Do you ever feel persecuted for your faith? For many years, I would have thought this unlikely in our country. Perhaps we should define the term. Oxford languages defines persecution as “hostility and ill treatment, especially on the basis of ethnicity, religion, or political beliefs.” Therefore, if somebody attacks us or limits our freedom because we believe in Jesus, that would be persecution. You may disagree, but I do not think I have the right to expect or force someone in our country to say, “Merry Christmas.” If they say, “Happy Holidays,” to me, I do not consider that persecution. For me to have the freedom to believe, others have to have the freedom not to believe.
Paul persecuted Christians on purpose. Why? He wanted to oppose the name of Jesus of Nazareth. He started in Jerusalem, putting people in prison and voting to put them to death. Remember, Luke tells us that Paul was instrumental in the death of Stephen, the first Christian martyr. Not only did he seek to punish Christians, but he also tried to get them to blaspheme the name of Jesus. When they fled his persecution, Paul tried to track them down in other cities.
In recent years, I have encountered hostility and ill-treatment because of my belief in Jesus. Paul told Timothy that all who live godly lives will experience persecution (2 Tim 3:12). How should we respond when someone treats us unkindly or blasphemes the name of our Savior and Lord? Paul’s story helps us. God saved the foremost persecutor of Christians and made him the greatest proclaimer of Christ. Ananias and Barnabas had been in Paul’s line of fire, but they welcomed him into the family of believers. What if those who oppose our faith may someday be great Christians themselves? One of our staff members has a sign on her wall which quotes Dietrich Bonhoeffer, saying, “Your life as a Christian should make non-believers question their disbelief in God.”
Jesus said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:10-12). The early believers in Jerusalem praised God that they were considered worthy of suffering for Jesus’ name (Acts 5:41). Paul, himself, told the Christians in Rome, who would suffer loss of property and life for Christ’s sake, “Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse” (Romans 12:14). I hope persecution does not grow in our country. But if it does, we may have a chance to put these teachings into practice. Remember our goal is not to prove our opponents wrong, but to lead them into relationship with Jesus. Love wins.
