As summarized by Charlotte Carreon
“Yes, and everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” 2 Timothy 3:12 (NLT)
Persecution is defined as punishment or harassment, usually of a severe nature, on the basis of race, religion, or political opinion in one's country of origin. We have all heard stories of how Christians and even those from other religions have been threatened and beaten up, or in many instances, have lost their lives for steadfastly holding on to their beliefs.
This isn’t something new. Daniel 3 depicts a story of a tyrant named Nebuchadnezzar who had set his sights on worshipping a god made of gold and forced everyone in his kingdom to do the same. Upon learning of 3 God-fearing men who refused to do so, he immediately summoned them and forced them to bow down to the idol of gold. When the 3 men refused, the king ordered his men to throw them into a fiery furnace. To everyone’s surprise, however, the men came out unscathed and “not a single hair was singed.” What a clear display of God’s awesome power to save those who revere Him!
Being persecuted for following Christ is a fulfilment of a promise – Something that is expected of those who truly believe and follow Him. The ultimate goal in enduring persecution is Christ-likeness. Just as a grape vine is pruned to become more fruitful, we as Christians go through difficult times in the name of Christ to grow in maturity & become more fruitful. It may not be as extreme or newsworthy as in Korea or China where people are physically tortured, imprisoned or killed but we will surely have our own share of persecution where we are. In fact, the very act of seeking righteousness is sometimes confrontational. Truly seeking Christ-likeness sometimes bothers people. Breaking longstanding or deeply-ingrained habits that aren’t pleasing to Him, choosing to forgive someone who hurt us deeply, or accepting His will when things don’t seem to make sense sometimes lead others to label us as a ‘kill joy’ or being too conservative or being a square. Other times, these cause us to become outcasts because of our belief in Christ. These are also very real forms of persecution for us, although in a different sense.
Persecution is the cost of discipleship. Serving God is never easy because we live in a time where our beliefs are constantly tested and it is so easy to be corrupted by the ungodly practices of the world. But we must press on! Stand your ground and choose to follow the right path for it is the only way to live.
Persecution is a blessing. As written in 1 Peter 4:14 (NLT), “So be happy when you are insulted for being a Christian, for then the glorious Spirit of God rests upon you.” It may not feel like it when you are being punished and it may seem more logical to just quit but don’t! God is with you and He will never leave you, especially in those times when you are actively choosing to follow Him.
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