifices. We have brothers and sisters in the faith, around the globe today for whom that is more than just a metaphor. The same Jesus who called the first martyrs to repent and follow him, calls us now. We owe our love, loyalty, concern, prayers, finances, and help to those who are compelled to follow him unto death today.
Dr. Shantanu Dutta
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