Tag: persecution

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Christian Living

Follow Up Thoughts on Persecution from Albert Barnes

In my previous post, I asked the question – If I’m not persecuted can I be a “good” Christian? Today, I want to have a short follow-up on this idea of persecution.
two goats butting heads - symbolizing standing against persecution
Albert Barnes helpful definition of persecution indicated that it comes in many forms, including ridicule, insults, or even simple exclusion from a group due to your Christian beliefs or behavior. Not only did he provide a defintion of persecution, but he also provided some practical thoughts about the issue:

(1.) Christians should prepare to be persecuted. One of the proper qualifications for membership in the church should be our willingness to bear persecution and to resolve not to shrink from any duty in order to avoid persecution (which included ridicule, insults, or even simple exclusion).
 
(2.) They who are persecuted for their opinions should consider that this may be an evidence that they have the Spirit of Christ, and are his true friends. They should remember that, in this respect, they are treated as the Master was, and are in the good company of the prophets, apostles, and martyrs; for they were all persecuted.

However,
(3.) If we are persecuted, we should carefully inquire, before we avail ourselves of this consolation, whether we are persecuted because we “live godly in Christ Jesus,” or for some other reason.
      For example, a man may embrace some absurd opinion and call it religion; he may adopt some mode of dress that is unbelievably ludicrous, and may call it conscience; or he may be lacking in his manners, and rude in his demeanor with others, outraging all the laws of social life, and may call this “standing against the world.” For these types of behaviors, he may be condemned, ridiculed, and despised. But let him not believe that he is to be enrolled among the list of martyrs for this exclusion. The persecution which will properly furnish the evidence that we are the friends of Christ must only be that which is “for righteousness’ sake.”
 
(4.) Let those who have never been persecuted in any way inquire whether it is not an evidence that they have no religion. It is easy for a professed Christian to avoid persecution, if he yields to others at every point in which his religion is opposed to the world. But he needs to consider that if he finds himself yielding at every single point, then he may not be entitled to the Christian name.

—Albert Barnes (from the mid-1800’s)

Are you standing strong for Christ where others would have you bend?

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Categories
Christian Living

If I Am Not Persecuted Am I Not A “Good” Christian?

The Bible indicates that Christians will be persecuted. And therefore, you will occasionally hear a pastor say that if you aren’t being persecuted, then you might want to consider how well you are living out your Christianity.
picture of a fist symbolizing the idea of being persecuted

This used to concern me, because I didn’t sense a heavy amount of persecution toward me. As much as it is possible, I strive to live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18). I know other Christians who try to do the same. And that means not much persecution has come my way. So does that mean I’m a sub-par Christian?

I certainly don’t believe you have to be highly persecuted to prove your Christianity, but I do believe that if you faithfully live for Christ and speak for Him, then you will have people around you who will not always appreciate what you have to say. At the very least, those people will probably seek to avoid you. In those instances, we must be willing to remain true to our Christian beliefs and not shrink from them in order to win the approval of others.

In studying this issue, I ran across the following information from a commentary that was helpful to me in getting a better definition of persecution. It is from the 1800s, so I’ve tried to modernize the language to make it a bit more readable:

Devoted Christians who live as the Savior did and who carry out His principles will always experience some form of persecution. By persecution, we mean that a person will be subjected to a disadvantage on account of his opinions. This is more than just arguing with him about his opinions, it is inflicting some injury on him; depriving him of some privilege or right; subjecting him to some disadvantage; or placing him in less favorable circumstances, because of his beliefs.

This may be an injury to his feelings, his family, his reputation, his property, his liberty, his influence. Or it might be by depriving him of a position which he held, or preventing him from obtaining one to which he is eligible. It could be by subjecting him to fine or imprisonment, to banishment, torture, or death.

If, in any manner, or in any way, a person is subjected to disadvantage on account of his or her religious opinions, and deprived of any rights to which he or she would be otherwise entitled, this is persecution.

Now, it is doubtless as true as it ever was, that a man who will live as the Savior did will be subjected to some such injury or disadvantage. On account of his opinions, he might be ridiculed, or treated with neglect, or excluded from part of society. The person who lives as the Savior did may be shunned by those who might otherwise value his or her friendship.

These injuries and slights may be expected in the best times and under the most favorable circumstances; and it is known that a large part of the history of the world, in its relation to the church, is nothing more than a history of persecution.

—Albert Barnes (from the mid-1800’s)

So now that we have a broader (or better) definition of persecution, we realize that we do not have to be physically threatened to consider ourselves persecuted. Just the fact that some people exclude you because of your Christian beliefs falls into the category.

(But let’s also not mistake the fact that if we are arrogant or condescending about our beliefs, then that might be what is excluding us! So don’t get confused and indicate that you are being persecuted for your Christianity, when you are actually being persecuted because you are being a jerk to others. The label “persecution” only works if you are striving to be a good friend and yet you are still being excluded.)

So the follow-up questions after getting a better definition are: How should we respond to such persecution? How should we respond to being excluded because of our Christian beliefs and behaviors?

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Categories
Christian Living

In Light of the ISIS Genocide and Unmet Expectations

gold letter Nun in support of the Christians facing persecution by ISIS and who may be dealing with shaken faith thru unmet expectations
The tragic ISIS genocide we are reading about brings up additional questions regarding unmet expectations. When we see what our brothers and sisters are experiencing due to their faith in Jesus Christ – whether it be killing at the hands of Islamic terrorists or imprisonment such as what has happened with pastor Saeed Abedini – then it can make us wonder about the character and love of God. How can God be called good in the face of such evil atrocities taking place on this earth He created?

We aren’t the first ones to ask these questions. We find the same questions in Jesus’ day. Even John the Baptist had a season (or moment) of questioning. John had baptized Jesus. He had called Him “The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” He said about Jesus – He must become greater and I must become less. He had great expectations regarding his cousin who He had baptized as the Christ, as the Expected One, as the Lamb of God. He had seen the Holy Spirit descend onto Jesus. He knew who Jesus was and was expecting great things from Jesus. But where did he find himself? He was sitting in a jail cell awaiting possible execution. This was not what he expected!

How could the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world be Jesus if he (John) was sitting in a jail cell? Why is this happening? God, where are You?

Have you ever felt like that? Have you ever questioned God about what life has thrown at you and wondered if God was still sitting on His throne? Wondered if God was still in control? Wondered if God even cared about you? John had these same concerns.

I’m so glad that Jesus didn’t chastise him for his questions. Instead, Jesus knew just what to say to John to comfort him and to help him realize that he had done exactly what God wanted him to do. “John, I am the Messiah. My works and the scriptures prove it. You were right in calling me the Lamb of God. You can be at peace that you lived out your calling to God just as He desired for you to do.”

That brings us back to us. When we are questioning our life circumstances, many of us get discouraged about the life we have versus the one we expected. I’m sure that some of the people in the midst of these on-going persecutions are experiencing the same thoughts, concerns, and doubts.

Jesus spoke words of comfort to John. But what can He say to us who are weary and discouraged by our circumstances? He doesn’t chastise us either – rather He simply says: “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

God knew we would become weary, distressed, disappointed, frustrated, and unable to see a light at the end of the tunnel. He knew that many of our expectations for our lives would not be met and that these unmet expectations would put us into a tailspin. He never said this life would be easy – it is full of evil that we have invited into His perfect world. But instead of leaving us to deal with it on our own, He brings us into a relationship with Him so that He will walk with us in the midst of the messes we have made.

Jesus said “my yoke is easy and my burden is light,” He never said there wouldn’t be a yoke or burden. But He did leave us with the great news that if we will choose to have a relationship with Him, then even when life may not be as we expected, we can still learn peace and contentment with Him – no matter the circumstances.

And pray for those in the midst of real persecution to feel the comfort of His love as He walks with them through the evils of this world.

Categories
Christian Living

We Like To Play Games… How About a Quick Game of “Church”

We love games.
We love to play. board of chinese checkers for a blog post on playing the game of church
Monopoly, Operation, Chutes & Ladders, Connect 4…
Football, Baseball, Golf, Soccer…

From early ages, we learn to play games. We can even use our imaginations to make up new ones.
I remember playing lots of games with my cousins at Mamaw’s house.
Our favorite required that she give us each a towel and safety pin it around our necks as our capes.
Then we’d go out and fight imaginary crime as Batman and Robin and Batgirl.
(I never got to be Batman, but fortunately I was never forced to be Batgirl, either!)
batman symbol

So, there is no question. We love games. But what happens when we turn something that is not a game into one?

“I know, let’s create a new game.”
“OK, but what will we call it.”
“How about… “church”?

God tells us that the Christian life is serious. That it costs you your life. That even if you are never required to be a martyr for the Christian faith, you are to have made the decision that your commitment to Christ is greater than your commitment to your own beating heart. That we should hold tighter to Jesus than to our own lives.

God tells us that we are to be about His business and that His business isn’t a game. In fact, He tells us that if we are serious about His business, it will lead us to encounter persecution. And if we encounter real persecution, we will know that real Christianity is not a game. And yet, here in America where we don’t experience much persecution for our faith, we have learned how to “play church.”

God never said that living for Him would be easy. In fact, He promises that it will be quite difficult.
He tells us that our own family members will turn against us; that others will hate us for our beliefs; that we will be slandered; that we might even physically have to die for our faith in Him. Jesus tells us that being a real Christian will bring a sword into your life.

But it doesn’t often seem to be the case for American Christians, where we seem to think that being a Christian will make life easier and more comfortable as God pours out blessings and safety and protection. That is quite a contrary message to what Jesus says in the Bible.

And then we look at people living in other areas of the world…. Some people are still living in countries where Christianity is persecuted. Persecution for Christian beliefs is still extremely strong in other places in the world.

Some missionaries are still going into countries where their lives are in danger, but because they are more concerned with people going to hell than with their own lives, they go in order to fulfill the Great Commission.
Do you think we would be more serious about God if we had to weigh whether we might die for our beliefs? Do you think we would value the Bible more if it was illegal to own one or teach from one?

Perhaps God has blessed us so much in, and given us such freedoms, in order that we might use these things to share more freely with others. Maybe we should be praying: “God thank you for loving me so much and placing me in America where I have so many freedoms, including freedom of religion. In response to your love for me and the blessings you have provided me I am going to make knowing you and your Word the #1 priority in my life and share my love for you with others. No matter the cost.”

Instead of taking that type of attitude, we hoard our resources and use them to please ourselves. And then we hear about “the danger” of missions and the persecution in the rest of the world and we just hope God doesn’t call us to missions – let someone else do that dirty and dangerous work. Not me.

And God, definitely don’t call my children to go!

So, even though many of us “dedicate” our children to the Lord in some worship service, we are actually unwilling for God to them as He sees fit!

While we are fearful of someone thinking we are eccentric or extreme because of our faith, some people around the globe are actually having to consider prison and death as a real possibility of what it means to accept Christ – and yet they still choose Jesus and aren’t afraid of death.

We love games. Games are fun. But church should never be a game.