YOUR FAITH…PERSECUTED, HATED?
The Christian persecution we read about in Scripture and history books is not a thing of the past. It still exists. Today, in the 21st century, we are living in a time when persecution against Christian believers is the highest in modern history. According to Open Doors’ 2019 World Watch List—an in-depth investigative report focusing on global Christian persecution—persecution is increasing at an alarming rate. Let us look at some facts from the last five years:
In North Korea, Christians are considered hostile elements to be eradicated.
Afghanistan—Where Christianity is not permitted to exist.
In Somalia, Christians are high value targets.
Believers in Libya face abuse and deadly violence
Christians in Pakistan live with constant threat of mob attacks.
Christian converts in Sudan targeted for persecution.
Christians imprisoned and dying in shipping containers in Eritrea.
Believers in Yemen especially vulnerable in civil war and famine
Illegal to convert, illegal to preach in Iran.
Unprecedented violence against Christians in India
1 in 9: Christians worldwide experience high levels of persecution.
14%: The rise in the number of Christians in 2019 who experience high levels of persecution.
4,136: Christians killed for faith-related reasons
2,625: Christians detained without trial, arrested, sentenced, and imprisoned
1,266: churches or Christian buildings attacked
7 of the countries the primary cause of persecution is Islamic oppression.
11: countries scoring in the “extreme” level for their persecution of Christians. Five years ago, North Korea was the only one.
Every day, 8 Christians worldwide are killed because of their faith.
Every week, 182 churches or Christian buildings are attacked.
And every month, 309 Christians are imprisoned unjustly.
340 million Christians around the world suffer some form of persecution, such as arbitrary arrest, violence, a full range of human rights violations and even murder.
China also exported surveillance technology and systems training to more than 100 countries. Some have used it to identify and track Churchgoers.
84 countries have laws against blasphemy. Many of these laws allow courts to impose lengthy prison sentences on individuals found guilty.
reporting period (from October 2019 to September 2020):
4,488 Churches or Christian buildings were attacked
4,277 Christians were unjustly arrested, detained, or imprisoned.
1,710 Christians were abducted for faith-related reasons.
2 Corinthians 11:20-31
For you put up with it if someone enslaves you, if someone devours you, if someone takes from you, if someone exalts himself, if someone strikes you in the face. To our shame, I say that we were too weak for that! But in whatever anyone is bold (I speak foolishly) I am bold also. Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am even more: in labours far more, in beatings immeasurably, in imprisonments far more, in deaths often. By the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have spent in the depth of the sea. In journeys often, in dangers of rivers, in dangers of robbers, in dangers from my own race, in dangers from the Gentiles, in dangers in the city, in dangers in the wilderness, in dangers in the sea, in dangers among false brothers; in labour and hardship, in sleepless nights often, in hunger and thirst, in fasting often, in cold and nakedness, apart from what I leave unmentioned, what comes against me daily: the anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is caused to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation? If I must boast, I will boast about the things concerning my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is blessed forever, knows that I am not lying.
What happened to religious freedom. THIS WILL GET WORSE. As we get closer to the end times, we can expect persecutions against believers to increase. The fact is, we are living in an environment that is growing increasingly hostile to the Gospel we proclaim.
1) A PROMISE OF HARDSHIP
The Powers Behind This Hardship
The disciples are warned that they will be delivered up to the “councils”. This is a reference to the Jewish Sanhedrin, which was their version of the Supreme Court. They would also stand before “rulers and kings”, who would interrogate them concerning their preaching and doctrine. They would be hunted, hounded, beaten, and some would even die, for the faith they preached.
As Paul’s own testimony, people will receive this treatment because the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is a direct threat to organized religion and to corrupt human government. The Gospel exposes the sin and ungodliness of this corrupt world system. When the system is confronted by the Gospel, the system reacts by seeking to silence the Gospel.
Paul includes hard work (labours), at least two forms of beating, imprisonments, dangerous situations, exposure to the elements, and deprivations (of food, shelter, sleep). In addition to these afflictions of the body, there are the mental and spiritual burdens he bears for the saints. He personally identifies with the weaknesses and sins of the saints who are in all the churches.
Paul tells those to whom he preaches the gospel that suffering is a part of the Christian life, and that they should expect it.
2 Timothy 3:12
And indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
It has been this way since the beginning of the church, and it will continue this way until Jesus comes to get His church. As the end of the church age draws closer, there will be an intensification in persecution of the Gospel with its call to holiness, repentance, and faith in Christ alone.
Being in the ministry myself, I have been privileged to bear some of the burdens, the sorrows, the pain, the heartache, and tears of many of you and share them with you. I confess that it is sometimes a great strain. I have not done very well at it. It makes me even more amazed to think of this mighty apostle bearing the burdens of dozens of churches that he founded, being open to their needs, and praying for them daily. He had never even been to places, but he prayed for them, and upheld them before God every day. What a tremendous ministry of mercy this man had! What empathy he shows. What ability to respond to the emotional heart-cries of people. I shake my head in amazement. As you read a list like this it raises the question: "Why would anyone put up with this kind of life? “If that is what Christianity can involve, what made this man willing to go through these terrible hardships, pressures, trials, and dangers? What motivated him? The only answer I can find is the one he himself gives us in:
2 Corinthians 5:14a “the love of Christ constrains me,"
So, what is the Purpose of This Hardship
First, the destiny of those who reject the Gospel, and its message will be sealed by the persecution. They prove their sinfulness by rejecting the Word of God and the Way of salvation.
When God saves a soul, He demonstrates His grace, love, and mercy. When God condemns a soul to Hell, He demonstrates His righteousness and His holiness.
Second, when persecution comes to the church, the faith and message of the church are validated, persecution causes the Gospel to spread. When believers seal their testimony with their blood a lost world takes notice. Many people suffer daily for their testimony, and many others are tortured and killed for believing in Jesus Christ. The persecuted, on the other hand, give daily testimony to the depth of their faith and commitment to the Gospel.
2) A PROMISE OF HATRED
Jesus says in: John 15:18-21.
"If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.
This proved true for all the disciples of the Lord Jesus.
- James – Beheaded by King Herod
- Peter – Crucified upside down in Rome
- Andrew – Crucified on an olive tree.
- Thomas - Thrust through with pine spears, tormented with red-hot plates, and burned alive.
- Philip – Tortured and crucified
- Matthew – Beheaded
- Nathanael – Skinned alive and then crucified.
- James the Less – Thrown down from the temple mount and then beaten to death with a club.
- Simon the Zealot – Crucified
- Thaddeus – Beaten to death with sticks.
- Matthias – Stoned will hanging on a cross.
- John the Beloved – Thrown into boiling oil but did not die. Later exiled to the prison island of Patmos.
- Paul – Beheaded in Rome
The Reality:
As the persecution continues, it will intensify until even the strong bonds of family break and give way to family members turning on one another. We should not be surprised by this revelation. Jesus said that it would be this way, Matt. 10:34-39. The disciples experienced this kind of hatred, and so will the church of the end times. Not only will family hatred increase, but so will secular hatred for the people of God. We wonder why the world would hate a people devoted to godliness and peace, but as I mentioned earlier, they hate us because we stand for everything they are against and we are against everything they stand for. We will see the persecution of the church grow stronger and more public as the end approaches.
The Reason:
The reason the world hates the believer is because the world hates Jesus. This world is energized and controlled by Satan. After all, he is the “god of this world”, 2 Cor. 4:4. This world is filled with sinners that exist to fulfil the will of the devil, John 8:44
There is a lesson here for us, when persecution comes, those who know the Lord Jesus will be empowered to stand for Him, even if they are called to die for His glory. I pray that if I am called on to die for Jesus, that I will do so without hesitation.
We are moving into an age where non-Christians are in control.
They favour many things that are against the clear teachings of the Word of God.
We are living in a time when everyone is expected to accept homosexuality as an alternative lifestyle.
We are expected to accept that a woman has the right to murder her unborn child.
We are expected to tolerate sin and violence of every kind.
We are expected to tone down our message and soften our speech so that we do not offend the people who engage in sinful activity.
When we fail to go along with the demands of this increasingly secular society, we can expect to be persecuted for our stand.
The right to preach the Word of God without restrictions is worth fighting for.
The right to tell a lost world that Jesus saves is worth fighting for.
The right of a teenager to stand at his or her graduation and mention the name of Jesus is worth fighting for.
Are you willing to go to prison, die for your faith?
Are you willing to suffer for the Lord’s sake?
Are you willing to go to your death for Jesus if that is His will for your life?
3) A PROMISE OF HELP
Matthew 16:24
Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
We can expect help from God. The Lord will give us exactly what we need when we stand. God’s promise is that the Spirit Himself will fill and us the very words we need to defend our faith as he did with the disciples. God promises direct, divine help to aid those persecuted for their faith. This is seen throughout the Bible.
On April 17, 1521, the great reformer Martin Luther stood before a Roman Catholic council to answer charges of heresy. As Luther stood there that day, he spoke as a man directed by God Himself. Luther said, “Unless I am convinced by proofs from Scriptures or by plain and clear reasons and arguments, I can and will not retract, for it is neither safe nor wise to do anything against conscience. Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me. Amen.”
Those words, among others spoken that day, led the council to condemn Luther as a heretic. He was persecuted, but the protestant reformation was launched by those same words.
Many other examples could be listed here. The fact is, God is faithful to stand with His people, Heb. 13:5; Matt. 28:20. He will not desert you when you face persecution or His glory.
So, what are we to do with this message?
First, I would encourage anyone here who has never received Jesus as Saviour to come to Him and be saved today. I understand that persecution does not make many people want to become a Christian yet believing the Gospel and even dying for Jesus is far better than living in peace and dying without Him.
ALL THOSE WHO DIE FOR HIM WILL GO TO HEAVEN, WHILE ALL THOSE WHO DIE WITHOUT HIM WILL GO TO HELL.
Second, I would call all believers to examine their hearts. Are you committed to Jesus, even to the point of death? Or do you shy away from even a simple confrontation at school or work?
If the Lord has touched your heart on any level, please come to Him today and let Him do in your life what He desires to do. I invite you to come to and pray for the Christians who are being persecuted around the world today.
Pray for that young girl in Africa who has been sold as a sex slave to a Muslim man.
Pray for that Pastor who has been thrown into prison in China.
Pray for that family in Mexico whose house has been burned and their children taken away.
Pray for those who are paying for their faith with the blood.
Pray for them and then pray for us that we will have the same resolve should we be called on to walk the path of persecution.
Let us Pray …
