None of us wants to face persecution! But since the fall of man, it has always been the lot of God’s people in this world to be persecuted. Man’s evil nature has always had an innate hatred of that which is good, and especially if exposure to that which was good was a constant irritation to a bad conscience. We see this beginning with Cain and Abel. Abel’s sacrifice was accepted while Cain’s was rejected, and we read that “Cain ... slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous” (1 John 3:1212If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? (John 3:12)).
This same pattern was repeated throughout the Old Testament, and especially in the nation of Israel. Stephen could challenge the Jewish leaders of his day by raising the question, “Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted?” (Acts 7:5252Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which showed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers: (Acts 7:52)). The Lord Jesus Himself summed it up, when He spoke about “all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar” (Matt. 23:3535That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar. (Matthew 23:35)). Between these two men lies almost the whole of the Old Testament history of man.
Parable of the Vineyard
But did all this improve with the coming of the Lord Jesus into the world? The story is told by our Lord Himself in the parable of the vineyard. After the ill treatment of multiple servants sent by the owner of the vineyard, he finally said, “What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him” (Luke 20:1313Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him. (Luke 20:13)). It is not difficult to see God as the owner of the vineyard and the Lord Jesus as His beloved Son. But man’s heart was not changed by this display of God’s goodness. “They cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him” (Luke 20:1515So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them? (Luke 20:15)).
Afflictions of Christ
But God’s heart of love was not to be shut up by this supreme display of man’s wickedness. Instead of instant judgment, we read that “repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:4747And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luke 24:47)). However, it was not to be a popular message, and the Lord’s followers were to expect persecution. Those who left possessions or relatives to follow the Lord would receive a recompense, even in the present time, but “with persecutions” (Mark 10:3030But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life. (Mark 10:30)). The Lord Jesus could also remind His disciples, “In the world ye shall have tribulation” (John 16:3333These 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. (John 16:33)). Later on, after the conversion of Saul of Tarsus (later the Apostle Paul), the Lord could tell Ananias, “I will show him how great things he must suffer for My name’s sake” (Acts 9:1616For I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake. (Acts 9:16)). Then Paul became a “standard bearer” of this dispensation, even to the point of being able to say, “I ... fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for His body’s sake, which is the church” (Col. 1:2424Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: (Colossians 1:24)). Christ suffered before the church existed, as it was not formed until He ascended to glory and sent down the Holy Spirit. In this way Paul “filled up” those sufferings, by suffering for the church and for the truth of the assembly. Persecution continues today in various forms, and it will not cease until we are called home, for the believer is called to follow a rejected Christ. I would suggest that there are two major kinds of persecution among believers today.
The World
First of all, there is the kind of persecution which we can all recognize — persecution which Paul refers to as “those things that are without” (2 Cor. 11:28). The world has not changed since it cast out the Son of God, and the Lord Jesus could say, “If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:2020Remember 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. (John 15:20)). Down through the ages of the church, the world has vented its rage against the followers of the Lord Jesus, beginning with men like the Roman emperor Nero, under whose rule Paul was executed, and continuing on with others like Domitian and Trajan, who murdered Christians simply because they no longer worshipped Roman gods. It is beyond the scope of this article to follow all the persecutions down through the centuries, but we all know that this persecution continues today. Believers in many areas of the world today are being killed, either directly or indirectly, for their faith in Christ. It is impossible to get accurate figures, but estimates range from a low of 7,000-8,000 to a figure as high as 100,000, every year. Many who are not killed outright doubtless have their lives shortened by harsh economic conditions and other ill-treatment, such as imprisonment. Many others who are not killed are subjected to relentless harassment, often with constant exposure to physical suffering.
The Crown of Life
The Lord encourages them in His Word by saying, “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life” (Rev. 2:1010Fear 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 2:10)). The Lord knows each one, even if suffering unknown to the rest of the world, and will reward their faithfulness. For some of us, living in favored lands where, for the moment, we have religious freedom, the Lord tells us, “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them” (Heb. 13:33Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body. (Hebrews 13:3)). We are members of the same body, and thus we are to feel with them in their adversity.
Persecution Is Everywhere
Persecution from the world occurs everywhere, for the world is the same, even if it puts on a pleasant face. Some of us may not suffer violence to our persons or the direct confiscation of our property, but Satan finds a way to make the faithful believer feel unwanted. If we confess Christ, we will soon see the world’s hatred. It may come in mild forms such as shunning, or in more tangible forms such as loss of a promotion at work. But Satan, who is now the god and prince of this world, will make it clear that we do not fit into the world he rules. We may, and should, feel this, but rather than resenting it, we should remember that we are only walking in the steps of the Master.
Rejection of Paul
But there is another kind of persecution today, a kind that has existed ever since the latter part of Paul’s life. It was during this time that Paul had to tell Timothy that “all they which are in Asia be turned away from me” (2 Tim. 1:15). They had not rejected Christianity, but rather had rejected Paul because of his faithfulness in both living out and teaching the truth of the church. From that time on, those who wanted to be faithful to the Lord would have to separate, not only from the world, but from vessels to dishonor within the great house of Christendom. One result of all this would be persecution arising from those who called themselves Christians. (Similar persecution will occur in the future during the tribulation, when the godly Jewish remnant will be cast out of the city of Jerusalem and even killed by their own countrymen for preaching the gospel of the kingdom.)
Paul alludes to this when he says to Timothy, “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” (2 Tim. 3:12). Doubtless the persecution from without would continue, but superadded to it would be persecution from within, which would be much harder to bear. The “grievous wolves” from without would surely enter in and spoil the flock, but Paul’s words about those within would also be fulfilled: “Of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things” (Acts 20:29-3029For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. 30Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. (Acts 20:29‑30)). In the Apostle’s day such persecution took the form of rejection, for Paul could say, “Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world” (2 Tim. 4:10). Later, under established systems of men in the great house, true believers would be hunted down and killed by those who themselves named the name of Christ.
Faithfulness
Again, all this continues in our day. Faithfulness to the Lord in the middle of an ungodly and threatening world takes real courage, but courage is also needed to stand for “the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 3). When men “heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears” (2 Tim. 4:3), it takes real resolution before the Lord to honor God’s Word and to be willing to take a despised and rejected place for doing so. But all this likewise will be rewarded, for the “crown of righteousness” will be given to “all them also that love His appearing” (2 Tim. 4:8). At His appearing, all will be manifested as to rewards, but most of all, our blessed Saviour will have His rightful place. He will have His rightful place then, and all will own Him. It is our privilege to give Him His rightful place now by keeping His Word and not denying His name, in spite of the persecution it may bring.
W. J. Prost