How Christians Should React To Persecution And Hate

How Christians Should React To Persecution And Hate April 24, 2017

How should believers react to persecution and hate? Jesus tells us how.

Proactive and Not Reactive

When we are persecuted for righteousness’ sake or for being a Christ-follower, we shouldn’t be surprised at all. You can simply read some of the comments reader leave and see that you and I will be insulted, name-called, and have derogatory insults about our character hurled at us, but that’s actually a good thing. The Apostle Peter wrote, “do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” (1st Pet 4:12-13, so we should rejoice instead of trading insults and we should be glad and rejoice instead of being sorrowful because, as Jesus said, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you” (John 15:18) since “A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours” (John 15:20), so we must remember “all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me” (John 15:21). If your persecuted then you’re in good company because they persecuted (and killed) the prophets just as they did Jesus. The point to all this is “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (1st Pet 4:14). Don’t you want that?

The Blessing

Jesus tells us to respond to persecution, hate, and anger in a way that is contrary to the world. Instead of getting even, we rejoice. Jesus said “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matt 5:10), and “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account” (Matt 5:11), so when you and I are persecuted, we are blessed. When we are spoken of in an evil way, we are blessed. Never does it tell the Christian to respond in the same way we’re treated since Jesus, “When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly” (1st Pet 2:23), so instead of reacting in similar fashion, we can “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matt 5:12). If someone is our enemy because we trust in Christ, Jesus says, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt 5:44a). If we respond in this way we show that we are “sons of your Father who is 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.” (Matt 5:45). Why are we more like God when we pray for our enemies and love them that hate us? It is because Jesus died for us while we were still ungodly, wicked sinners who were enemies of God (Rom 5:6-10). That’s what God does and what we should imitate (John 3:16).

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Doing Good To Haters

When Jesus told the disciples to “do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you” (Matt 5:44b), the disciples must have been shocked because at one time when a village rejected Jesus’ and the gospel, the “sons of thunder” wanted to call fire down from heaven and consume them (Luke 9:54), but Jesus rebuked them for that. They still didn’t understand what God’s ways were and really, God would be just if He called down fire upon all of us, but that’s not why Jesus came as He said, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:17), so to be more like God, Jesus tells us to “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you” (Luke 6:27). Jesus point is, “If you love those who love you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what benefit is that to you? For even sinners do the same” (Luke 6:32-33). We can do good to those who love us and make no difference in the world because even the world loves their own, but we’re called to love those who are not of God and who hate us and to pray for their salvation so that they might be saved. God doesn’t want any to perish (1st Tim 2:4). Is that our desire too?

Conclusion

It’s time to rejoice when you’re persecuted, hated, name-called, and have all sorts of evil spoken about you because you trust in Christ. Jesus says “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets” (Luke 6:22-23). I would rather be spoken of badly than be treated like a friend by everyone. Jesus warned us about this when He said, “Woe to you, when all people speak well of you, for so their fathers did to the false prophets” (Luke 6:26), so if you’re hated by the world, you’re loved by God, but if you’re loved by the world, you are an enemy of God.

Article by Jack Wellman

Jack Wellman is Pastor of the Mulvane Brethren Church in Mulvane Kansas. Jack is also host of Spiritual Fitness and Senior Writer at What Christians Want To Know whose mission is to equip, encourage, and energize Christians and to address questions about the believer’s daily walk with God and the Bible. You can follow Jack on Google Plus or check out his book Teaching Children the Gospel available on Amazon.


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