Persecuted for the Sake of Righteousness

Matthew 5:10-12

Today I saw a comment about a news story regarding 70 Christians who were beheaded in the Democratic Republic of Congo by a terrorist group amid a political uprising. The focus of the comment was on how little coverage this news received compared to other acts of violence—sometimes less brutal—committed against other groups. But that wasn’t what struck me the most. What first caught my attention was how comfortable the vast majority of Western Christians are.

Jesus Christ, in the Sermon on the Mount, said: Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10). On several occasions, the apostle Paul mentioned the fact of being persecuted or the persecution of the church:

Even to this present hour we hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; and we labor, working with our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure (1 Corinthians 4:11-12).

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body (2 Corinthians 4:8-10).

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12).

It was the persecution of the church in the early centuries that caused the gospel of Christ to spread so rapidly. And it is expected that persecution will happen!

For many years, we have been living in peace, but the main point of the comment mentioned at the beginning also serves as a warning that persecution will come to all. The persecution of the church no longer causes outrage among people. Maranatha!

#biblestudy #bible #grownostr