Christian Persecution: Biblical Perspectives for the 21st century mind [Part 2]

This article is a continuation of Christian Persecution: Biblical Perspectives for the 21st century mind [Part 1]

Responding to persecution

How does the bible teach us to respond when we are being persecuted, discriminated against, abused or cheated because we identify with Jesus:

1. Courage. The first human response to opposition is usually fear. The reason why the scriptures are full of warning about persecution in the world is so that we will not be afraid when it comes. Ignorance about what persecution means make many feel they did something wrong when it shows up, guilt could lead on to hopelessness, fear and despair, which can make a person deny his/her faith at the very time it matters most. There’s nothing to be afraid of. The strength of God is always there to see us through this kind of situations and deliver us.

And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
Mt 10:28(NKJV)

And now, Lord, look upon their threats, and grant to thy servants to speak thy word with all boldness…
Acts 4:29

The disciples didn’t even ask for their persecution to come to an end when threatened, they asked for courage to continue!

2. Grace. It takes only the grace of God in our hearts to maintain a right attitude in the face of persecution. What if they murdered your husband, and killed your baby? I can’t even attempt to answer the numerous what ifs. Only the grace of God can?

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
Mt 5:44(NKJV)

Who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;
1Pet 2:23(NKJV) [Peter talking about Jesus]

Not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.
1Pet 3:9(NKJV)

see also 1Cor 4:12, Rom 12:14. I know that this things may appear easier said, but God will not require from us what He hasn’t given us a capacity for. Let Stephen be our example who prayed for his attackers even as they stoned him to death, Our Lord Jesus did the same.

We must never be tempted to retaliate or plot revenge, our hearts are no place for malice. I fully understand and accept self defence and protection of loved ones, within a man/woman’s capacity, in a warring situation, as a dignified and legitimate instinct. But even at that, we Christians will never fight out of sheer malice. In the Jos massacres, we hear that some alleged Christians, schemed and perpetrated reprisal attacks against their muslim counterparts. I shrink from sounding insensitive, but if they were Christians indeed, this should never have been possible. We do not wrestle flesh and blood, be they religious extremists or not. We should leave justice to God and those He has given that authority by law.

3. Reliance on the Holy Spirit. We must always remember a point I made earlier, every case of persecution is an unconventional and uncommon opportunity to witness about the gospel. Countless testimonies abound of persecutors who got convicted of their sins through the witness of a person they persecuted and Repented. This is a work we can’t arrange, but which we can rely on the Holy Spirit to do for us. Sometimes we don’t even have to speak a word, the fruit of the Spirit is itself the voice of the Holy Spirit.

But when they arrest you and deliver you up, do not worry beforehand, or premeditate what you will speak. But whatever is given you in that hour, speak that; for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
Mk 13:11(NKJV)

Likewise you wives, be submissive to your husbands, so that some, though they do not obey the word, may be won without a word by the behavior of their wives, when they see your reverent and chaste behavior.
1Pet 3:1-2(RSV)

Identifying with the persecuted

It breaks my heart sometimes when I hear how Christians, especially southerners in Nigeria talk about Christians being murdered  by religious extremists in the north. Some actually are convinced that God will never allow His children to be killed by infidels, and dare to believe that all the Christian victims couldn’t have been really saved. What nonsense!

I was in a worship service at Sokoto State one Sunday morning, during one of the weekends of crisis in Jos, when someone rose up to share her testimony. “I am happy to be in God’s presence this morning, many people are dying in Jos right now, but thank God we’re in His presence .” She said. Did she assume that those dying in Jos were not believers or that they where not in God’s presence or did I just misunderstand her? Well my point is believers generally find it hard or don’t know how to identify with their fellow believers suffering elsewhere, so long as they are not involved and this ought not to be so.

Chosing to ignore or be ignorant of the plight of suffering Christian’s around us is a sin many of us are guilty of, especially in Africa. The bible says “if one part suffers the whole part suffers with it….” “…mourn with those who mourn…”. Since the inception of crisis in Jos, for instance, thousands of Churches and houses of Christians have been destroyed, hundreds of church leaders and other Christians have been murdered, hundreds of thousands of people at one point or the other where displaced, how many churches in the west and south, or even from the neighboring Northern states rallied round them for support. We mostly turn the other way and leave it for the good samaritans (UNICEF, RED CROSS and Government). Yet, ministries all the way from the US like, open doors, also International Christian Concern, etc, played major roles. Whatever happened to “charity begins at home”.

Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.’ Mat 25:37-40(RSV)

One thing we can always do for persecuted Christians is to pray for them. But how can we pray effectual prayer when we are not interested in being informed. So we must also be interested. Read, ask, visit, find out, reach out. When you reach out to a suffering Christian, you reach out to Christ and you touch His soul, the bible confirms these. Most persecuted people mostly request more of prayers, they need to be spiritually strengthened by our prayers, as well as, they need out material ministrations. We need to always let them know they are not alone in their suffering, but that we suffer with them too.

Conclusion

We live in the age of Human Rights, wherein the bible doctrine on Christian persecution may seem annoying or insufferable. Many of us wish to avoid the subject altogether, but the bible says so much and scarcely leaves anything in doubt about Godly suffering, if we’ld receive it. Persecution is still a current and very much relevant issue confronting millions of Christians today. Persecution doesn’t have to be allowed to destroy or disorientate the church. Persecution can actually help deepen the believers focus on eternity. Persecution has been seen to many times strengthen the church and fuel the furtherance of the gospel. Christians tempered with persecution tend to be less self centered, they most times have a deeper hunger for God and His word and have a deeper commitment to serve. Check out the growth of the church in China, the place with the highest number of persecuted Christians, if you doubt this one.

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