ALL Believers Will Suffer Some Form of Persecution.
If you are a Christian, you have no doubt been
persecuted at some time. You might not be killed or
impirsioned for your faith, but you will be persecuted in other ways.
Most
likey in America, it would be in the form of mocking or ridicule. Thank
God we still have religious freedom! If you are a Christian, you
WILL be persecuted:
Yea, and ALL that will live godly in Christ
Jesus shall suffer persecution. 2 Tim 3:12
If you are living a holy life, if you live your life acording to the
Bible,
YOU WILL BE PERSECUTED, no questions asked. But, if you are not
being persecuted
in any way, it may be a sign that you are in spiritual trouble. If you
are
living like the world, know ye knot that the world loves it's own.
Whosoever would be the friend of the world is the enemy of God. If
you profess to be a Christian, but do not experience any form of
ridicule, ask yorself if you are really living how He would have
you to live. When the world sees you live godly in Christ
Jesus, they will respond in one of two ways
They will praise and give glory to God:
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see
your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Matt 5:16
Or they will mock you for living a holy life:
Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the
same excess of riot, speaking evil of you: 1 Peter 4:4
They do not understand why you don't commit the sins that they
commit, while they think that sin is normal and acceptible.
And in nothing terrified by your adversaries, which is to them an
evident
token of perdition, but to you is of salvation. Phil 1:28
For unto you it is given in behalf of Christ, not only to believe on
him, but also to suffer for his sake. Phil 1:29
Why are we persecuted? II Corintians 4:8-11 gives the
answer:
8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are
perplexed,
but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down,
but not
destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord
Jesus,
that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11
For
we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the
life
also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.
12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial
which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's
sufferings;
that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with
exceeding
joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are
ye; for the
spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil
spoken
of, but on your part he is glorified. I Peter 4:12-14
Jesus Himself said Remember the word that I said unto you, The
servant is not
greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also
persecute
you; (John 5:20)
But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not
afraid
of their terror, neither be troubled; 1 Peter 3:14
1 Peter 4:16 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him
not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
John 5:19-23
19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own:
but
because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the
world,
therefore the world hateth you.
20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is
not
greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also
persecute
you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name's
sake, because they know not him that sent me.
22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had
sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.
23 He that hateth me hateth my Father also.
Enduring Persecution
Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not
dismayed;
for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I
will
uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.
Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt
suffer:
behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be
tried;
and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death,
and
I will give thee a crown of life.
Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the
Lamb,
and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto
the
death.
John 16:33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me
ye
might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of
good
cheer; I have overcome the world.
Comfort in Tributations
Romans 8
16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with
our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And
if children,
then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we
suffer
with him, that we may be also glorified together. 18
For I reckon
that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared
with
the glory which shall be revealed in us.
Romans 8
35 Who shall separate us from the love of
Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or
nakedness,
or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written, For thy
sake we are
killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
37
Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that
loved
us. 38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor
life, nor
angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things
to
come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other
creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ
Jesus
our Lord.
That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know
that we are appointed thereunto. 4 For verily when
we were with
you we told you that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to
pass,
and ye know. 1 Thessalonians 3:3,4
